Kallan (English: Thief) is a 2022 Indian Tamil-language drama film written and directed by Chandra Thangaraj. Karu Pazhaniappan and Nikita appear in the lead roles.
| Kallan | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Chandra Thangaraj |
| Produced by | Madhiazhagan |
| Starring | Karu Pazhaniappan Nikita Soundararaja |
| Cinematography | M. S. Prabhu Gopijegatheeswaran |
| Music by | K |
Release date |
|
| Country | India |
| Language | Tamil |
Based in the 1980s, the film narrates the tale of people who had taken up hunting as their profession and how they change their paths and move into a criminal lane after the government bans hunting.Produced by Madhiazhagan, it was released on 21 January 2022.
Directed by writer-turned-filmmaker Chandra Thangaraj, the film was reported to be based on real-life events which had occurred in a small village in Theni.[1] An erstwhile assistant to directors Ameer and Ram, Chandra stated that it took her nearly four years to find a producer for the film and she finally landed with producer Madhiazhagan after narrating the script to about 50 other producers.[2][3]
Director-actor Karu Pazhaniappan was cast in the lead role, while debutant Nikita from new Delhi was cast opposite him during late 2015.[4] The film began production in December 2015 in Kochi, before the team moved to film scenes in Theni and Bodimettu.[5]
As the film became delayed, Chandra chose to screen the film for prominent directors Vetrimaaran. Based on his feedback, she re-edited the film during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020.[6]
The film was released on 18 March 2022 across theatres in Tamil Nadu. A critic from the Times of India wrote "the screenplay is very one-dimensional in spite of having twists and turns" and that "a little extra effort in the writing to enhance a gritty plot like this could have worked wonders for the film".[7] A reviewer from Cinema Express noted "what sounds like an arresting story on paper, faces endless stutters in getting transferred to the screen".[8]