Thaneer Thaneer (1981) User Reviews

One of the best film about India – from India.

[theworldmoviejournal · 9/10 · 13 May 2012]

The film revolves around two main factors power and powerlessness.

Athipati, a remote village in TamilNadu suffers from extreme poverty without any water for the daily needs. The villagers adopt all possible ways to bring the attention of the government but end up with negligence and powerlessness. Instead of waiting in vain for government aid, the villagers unite to solve the problems on their own. Will they succeed?

The film is based on the story written by Komal Swaminathan ,one of the greatest play-writer in Tamil and directed by K.Balachander who is known for his distinct film-making style .

Characterization is powerful and so brilliantly done that leaves an everlasting impression in our heart.

The movie has a dark sense of humor. The climax is depressing and sad that makes us feel that there is still complete darkness in the lives of these people from rural India, in spite of the great strides the country has made towards becoming a global economic and military power.

You don't necessarily have to be an Indian to appreciate this film.

Awards: National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil National Film Award for Best Screenplay – K. Balachander

Cinematic Gem from South India

[valleycats · 10/10 · 6 September 2002]

In my opinion, ThanNeer ThanNeer easily makes its way into the list of best films ever made. In fact, after all these years since its original release, this film still ranks among the top 5 Tamil movies I've ever seen (and, I've seen a LOT of Tamil films). Mr. K. Balachander is a director of formidable talent and has always had a reputation for making films that are thought provoking and entertaining at the same time. His works are generally well received at the box-office and are also critically acclaimed. ThanNeer ThanNeer is a poignant human interest story and a biting political satire that succeeds at several levels - technical, artistic and emotional. It is a story that has universal appeal and yet works exceedingly well at the local level. I don't know how the translations / sub-titles hold up since one of Mr. Balachander's fortes is the clever use of Tamil language puns and nuances to heighten the impact of the dialogue. I highly recommend this movie for any one interested in what Indian cinema has to offer outside of the standard issue song-dance-and-slums-of-Calcutta fare.

Powerful and realistic

[chembai · 7 January 2002]

Easily one of K Balachander's best films, if not his best, this is a powerful film essentially on the scarcity of water (which continues to date in Tamil Nadu), but also touches upon corruption, Governmental neglect and high-handedness, and how the bureaucracy is taking the people for a ride. Still relevant, making it a must-see.

Movie that can possibly never lose its relevance

[celluloidbuff7 · 10 July 2018]

This movie was released 12 years before I was born, and I watched it in 2018. Never expected the movie to be so engaging even after 37 years of its release. The story is absolutely relevant even now, and I think, it will not lose it for many more years to come, given the grave situation of 2018. The movie is undoubtedly an off-stream attempt with no heroic protagonist, no action sequences, no unrealistic elements and all. Its just like monitoring a village through a CCTV camera from a remote server room. Natural acting performances, especially from veteran actress Saritha, with good background score makes the film more lively. A must watch one!