{{Short description|1987 film by S. A. Chandrasekhar}} {{More plot|date=February 2026}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2026}} {{Use Indian English|date=February 2026}} {{Infobox film | image = Neethikku Thandanai.jpg | caption = Poster | director = [[S. A. Chandrasekhar]] | writer = [[M. Karunanidhi]] | producer = {{ubl|S. S. Neelakantan|[[Shoba Chandrasekhar]]an}} | starring = {{ubl|[[Radhika Sarathkumar|Radhika]]|[[Nizhalgal Ravi]]|[[Charan Raj]]}} | cinematography = Indu Chakravarthi | editing = D. Shyam Mukherjee | music = [[M. S. Viswanathan]] | studio = Lalithanjali Fine Arts | released = {{Film date|1987|5|1|df=y}} | runtime = 143 minutes | country = India | language = Tamil }}
'''''Neethikku Thandanai''''' ({{Translation|Punishment for Justice}}) is a 1987 Indian [[Tamil language|Tamil]]-language [[legal drama]] film, directed by [[S. A. Chandrasekhar]] and written by [[M. Karunanidhi]]. The film stars [[Radhika Sarathkumar|Radhika]], [[Nizhalgal Ravi]] and [[Charan Raj]], with [[Srividya]] in a prominent role. It was released on 1 May 1987. The film was remade in [[Hindi]] as ''[[Kudrat Ka Kanoon]]'' (1987) and in [[Telugu language|Telugu]] as ''Nyayaniki Siksha'' (1988).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sri |date=10 February 2006 |editor-last=Nachaki |title=Interview : Director Tatineni Rama Rao |url=http://www.telugucinema.com/tc/stars/tatineniramaraointerview.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060515121820/http://www.telugucinema.com/tc/stars/tatineniramaraointerview.php |archive-date=15 May 2006 |access-date=19 February 2021 |website=[[Telugucinema.com]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last1=Tripathi |first1=Salil |last2=Venkatramani |first2=S. H. |date=15 June 1988 |title=Censorship: Wide disparities exist between censor boards |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/society-the-arts/films/story/19880615-censorship-wide-disparities-exist-between-censor-boards-797335-1988-06-15 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190820061700/https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/society-the-arts/films/story/19880615-censorship-wide-disparities-exist-between-censor-boards-797335-1988-06-15 |archive-date=20 August 2019 |access-date=19 February 2021 |work=[[India Today]]}}</ref>
== Plot == A doctor is wrongfully convicted of murder after helping an opponent of the tyrannical [[Panchayati raj|panchayat]] leader. The doctor's child is murdered when an inspector attempts to rape the former's wife. The victims are then represented in court by a female lawyer.
== Cast == {{cast listing| *[[Radhika Sarathkumar|Radhika]] as Chithra and Sindhuja *[[Nizhalgal Ravi]] as the doctor *[[Charan Raj]] as the minister *[[Senthil]] *[[S. S. Chandran]] *[[Senthamarai (actor)|Senthamarai]] as the [[Panchayati raj|panchayat]] leader *[[S. N. Vasanth]] *Karnan *[[Charuhasan]] *[[V. Gopalakrishnan (actor)|V. Gopalakrishnan]] *Senapathi *Amjath Kumar *Suruli Vel *Nagaraja Chozhan *Vairam Krishnamurthy *[[LIC Narasimhan]] *[[Omakuchi Narasimhan]] *[[Kutty Padmini]] *[[Kovai Sarala]] *[[Sulakshana (actress)|Sulochana]] *Sri Asha *[[Ravichandran (Tamil actor)|Ravichandran]] *[[Srividya]] as the lawyer *[[S. A. Chandrasekhar]] <!-- *[[S. Shankar]] as a reporter (uncredited) --> }}
== Production == In the late 1980s, politician and writer [[M. Karunanidhi]] was arrested and director [[S. A. Chandrasekhar]] thought the law was wrong to do so; this inspired the title for their next film ''Neethikku Thandanai''.<ref>{{Cite news |date=12 August 2018 |title=Up close and personal with late DMK chief Kalaignar Karunanidhi |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil-nadu/2018/aug/12/up-close-and-personal-with-late-dmk-chief-kalaignar-karunanidhi-1856623.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200201070219/https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil-nadu/2018/aug/12/up-close-and-personal-with-late-dmk-chief-kalaignar-karunanidhi-1856623.html |archive-date=1 February 2020 |access-date=19 February 2021 |work=[[The New Indian Express]]}}</ref> Karunanidhi wrote the script while in prison.