Bringing riveting and pertinent stories from India has been a constant endeavour by SonyLIV, which has been consistent in strengthening its southern content slate. Launching yet another compelling narrative, the platform is all set for the OTT release of the award-winning film Thaen, a story that highlights the fierce realities of the society. It traces the journey of a young, rural and uneducated beekeeper who battles insurmountable challenges to save his wife from a rare disease. Directed by Ganesh Vinayakan and produced by Ambalavanan.B, Prema.P & AP Productions, Thaen has been widely showcased at film festivals and has scored over 40 nominations. The movie was one of the two Tamil films which were selected at the Indian Panorama 2020. Thaen is also feted at the 11th Dada Saheb Phalke Film Festival, Delhi NCR, India, Cult Critic Movie Awards 2020, New Delhi Film Festival, Ayodhya Film Festival, Ayodhya 2020 amongst others.
Thaen revolves around the lives of Velu (Tharun Kumar) and Poongodi (Abarnathi) who are living a seemingly happy life, with their daughter in a remote village on a hillside. In an unfortunate turn of events, Poongodi falls ill and is later diagnosed with a terminal disease. Velu struggles to get medical support for Poongodi as they are denied access to good healthcare for lack of valid documents or means to prove their citizenship. Hard-hitting dialogues and scenes of the film question how bureaucratic inefficiency and lack of medical infrastructure is shaping the reality of the society. The film drives a social message which is sure to hit the right chord with the audience. Apart from Tamil, this master piece will be available in Malayalam, Telugu and Kannada
Ganesh Vinayakan, Director commented,
“The plight of an uneducated man struggling for his rights, this is the reality of many… ‘Thaen’ brings to fore his struggle in a relatable story telling. The film is based on true events, relevant in today’s times and I am sure the movie will touch the hearts of many.”
Tharun Kumar, Actor, said “I am glad to be a part of such an amazingly scripted film which delivers a strong message. I am sure it creates an impact on all, for the right reasons. It was a pleasure working with the cast, crew and a hard working team. I hope with the OTT launch on SonyLIV, the movie crosses boundaries and reaches millions across.”
Ashish Golwalkar, Head – Content, SET and Digital Business added,
‘Thaen’ is a carefully crafted tale that delves into a subject rarely talked about in cinema. Through these gripping and informative stories of india with real-life relevance, our goal is to resonate with the audience and showcase content which has the power to shift perceptions.”
Thaen is based on the real-life incident of an economically-backward husband who carried his dead wife to the cremation ground as he was unable to pay for the mortuary van. The story revolves around Velu (Tharun Kumar) who leads a happy life with his loving wife Poongodi (Abarnathi) and their daughter in a hill side remote village. Things go well until one day when Poongodi falls ill and later is diagnosed with a deadly disease. How bureaucratic inefficiency and lack of medical infrastructure caused the death of his wife, forms the rest of the story.
