{{Short description|2024 Indian film}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}} {{Use Indian English|date=August 2024}} {{Infobox film | image = The Adamant Girl poster.jpg | caption = Theatrical release poster | director = P. S. Vinothraj | writer = | screenplay = P. S. Vinothraj | story = | producer = {{plainlist| * Sivakarthikeyan * Kalai Arasu}} | starring = {{plainlist| * Soori * Anna Ben }} | narrator = | cinematography = B. Sakthivel | editing = Ganesh Siva | music = | studio = {{plainlist| * Sivakarthikeyan Productions * The Little Wave Productions}} | distributor = | released = {{Film date|2024|2|16|Berlinale|2024|8|23|India|df=yes}} | runtime = 100 minutes | country = India | language = Tamil | budget = | gross = }}
'''''Kottukkaali''''' (English: '''''The Adamant Girl''''') is a 2024 Indian Tamil-language road drama film directed by P. S. Vinothraj and produced by Sivakarthikeyan Productions. The film, which revolves around Meena who loves a man from a lower caste but her family thinks she is possessed and that exorcism is the answer, stars Soori and Anna Ben (in her Tamil debut).<ref name="lead:hr">{{Cite web |date=14 December 2023 |title=Soori & Anna Ben's 'Kottukkaali' to premiere at Berlin International Film Festival |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/soori-anna-bens-kottukkaali-to-premiere-at-berlin-international-film-festival/articleshow/105997347.cms |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240223041356/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/soori-anna-bens-kottukkaali-to-premiere-at-berlin-international-film-festival/articleshow/105997347.cms |archive-date=23 February 2024 |access-date=16 December 2023 |website=The Times of India |language=en}}</ref>
The film was selected in the Forum section at the 74th Berlin International Film Festival and was screened on 16 February 2024.<ref name="lead:tel">{{Cite web |last=Agnivo Niyogi |date=14 December 2023 |title=Tamil filmmaker P.S. Vinothraj's The Adamant Girl makes it to Berlinale Forum 2024 line-up |url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/entertainment/tamil-filmmaker-p-s-vinothrajs-the-adamant-girl-makes-it-to-berlinale-forum-2024-line-up/cid/1986817 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231217025237/https://www.telegraphindia.com/entertainment/tamil-filmmaker-p-s-vinothrajs-the-adamant-girl-makes-it-to-berlinale-forum-2024-line-up/cid/1986817 |archive-date=17 December 2023 |access-date=17 December 2023 |website=The Telegraph |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=19 February 2024 |title=Express at Berlinale: Indian entries Kottukaali, The Fable make a splash, leave audience pondering |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/entertainment-others/kottukaal-the-fable-indian-entries-from-young-directors-leave-audience-pondering-9169088/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240219125210/https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/entertainment-others/kottukaal-the-fable-indian-entries-from-young-directors-leave-audience-pondering-9169088/ |archive-date=19 February 2024 |access-date=19 February 2024 |website=The Indian Express}}</ref> It was released on 23 August 2024 to critical acclaim.<ref>{{Cite web |date=23 July 2024 |title=Soori's Kottukkaali to release worldwide on August 23 |url=https://www.dtnext.in/news/cinema/sooris-kottukkaali-to-release-worldwide-on-august-23-796366 |access-date=24 July 2024 |website=DT Next |language=en}}</ref>
==Plot== Paandi, Meena's maternal uncle, returns from abroad after several years, intending to marry her off. However, Meena is resolute in her love for a boy from an oppressed caste, which her family attributes to a spell.
To exorcise this perceived influence, Paandi, accompanied by his parents, relatives, and friends, embarks on a journey to consult a seer. Before meeting the seer, they visit their family deity to perform rituals.
En route, they face various challenges, including a malfunctioning autorickshaw, Karthi's need to use the restroom, and Rani's menstrual cramps. They also witness a puberty ceremony procession, which reminds Paandi of his past efforts, and the infuriated Paandi attacks and beats Meena for humming a song. He lashes out at his relatives, including Meena's mother, Shanti, and father, Murugan, as well as the auto driver, Suresh, and even physically assaults his father. However, he later apologizes to Murugan.
Meanwhile, Siva and Mani, who are following the group, divert to a wine shop, where they discuss Meena's fidelity and speculate that she might be pregnant, which they believe explains her adamant desire to marry the boy she loves. A bull crosses their path, only to be led away by a young girl who claims it as her sole companion. The rooster, destined for sacrifice, tries to escape but fails. Meena has a vision of herself walking freely with untied hair.
Upon arriving at the seer's residence in Palamedu, Paandi observes another girl, similar in age to Meena, being cured of a spell causing her infertility. The seer performs rituals, including stroking the girl's navel, and neck, and blowing air into her mouth, claiming to have removed tiny voodoo balls and freed her from the spell. Unable to bear witness to this, Paandi leaves the premises and, when called, unwillingly returns. The screen fades to black with the message "The end of this journey is in your hands."
