{{Short description|2014 Indian film by Mohamad Issack}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2015}} {{Use Indian English|date=November 2015}} {{Infobox film | name = Agadam | image = Agadam poster.jpg | caption = Theatrical release poster | director = Mohamad Issack | producer = Mohamad Issack<br />Rasiyabi Mohamad | writer = Mohamad Issack | starring = Tamizh<br />Srini Iyer<br />Sri Priyanka | music = Basker | cinematography = E.J. Nauzad | studio = Last Bench Boys Productions | released = {{Film date|df=yes|2014|01|03}} | runtime = 123 minutes | language = Tamil | country = India }}
'''''Agadam''''' ({{translation|Wickedness [or] Injustice}}) is a 2014 Indian Tamil-language horror film directed by Mohamad Issack, featuring Baskar, Srini Iyer, and Sri Priyanka.<ref name="thehindu1">{{Cite news |last=Sudhish Kamath |date=2013-08-01 |title=In one go... |url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/in-one-go/article4977624.ece |url-access=subscription |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241127004715/https://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/in-one-go/article4977624.ece |archive-date=27 November 2024 |access-date=2025-07-25 |work=The Hindu}}</ref> ''Agadam'' was certified by the Guinness World Records as the longest uncut film which has a running time for 2 hours, 3 minutes and 30 seconds.<ref name="thehindu2">{{Cite news |last=K. Jeshi |title=A record start |url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/a-record-start/article5530220.ece |url-access=subscription |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250126150726/https://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/a-record-start/article5530220.ece |archive-date=26 January 2025 |access-date=2025-07-25 |work=The Hindu}}</ref><ref name="guinnessworldrecords2000">{{Cite web |title=Longest uncut film |url=http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/records-2000/longest-film-shot-on-a-single-camera |access-date=2014-01-02 |website=Guinnessworldrecords.com |archive-date=3 January 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140103054826/http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/records-2000/longest-film-shot-on-a-single-camera |url-status=dead }}</ref> The entire film was shot on 7 December 2012.
The film, set in real time, starts with men burying the body of a woman whose ghost returns and haunts them.<ref name="thehindu1" />
Issack remade the film in Telugu as ''Seesa''. The record was broken by ''One Shot Fear Without Cut'' in 2014.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Longest uncut film |url=https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/longest-film-shot-on-a-single-camera |access-date=2025-07-25 |website=Guinnessworldrecords.com}}</ref>
== Cast == {{Cast listing| *Tamizh *Srini Iyer *Sri Priyanka *Bombay Baskar as John *Kalaisekaran as Ashok *Saravana Balaji as Pichai Perumal *Anisha as the prostitute *Master Ajay as young Abdul Kalam }}
== Production == left|thumb|128px|Official Guinness record awarded to Agadam The entire film was shot on 7 December 2012 at a three-storey bungalow near Porur in Chennai.<ref name="thehindu2" /> The film running for 2 hours, 3 minutes and 30 seconds was shot on a single camera without any cuts and therefore awarded the Guinness World Record for being the longest uncut film,<ref name="guinnessworldrecords2000" /> beating the record held by ''Russian Ark'' directed by Alexander Sokurov, which used a single 96-minute Steadicam sequence shot.
A director registered with the union (L. Suresh of ''Eththan'' fame), a notary public and a government teacher were present during the shoot,<ref name="indiatimes1">{{Cite web |date=22 Dec 2012 |title=Gunning for the Guinness? |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/gunning-for-the-guinness/articleshow/17706508.cms |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029213703/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-12-22/news-interviews/35953930_1_guinness-world-records-film-certificate |archive-date=29 October 2013 |access-date=2025-07-25 |website=The Times of India}}</ref> while a team followed Isaak and the cinematographer E.J. Nauzad Khan and filmed the entire making of the film in order to send the video to the Guinness Record jury.<ref name="thehindu2" /> The camera used was a Sony NEX-FS100.<ref name="guinnessworldrecords2000" />
Director Issack gave up his software job to "make a film that is different, yet entertaining" and said that he wanted his first film to make an impact.<ref name="thehindu2" /> He spent over a year on the script and stated that he was inspired by ''Russian Ark''.<ref name="thehindu2" /> Ten people were involved in the making of the film, the director, the cameraman, and 8 actors,<ref name="guinnessworldrecords2000" /> who were all newcomers. The team rehearsed for over a month before the filming and the entire sequence was said to be rehearsed over 40 times.<ref name="thehindu2" /> ''Agadam'' was also the first film to be shot in the night effect with a hand-held camera.<ref name="indiatimes1" /> The film, which had no songs, was awarded a U/A certificate by the Censor Board.
== Reception == ''Dinamalar'' appreciated the film stating that the film has a good medical message and stands out in its unique attempt of single shot filming. They also lauded the entire cast as well as the technicians, concluding that the slow pace of some parts has not affected the good result.<ref>{{Cite web |date=15 January 2014 |title=தினமலர் விமர்சனம் - அகடம் |url=https://cinema.dinamalar.com/tamil_cinema_fullstory.php?id=1079 |access-date=18 January 2017 |website=Dinamalar}}</ref> ''Kungumam'' magazine appreciated the cameraman as well as the director for making a single shot film completely in a house.<ref>{{Cite web |date=13 January 2014 |title=வண்ணத்திரை விமர்சனம்-அகடம் |url=http://kungumam.co.in/VArticalinnerdetail.aspx?id=3376&id1=45&issue=20140113 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241127001431/http://kungumam.co.in/VArticalinnerdetail.aspx?id=3376&id1=45&issue=20140113 |archive-date=27 November 2024 |access-date=18 January 2017 |website=Kungumam}}</ref> ''Maalai Malar'' daily mentioned that the cinematography as well as direction has to be appreciated, but music lacked the thrill. Overall the effort can be appreciated for making a single-shot film.<ref>{{Cite web |date=3 January 2014 |title=அகடம் |url=http://www.maalaimalar.com/Cinema/Review/2014/01/03150918/Agadam-Cinema-preview.vpf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170131184822/http://www.maalaimalar.com/Cinema/Review/2014/01/03150918/Agadam-Cinema-preview.vpf |archive-date=31 January 2017 |access-date=25 July 2025 |website=Maalai Malar}}</ref> In contrast, M. Suganth of ''The Times of India'', who could not watch the film in one sitting due to a forced interval, rated the film 1.5 out of 5, saying that "''Agadam'' is a cautionary tale that proves that while digital has made it possible for anyone to make a film, not everyone should make one."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Suganth |first=M. |date=3 January 2014 |title=Agadam Movie Review |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-reviews/agadam/movie-review/28463733.cms |access-date=20 January 2017 |work=The Times of India}}</ref>
== See also == *Single shot films
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == * {{IMDb title|id=2574426|title=Agadam}}
Category:2014 Tamil-language films Category:2014 Indian films Category:2014 directorial debut films Category:2014 films Category:2014 horror thriller films Category:Indian horror thriller films Category:Tamil films remade in other languages Category:One-shot films