{{Short description|2015 Indian film by Shankar Panikkar}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2015}} {{Use Indian English|date=November 2015}} {{Infobox film | name = Manal Naharam | image = Manal Naharam.jpg | caption = Promotional poster | director = Shankar | producer = M.I. Vasanthkumar | writer = M.I. Vasanthkumar | story = Muraliraman | starring =Shankar<br /> Prajin<br />Gautham Krishna<br />Tejaswini Prakash<br />Varuna Shetty<br/ >Vinod Kumar<br />Jaise Jose<br />Jijesh Menon | music = Rinil Gowtham | cinematography = J.Sreedhar | released = {{Film date|2015|02|27|df=y}} | runtime = 127 minutes | country = India | language = Tamil | budget = }}
'''''Manal Naharam''''' is a 2015 Indian Tamil-language film written and produced by M.I.Vasanthkumar and directed by Shankar starring himself, Prajin, Gautham Krishna, Tejaswini Prakash, Varuna Shetty, Vinod Kumar (VK), Jaise Jose and Jijesh Menon.
The film was dubbed in Malayalam as ''Sand City'', which was released on 2 January 2015. ''Manal Naharam'' was released on 27 February 2015.<ref name="newindianexpress">{{Cite web |date=2015-01-28 |title=Shankar's Impressive Tamil Debut-Manal Naharam |url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/Shankars-Impressive-Tamil-Debut/2015/02/28/article2690185.ece |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402224345/http://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/Shankars-Impressive-Tamil-Debut/2015/02/28/article2690185.ece |archive-date=2 April 2015 |access-date=2015-03-01 |publisher=newindianexpress}}</ref>
==Plot ==
''Manal Naharam'' explores the stories of young Indians who travel to Dubai for better jobs and futures, leaving behind their families. The movie deals with friendship and romance.<ref name="Manal Nagaram">{{Cite web |date=2013-12-16 |title=Shankar directs Tamil film |url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/131216/entertainment-kollywood/article/shankar-directs-tamil-film |access-date=2014-01-02 |publisher=deccanchronicle}}</ref>
Mansur (Prajin), a sales commission agent in Dubai is in love with Poornima (Tanishka), a waitress at a restaurant. Anand (Gautham), in search of a job, is loved by Nisha (Varuna Shetty), the daughter of business tycoon Ibrahim Rabbani (Shankar). James (Jaise Jose), the third person in the group, gets into trouble that complicates things for everyone.
==Cast== {{Colbegin}} *Shankar as Ibrahim Rabbani *Prajin as Manzoor *Gautham Krishna as Aanand *Tejaswini Prakash as Thanishka *Varuna Shetty as Nisha *Vinod Kumar (VK) as Mohan Raj *Jaise Jose as James *Jijesh Menon as Noushad *Sakshi Sharma as Fathima *Rex George *"Engal Aasan" Raamki as Gopalakrishnan *Dubai Kannan *"Caravan" Arunachalam *''Kaadhal'' Saravanan *Muraliraman *Rajesh B *Master Ashwanth {{Colend}}
==Production== Shankar was impressed by the story line given by his friend Muraliraman from Dubai. M.I.Vasanthkumar wrote the screenplay and produced the film.<ref name="Manal Nagaram" /> Gautham Krishn, Prajin and Tejaswini Prakash were cast in the lead roles.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Prathibha Joy |date=2013-07-09 |title=Tejaswini to debut in three industries |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/regional/kannada/news-interviews/Tejaswini-to-debut-in-three-industries/articleshow/20970987.cms |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140116124406/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-07-09/news-interviews/40468821_1_bangalore-lass-mollywood-film |archive-date=2014-01-16 |access-date=2013-08-05 |website=The Times of India}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Prathibha Joy |date=2013-07-10 |title=Tejaswini to debut in Kollywood |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/regional/kannada/news-interviews/Tejaswini-to-debut-in-three-industries/articleshow/20970987.cms |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140116124406/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-07-09/news-interviews/40468821_1_bangalore-lass-mollywood-film |archive-date=2014-01-16 |access-date=2013-08-05 |website=The Times of India}}</ref> Newcomer Varuna Shetty and Narayana Kannan from Dubai.
Renil Gowtham, the music director of Shankar' s directorial debut ''Virus'' was signed for music department, while J.Sreedhar, who has worked on ''Challenge 2'' was assigned the cinematography.