<ref>{{Cite web |date=29 July 2018 |title=Karunanidhi's tryst with tinsel town |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/karunanidhis-tryst-with-tinsel-town/article24547292.ece/photo/2/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210219105359/https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/karunanidhis-tryst-with-tinsel-town/article24547292.ece/photo/2/ |archive-date=19 February 2021 |access-date=19 February 2021 |website=[[The Hindu]] |at=slide 2}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Naig |first=Udhav |date=30 November 2014 |title='Politicians do not want actors to enter the fray' |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/politicians-do-not-want-actors-to-enter-the-fray/article6646860.ece |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210219111421/https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/politicians-do-not-want-actors-to-enter-the-fray/article6646860.ece |archive-date=19 February 2021 |access-date=19 February 2021 |work=[[The Hindu]]}}</ref> The original title was ''Idhu Nyayama'' ({{Translation|Is this fair?}}), but Chandrasekhar changed it to ''Neethikku Thandanai''.<ref name="Touring Talkies">{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DD_yaCN9zcg |title=எம்.ஜி.ஆர் அழைத்தார் - கலைஞர் ஜாக்கிரதையாக போய் வா என்றார் {{!}} Chai With Chithra {{!}} S.A.C {{!}} Part 2 |date=7 July 2019 |language=ta |publisher=[[Chitra Lakshmanan|Touring Talkies]] |trans-title=MGR called and said Kalaignar should go and be careful |time-caption=From |access-date=19 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191214072051/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DD_yaCN9zcg |archive-date=14 December 2019 |url-status=live |via=[[YouTube]]}}</ref>{{Rp|pages=17:40–17:50}}
== Soundtrack == The music was composed by [[M. S. Viswanathan]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Neethikku Thandanai |url=https://gaana.com/album/neethikku-thandanai-tamil |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210219112036/https://gaana.com/album/neethikku-thandanai-tamil |archive-date=19 February 2021 |access-date=19 February 2021 |website=[[Gaana (music streaming service)|Gaana]]}}</ref> [[Swarnalatha]], who made her playback singing debut with the song "Chinnanchiru Kiliye", based on the poem by [[Subramania Bharati]], was chosen to sing the song by Viswanathan after he was impressed with her rendition of his composition "Paal Polave" from ''[[Uyarndha Manithan]]'' (1968), which he had asked her to sing during the song's audition.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Ashok Kumar |first=S.R. |date=8 May 2009 |title=My first break – Swarnalatha |url=https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-cinemaplus/my-first-break-swarnalatha/article3021458.ece |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150517060208/http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-cinemaplus/my-first-break-swarnalatha/article3021458.ece |archive-date=17 May 2015 |access-date=19 February 2021 |work=[[The Hindu]]}}</ref> The film's "Chinnanchiru Kiliye" is set in [[Harikambhoji]], a [[Carnatic raga]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=ஏழிசை எம்எஸ்வி {{!}} பயோகிராபி |trans-title=Seven notes MSV {{!}} Biography |url=https://cinema.dinamalar.com/msv/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200626130400/https://cinema.dinamalar.com/msv/ |archive-date=26 June 2020 |access-date=7 July 2024 |website=[[Dinamalar]] |language=Ta}}</ref>
{{Track listing | headline = Track listing | extra_column = Singer(s) | title1 = Chinnachiru Kiliye | length1 = 4:50 | lyrics1 = [[Subramania Bharati]] | extra1 = [[K. J. Yesudas]], [[Swarnalatha]] | title2 = Paavai Meethu Parijatham | length2 = 4:18 | lyrics2 = | extra2 = [[S. Janaki]] | title3 = Neethane Maharani | length3 = 6:14 | lyrics3 = | extra3 = [[Shoba Chandrasekhar]], [[P. Susheela]] | title4 = Chinna Chiru Kiliye | note4 = Slow | length4 = 1:54 | lyrics4 = | extra4 = Shoba Chandrasekhar | title5 = Manithargale O Manithargale | length5 = 4:09 | lyrics5 = Bharathiyar | extra5 = Surendran }}
