Chalanggai


Chalanggai is a 2007 Malaysian Tamil-language family drama film directed by Deepak Kumar Menon, who co-wrote the film alongside producer Vimala Perumal and Sooria Kumari. The film stars Dhaarshini Sankran, Ramesh Kumar, Kalpana Sundraju and Shangkara.
The film had a limited release in Malaysia and was screened in various film festivals worldwide.

Plot

Set in Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur, the film follows an Indian family after father Raja leaves his family leaving mother Muniammah to support her two kids with her flower stall. Her 11-year-old daughter Uma has aspirations to become a dancer despite her mother's inhibitions. She also has a son Siva who washes car as a living and has materialistic aspirations.

Production

Deepak Kumar Menon based the film on real life happenings in his life such as losing friends due to accidents, alcohol, suicides or murders. The film was partly funded through the National Geographic through their Seed Grant.

Reception

Reviewing the film at the International Film Festival Rotterdam, Jay Weissburg of Variety wrote, "Current pic uses the aspirations of a young girl from a broken home to comment on minorities coping with urban marginalization, but Menon’s approach is far from polemical, and his narrative skills often too piecemeal to create a lasting impression. “Dancing Bells” sounds a pleasant but weak note for Malaysian cinema, likely to capture local attention but only intermittent fest play". GjZ, reviewing the film at the same film festival wrote, "Menon draws a beautifully realistic and detailed portrait of a family that has to survive and above all has to maintain its dignity. This makes Dancing Bells not only authentic, but also emotional. These are real feelings of real people portrayed in a realistic way".
Netherlands-based film curator Gertjan Zuilhof wrote that the film is a "eautiful artistic portrait of a family that has to survive and above all maintain its dignity". Hong Kong-based film curator Jacob Wong wrote that the film is a "aturalistic feature reveals a minority under stress in the shadows of a developing Malaysia".

Accolades and selections

Accolades

Selections

The film was screened at various film festivals in Asia, Europe, Africa and the Americas.