Naanal(1965)
Naanal is a 1965 Indian Tamil-language crime comedy film written and directed by K. Balachander. It stars R. Muthuraman, Major Sundarrajan, Sowcar Janaki, K. R. Vijaya, Srikanth, and Nagesh. The story follows four escaped prisoners who break into a judge's home to take revenge but gradually rediscover their humanity. The film is based on Balachander's own stage play, which was inspired by the 1955 Hollywood film The Desperate Hours. It was produced by G. V. Saravanan under Saravana Pictures. The music was composed by V. Kumar. The film was released on 24 December 1965 and failed at the box office. It marked the feature film debut of actor Typist Gopu.
Quick Facts
- Theatrical Release
- 17 December 1965
- Director
- K. Balachander
- Language
- Tamil
- Runtime
- 2h 15m
- Rating
- 7.5/10
Storyline
Four dangerous criminals escape from prison and break into the home of the judge who sentenced them. They take his family hostage and plan to kill them. But as hours pass, the criminals begin to see the family's humanity. They must decide between revenge and redemption.
“Revenge meets redemption in a hostage house”
Film Details
Parental Guide
Vibe & Tags
Cast & Crew
Reunion Meter
Frequent partnerships reunited for Naanal
Cast reunions in this film: Nagesh & Major Sundarrajan (43 films together), Nagesh & R. Muthuraman (43 films together), K. R. Vijaya & Nagesh (38 films together), K. R. Vijaya & Major Sundarrajan (22 films together), K. R. Vijaya & R. Muthuraman (20 films together), and Major Sundarrajan & R. Muthuraman (20 films together).
Trivia
- This was K. Balachander's first film as a director, launching his legendary career.
- The film's story was based on a play by noted writer Jayakanthan.
- It was one of the earliest Tamil films to be shot extensively indoors, using mostly one house set.
- The film featured a young actor named Nagesh in a prominent role, before he became a comedy legend.
- Despite its dark theme, the movie was a critical success for its bold narrative and character depth.
- The title 'Naanal' translates to 'The Tunnel', symbolizing the characters' trapped circumstances and escape.