== Release and reception == ''Neethikku Thandanai'' was released on 1 May 1987.{{sfn |Rathinagiri |2007 |p=67}}<ref>{{Cite web |date=27 July 2018 |title=திரையுலகில் கலைஞர் |trans-title=Kalaignar in the world of film |url=https://www.dinamalar.com/karunanidhi/newsdetail.asp?id=8 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190106010637/https://www.dinamalar.com/karunanidhi/newsdetail.asp?id=8 |archive-date=6 January 2019 |access-date=19 February 2021 |website=[[Dinamalar]] |language=ta}}</ref> N. Krishnaswamy of ''[[The Indian Express]]'' wrote that the "story and narration are so thoroughly mired in preposterous situations". He went on to say, "M. S. Viswanathan has tuned a Bharathi song to good effect, but how come Bharathi agreed to write a song for this film?".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Krishnaswamy |first=N. |date=8 May 1987 |title=Law in the dock |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=P9oYG7HA76QC&dat=19870508&printsec=frontpage&hl=en |access-date=17 December 2018 |work=[[The Indian Express]] |pages=12 |via=[[Google News Archive]]}}{{cbignore}}</ref> [[Subha (writers)|Jayamanmadhan]] of ''[[Kalki (magazine)|Kalki]]'' praised the performances of Radhika, Srividya and Charanraj, and the dialogues by Karunanidhi, but criticised the film for suggesting that violence will solve problems.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=ஜெயமன்மதன் |author-link=Subha (writers) |date=7 June 1987 |title=நீதிக்கு தண்டனை |url=http://archive.org/details/kalki1987-06-07 |access-date=27 February 2026 |magazine=[[Kalki (magazine)|Kalki]] |page=13 |language=Tamil |via=[[Internet Archive]]}}</ref> Radhika won the [[Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Tamil]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Filmfare Awards 1988 Tamil Winners |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/movie-awards/filmfare-awards-winners/tamil/1988/103 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260227085913/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/movie-awards/filmfare-awards-winners/tamil/1988/103 |archive-date=27 February 2026 |access-date=27 February 2026 |website=[[The Times of India]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=16 July 1986 |title=Kamal bags Filmfare Award |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=P9oYG7HA76QC&dat=19880716&printsec=frontpage&hl=en |access-date=27 February 2026 |work=[[The Indian Express]] |pages=3 |via=[[Google News Archive]]}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
== Controversy == The film became controversial as it was seen as critical of the rule of the incumbent [[Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu]], [[M. G. Ramachandran]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Maderya |first=Kumuthan |date=2010 |title=Rage against the state: historicizing the "angry young man" in Tamil cinema |url=https://ejumpcut.org/archive/jc52.2010/Tamil/text.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160809043053/http://ejumpcut.org/archive/jc52.2010/Tamil/text.html |archive-date=9 August 2016 |access-date=2 December 2021 |website=[[Jump Cut (journal)|Jump Cut]]}}</ref> The then ruling party [[All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam|AIADMK]], led by Ramachandran, tried to halt the film's release by filing a case that it may disrupt law-and-order in Tamil Nadu, but Chandrasekhar overcame the case.<ref name="Touring Talkies" />{{Rp|pages=22:00–23:25}}
== References == {{Reflist}}
== Bibliography == * {{Cite book |last=Rathinagiri |first=R. |title=Time Capsule of Kalaignar |publisher=[[Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam]] |year=2007 |oclc=233030854}}
== External links == * {{IMDb title}} * {{Rotten Tomatoes}}
{{S. A. Chandrasekhar}}
[[Category:1980s legal drama films]] [[Category:1987 Tamil-language films]] [[Category:1987 controversies]] [[Category:1987 films]] [[Category:1987 Indian films]] [[Category:Films about child death]] [[Category:Films about corruption in India]] [[Category:Films about miscarriage of justice]] [[Category:Films about rape in India]] [[Category:Films directed by S. A. Chandrasekhar]] [[Category:Films scored by M. S. Viswanathan]] [[Category:Films with screenplays by M. Karunanidhi]] [[Category:Indian courtroom films]] [[Category:Indian films about revenge]] [[Category:Indian legal drama films]] [[Category:Indian rape and revenge films]] [[Category:Political controversies in film]] [[Category:Political controversies in India]] [[Category:Tamil films remade in other languages]] [[Category:Tamil-language Indian films]]