Thalaikoothal(2023)
Tamil142 mins
A man's long battle to save his comatose father is met with financial obstacles, and with his family suggesting euthanasia as the best possible option, his hopes of his father coming back to normalcy are tested.
Director:Jayaprakash Radhakrishnan
Mood:
darkemotionaldisturbing
Quick Facts
- Streaming on
- Netflix, Plex
- Theatrical Release
- 3 February 2023
- Director
- Jayaprakash Radhakrishnan
- Language
- Tamil
- Runtime
- 2h 22m
- Rating
- 7.7/10
Storyline
A man struggles to care for his father, who is in a coma. As money runs out, his family begins to suggest ending his father's life. He must face this pressure while clinging to the hope that his father might recover.
“A family's love faces its toughest choice.”
Film Details
7.7Rating
142Minutes
TamilLanguage
UCertificate
Release Date3 February 2023
Parental Guide
Violence
Low
Language
Low
Sex / Nudity
Mild
Drugs
Mild
Intensity
Low
Where to Watch
Vibe & Tags
Mood
darkemotionaldisturbing
Themes
familysurvivalcorruptionjustice
Tonegritty
Pacingslow-burn
Complexitymoderate
Audiencearthouse
Best Withalone
Violence2
Emotion5
Humor1
Rewatchability2
Cast & Crew
#1
#2K
Kalai SelvanOlder Muthu
→
Aadukalam MurugadossActor
→#3
Vasundhara KashyapKalai
→#4
#5K
Katha NandiPechi
→
KathirYounger Muthu
→#6
VaiyapuriActor
→#7
SamuthirakaniPazhani
→#8
M
Martin DonrajCrew
→#9
J
Jayaprakash RadhakrishnanDirector
→#10
S
S. SashikanthCrew
→Reunion Meter
Frequent partnerships reunited for Thalaikoothal
Cast reunions in this film: Samuthirakani & Vaiyapuri (2 films together), and Samuthirakani & Vasundhara Kashyap (2 films together).
Trivia
- The film's title 'Thalaikoothal' refers to a traditional Tamil practice of senicide, or mercy killing of the elderly.
- Director Jayaprakash Radhakrishnan spent over seven years researching and developing the film's sensitive subject.
- Actor Samuthirakani, who plays the son, is also a noted film director in Tamil cinema.
- The movie was shot primarily in real locations in and around Chennai to maintain a raw, authentic feel.
- It premiered at the International Film Festival of Kerala before its theatrical release in 2023.
- The script was partly inspired by real-life news reports and discussions about elderly care in India.
- Composer K's minimalist soundtrack uses sparse instrumentation to heighten the film's emotional weight.