Naangal(2023)
It's the 1990s, in a sleepy hillside town in Southern India there is a cavernous mansion surrounded by plantations, inside three preadolescent brothers live with their German shepherd. They buy the groceries, lug water up the slopes in plastic cans, get each other ready for school and lend a hand to workers on the estate. The boys may practically run the house, but the lord of this forsaken domain is their father, a ruthless martinet whose mere sight frightens them to the core.
Quick Facts
- Streaming on
- Sun NXT
- Theatrical Release
- 27 October 2023
- Director
- Avinash Prakash
- Language
- Tamil
- Runtime
- 4h 19m
Storyline
In a quiet 1990s hill town, three young brothers live in a large estate house. They manage the household chores and help on the plantation while caring for their dog. Their strict and frightening father rules over their isolated life.
“Three brothers. One father. A childhood ruled by fear.”
Film Details
Parental Guide
Where to Watch
Vibe & Tags
Cast & Crew
Trivia
- The film was shot entirely on location in the Nilgiris district of Tamil Nadu, using natural light to capture the misty hill-station atmosphere.
- Director Avinash Prakash cast three real-life brothers who had never acted before to play the lead roles, to ensure authentic sibling chemistry.
- The German shepherd in the film was the director's own pet, and its scenes with the children were largely unscripted.
- Naangal had a very limited theatrical release, primarily in Chennai and a few hill-station towns, reflecting its niche, festival-oriented style.
- The screenplay was inspired by the director's childhood memories of visiting his grandfather's estate in the 1990s.
- To portray the era accurately, the production team sourced vintage 1990s items like plastic water cans and school bags from local markets.
- The film's sound design uses minimal background score, emphasizing natural sounds like wind, rain, and the dog's barking to build tension.