==Cast== * Soori as Paandi * Anna Ben as Meena * Jawahar Sakthi as Kumar, Paandi's friend * Poobalam Pragatheeswaran as Paandi's father * Sai Abinaya as Rani, Paandi's sister * Mullaiyarasi as a girl being treated by the seer
==Production== In January 2023, Sivakarthikeyan was announced to fund a new project under Sivakarthikeyan Productions, starring Soori in the lead role with PS Vinothraj directing it in his sophomore film after ''Pebbles'' (2021).{{citation needed|date=October 2024}} The following March, the company made a public announcement, confirming the project, and the film's official title, ''Kottukkaali'', was announced the same day.<ref name=":0" /> The film is jointly produced by Sivakarthikeyan Productions and The Little Wave Productions. The cinematography is handled by B Sakthivel, and editing by Ganesh Siva. Filming was completed in May 2023.<ref name="prod:Hindu">{{Cite web |date=22 May 2023 |title=It's a wrap for Soori-Anna Ben's 'Kottukkaali' |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/its-a-wrap-for-soori-anna-bens-kottukkaali/article66880136.ece |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231216180029/https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/its-a-wrap-for-soori-anna-bens-kottukkaali/article66880136.ece |archive-date=16 December 2023 |access-date=16 December 2023 |website=The Hindu |language=en}}</ref>
==Release== === Theatrical === ''The Adamant Girl'' had its world premiere on 16 February 2024, at the 74th Berlin International Film Festival. The film was presented in the Forum section of the festival.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Janani |first=K |date=15 December 2023 |title=Soori, Anna Ben's 'Kottukkaali' to have world premiere at Berlin Film Festival |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/regional-cinema/story/soori-anna-ben-kottukkaali-to-have-world-premiere-at-berlin-film-festival-2476237-2023-12-15 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231216170957/https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/regional-cinema/story/soori-anna-ben-kottukkaali-to-have-world-premiere-at-berlin-film-festival-2476237-2023-12-15 |archive-date=16 December 2023 |access-date=16 December 2023 |website=India Today}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=6 February 2024 |title=The Adamant Girl |url=https://www.berlinale.de/en/2024/programme/202404155.html#screening_dates |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240206123952/https://www.berlinale.de/en/2024/programme/202404155.html#screening_dates |archive-date=6 February 2024 |access-date=6 February 2024 |website=Berlinale}}</ref> The film was theatrically released on 23 August 2024. It also made it to the Alchemies section of the 69th Valladolid International Film Festival and screened on 21 October.<ref>{{Cite web |date=26 August 2024 |title=Seminci: Alchemies, The Adamant Girl |url=https://www.seminci.com/en/peliculas/the-adamant-girl/ |access-date=26 October 2024 |website=Semana Internacional}}</ref> The film was selected to compete in the Southeast Asian Premiere section of the 35th Singapore International Film Festival and was screened on 7 December 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |date=28 October 2024 |title=Explore Films |url=https://sgiff.com/explore-films/ |access-date=4 December 2024 |website=Singapore International Film Festival}}</ref> The film was a big flop and received negative reviews during its theatrical release but it soon became a cult classic when it released on OTT platforms.
===Home media=== The film was premiered on Amazon Prime Video from 27 September 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |date=26 September 2024 |title=Soori and Anna Ben's Kottukkaali gets OTT release date |url=https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/news/2024/Sep/26/soori-and-anna-bens-kottukkaali-gets-ott-release-date |access-date=27 September 2024 |website=Cinema Express}}</ref>
==Reception== Praising the direction and the performances of the lead actors, Latha Srinivasan of ''Hindustan Times'' wrote,"PS Vinothraj is a master storyteller, who has supreme control over his craft and the characters he presents to us on screen. [...] Caste plays a key role here as well as regressive beliefs that keep women in check. Unfortunately, the women also perpetuate these regressive beliefs because they don’t know any better or anything different. We see how the men think they are all-knowing and can’t get a simple thing done, like deal with the fly, and how the women are smarter by comparison."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Srinivasan |first=Latha |date=23 August 2024 |title=Kottukkaali movie review: Soori, Anna Ben bring alive PS Vinothraj's masterpiece |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/tamil-cinema/kottukkaali-movie-review-soori-anna-ben-bring-alive-ps-vinothraj-masterpiece-101724481446563.html |access-date=26 August 2024 |work=Hindustan Times}}</ref>
