The film was released in theatres on 14 January 2022 to mixed to positive reviews from critics.[1]
Synopsis
Durai works as a ruthless, cold-hearted henchman to one such loan shark named Paulraj. All is fine for Durai until a woman barges into his house and claims that she is his mother. This sends Dorai's reality into a spiral, and what happened next makes the rest of the story.
The film's soundtrack is composed by C. Sathya in his first collaboration with Prabhu Deva and Harikumar. The soundtrack album featured four songs written by Viveka, Uma Devi, Lavarthan, and Kiruthiyaa.
The film was initially planned for release in theatres on 10 December 2021,[6] but got postponed due to unforeseen situations.[7] It was later scheduled for 14 January 2022, Pongalfestival.[8]
M. Suganth of The Times of India said, "Theal is a surprisingly effective drama that is well-made with performances that hold our attention. Yes, much of the film's emotional impact comes from the writing, [...] but the filmmaking is also solid enough".[1]Maalai Malar critic noted that "Director Harikumar has directed the film focusing on mother and son affection. The film did not attract many fans as it was thought that only affection was enough."[9]Dinamalar critic gave a mixed review and said that "They thought that only mother sentiment will save the film. That's not enough, it's true" and gave 2.5 out of 5 stars.[10]
^மலர், மாலை (15 January 2022). "தாய் பாசம் - தேள் விமர்சனம்". www.maalaimalar.com (in Tamil). Archived from the original on 8 March 2023. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