The preliminary schedule of the film took place in Chennai in March 2013, before the crew left for the remainder of the shooting in Dubai. "The 50-day shooting was very tough and challenging", said Shankar.<ref name="Manal Nagaram" />
==Music==
''Manal Naharam''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s audio was launched on 14 July 2014 at RKV Studios, Chennai attended by the cast of both ''Manal Naharam'' and the team of the directors first Tamil feature ''Oru Thalai Ragam'' as they celebrated the 34 year reunion of that film's release. Roopa, Shankar, Thyagu, Kailash, cameraman Rajasekhar (Rajasekhar-Robert) and T. Rajendar spoke on the occasion.<ref>{{Cite web |date=15 July 2014 |title=34 வருடங்களுக்குப்பின் 'ஒருதலை ராகம்' நடித்த நடிகர்-நடிகை -படக்குழுவினர் சந்திப்பு |url=http://www.dailythanthi.com/Cinema/CinemaNews/2014/07/15140658/34-Years-Later-Oruthalai-ragam-Meet-the-crew.vpf |access-date=14 April 2017 |publisher=Dina Thanthi}}</ref> The Malayalam dubbed version ''Sand City''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s audio was launched on 15 October at The Oberoi, Dubai attended by the entire cast and crew of Sand City. Apart from the team, actor Rizabawa also spoke on the occasion.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2014-10-17 |title=Actor Shankar's directorial Sand City to release |url=http://digitalpaper.mathrubhumi.com/357686/Outside-Kerala/17-OCTOBER-2014#page/2/1 |access-date=2014-10-20 |publisher=Mathrubhumi}}</ref>
{{Infobox album | name = Manal Naharam | type = film | artist = Rinil Gowtham | cover = | alt = | language = Tamil | released = | recorded = | venue = | studio = | genre = Feature film soundtrack | length = 24:48 | label = | producer = | prev_title = | prev_year = | next_title = | next_year = }}
;Tamil Soundtrack {| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;" ! No. !! Song !! Singers !! Lyrics |- | 1 || "Nadhi Pokum Dishai..." || Hari Hara Sudhan || Tamil Amudhan |- | 2 || "Usharaiah Usharu..." || Anitha || Tamil Amudhan |- | 3 || "Theeyaga Theeyaga..." || Sulfiq L. || Tamil Amudhan |- | 4 || "Vaan Mazhai..." || V. V. Prasanna || Raaj Kannan |- | 5 || "Kanava Nijama..." || V. V. Prasanna & Reshma || Mani Bharathy |}
;Malayalam (Dubbed) Soundtrack<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://en.msidb.org/m.php?7777|title=Sand City [2015]|website=en.msidb.org}}</ref> {| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;" ! No. !! Song !! Singers !! Lyrics |- | 1 || "Oru Yatra Mozhi..." || Anwar Sadath || Neha Gayal |- | 2 || "Usharaiah Usharu..." || Anitha || Tamil Amudhan |- | 3 || "Theechoodi Theechoodi..." || Sulfiq L. || Rinil Gowtham |- | 4 || "Njan Oru Minnal Kodi..." || Sulfiq L. || Chitoor Gopi |- | 5 || "Manasil Mazhaiyai..." || Anoop Shankar & Sitara || Sibi Padiyera |}
==Reception==
''Maalai Malar'' gave 71 marks out of 100 for Manal Naharam appreciating the film as ''attractive''. They lauded director Shankar's effort in presenting the film in a touching manner. The technical side of the film, especially songs, cinematography, background score and dialogues were also appreciated. Thanishka and Varuna Shetty along with villain actor Vinod Kumar (VK) and Prajin' s performances were commended.<ref name="maalaimalar">{{Cite web |date=2015-01-27 |title=மணல் நகரம் (2015)- விமர்சனம் |url=http://cinema.maalaimalar.com/Cinema/Review/2015/02/27122025/Manal-Nagaram-Movie-Review.vpf |access-date=2015-03-01 |publisher=Maalai Malar}}</ref> Malini Mannath of ''The New Indian Express'' praised the screenplay, acting and the direction in Shankar's Tamil directorial debut.<ref name=newindianexpress/>
A critic from ''The Times of India'' rated the Malayalam dubbed version as average and appreciated the photography of the film, summing up as "the film could have been much better if treated well".<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-01-06 |title=Sand City Movie Review |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movie-reviews/Sand-City/movie-review/45774122.cms |access-date=2015-01-07 |publisher=timesofindia}}</ref>
==References==
{{reflist}}
== External links == * {{IMDb title|3862770|Manal Naharam}} {{Shankar Panicker}}
Category:2015 films Category:2015 Tamil-language films Category:2015 Indian films Category:Films shot in Dubai Category:Films shot in Chennai