Gopinath Rajendran in his review for ''The Hindu'' wrote, "Apart from an intriguing plot accented by a terrific supporting cast, it is Anna Ben and Soori’s career-best performances that elevate ''Kottukkaali'' into one of this year’s best films. [...] Without being pompous about its themes, ''Kottukkaali'' excels at showcasing a day in the life of a dysfunctional family doused with patriarchal norms. While the open-ended climax might feel divisive, it also opens a realm of possible outcomes that the filmmaker generously lets us pick one from. In an industry where directors suffer from the sophomore curse, Vinothraj delivers a more well-rounded second film, and proves that he's here to stay... and win."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Rajendran |first=Gopinath |date=2024-08-23 |title='Kottukkaali' movie review: Anna Ben, Soori bring PS Vinothraj's meticulously-crafted vision to life |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/kottukkaali-movie-review-anna-ben-soori-bring-ps-vinothrajs-meticulously-crafted-vision-to-life/article68558309.ece |access-date=2024-08-26 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}</ref> Sudhir Srinivasan of ''Cinema Express'' wrote,"This film is even without that most obvious tool of manipulation: Music. I loved the film for employing no music. In this film about the torment of Meena, music would have felt exploitative. It would have been an obvious directorial ploy to have you react one way or another, but in its present form, Kottukkaali simply takes your hand and walks you around for a few hours with the family of Pandi and Meena—without telling you how you ought to feel."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Srinivasan |first=Sudhir |date=2024-08-23 |title=Kottukkaali Movie Review: This groundbreaking, frightening film incites much reflection |url=https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/review/2024/Aug/23/kottukkaali-movie-review-this-groundbreaking-frightening-film-incites-much-reflection |access-date=2024-08-26 |website=Cinema Express |language=en}}</ref>
Bharathy Singaravel of ''The News Minute'' gave a positive review writing,"Apart from a few small hiccups, ''Kottukkaali'' takes audiences on a winding ride across the arid fields and dusty highways of Madurai towards another more pressing destination: introspection regarding words like ‘culture’ or ‘community’ and what they mean apart from power."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Singaravel |first=Bharathy |date=2024-08-23 |title=Kottukkaali review: Soori and Anna Ben shine in this slow-burn road drama |url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/flix/kottukkaali-review-soori-and-anna-ben-shine-in-this-slow-burn-road-drama |access-date=2024-08-26 |website=The News Minute |language=en}}</ref> Writing for ''India Today'',Janani K rated the film 4/5 mentioning,"''Kottukkaali'' is easily the film of the year and director PS Vinothraj is slowly turning out to be a filmmaker you cannot ignore."<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-08-20 |title='Kottukkaali' Review: PS Vinothraj, Anna Ben, Soori's film is evocative and arresting |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/reviews/story/kottukkaali-review-ps-vinothraj-anna-ben-soori-film-is-evocative-and-arresting-2585111-2024-08-20 |access-date=2024-08-26 |website=India Today |language=en}}</ref> However the movie did not score well with general audience with some calling it the worst movie of the year.<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt27080561/reviews/ |title=The Adamant Girl (2024) – User reviews – IMDb |language=en-US |access-date=2025-08-07 |via=m.imdb.com}}</ref>
Sajesh Mohan of ''Onmanorama'' in his Cinema Analysis column, Cinemascape, wrote: Anna Ben's portrayal of Meena stands out, capturing the character's resilience and emotional depth. Moments of silent defiance, such as her contemplative gaze at a rooster symbolizing her lover's plight, powerfully underscore the film’s themes of love, honor, and societal hypocrisy.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mohan |first=Sajesh |date=2024-10-06 |title='Kottukkaali': A bold statement on women's choices in a patriarchal society |url=https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/2024/10/06/kottukkaali-tamil-movie-analysis-anna-ben-soori-vinothraj.html |access-date=2024-10-06 |website=Onmanorama |language=en}}</ref>
== Accolades == {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="width: 95%;" |- ! scope="col"| Award ! scope="col"| Date of ceremony ! scope="col"| Category ! scope="col"| Recipient(s) ! scope="col"| Result ! scope="col" class="unsortable"| {{Tooltip|Ref.|Reference(s)}} |- ! scope="row"|Singapore International Film Festival | 8 December 2024 | Special Mention for Best Performance: Ensemble cast and the nature | ''The Adamant Girl'' | {{won}} | align="center"| <ref name="awards:variety">{{Cite news |last=Naman Ramachandran |date=9 December 2024 |title='Mongrel' Takes Top Prize at Singapore International Film Festival |url=https://variety.com/2024/film/news/singapore-international-film-festival-2024-winners-mongrel-1236244145/ |access-date=13 December 2024 |work=Variety |language=en}}</ref> |- |}
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == * {{IMDb title}} * [https://www.berlinale.de/en/2024/programme/202404155.html '' The Adamant Girl''] at Berlinale
{{DEFAULTSORT:Adamant Girl, The}} Category:2024 Indian films Category:2024 Tamil-language films Category:2024 drama films Category:2024 films Category:2024 independent films Category:Films about interclass romance Category:Films about the caste system in India Category:Films produced by Sivakarthikeyan Category:Films set in Madurai Category:Films shot in Madurai Category:Indian drama films Category:Indian independent films Category:Tamil-language drama films Category:Tamil-language Indian films