Putham Pudhu Kaalai

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Putham Pudhu Kaalai is a 2020 Tamil-language anthology film made during India’s COVID-19 lockdown. It weaves together five short films, each directed by a different filmmaker—Sudha Kongara, Gautham Vasudev Menon, Suhasini Maniratnam, Rajiv Menon, and Karthik Subbaraj. The movie brings together a large ensemble cast, and it was shot entirely under COVID-19 safety rules. It released on Amazon Prime Video on 16 October 2020, and a sequel, Putham Pudhu Kaalai Vidiyaadhaa, followed in 2022.

The five stories explore hope, love, and new beginnings in the time of lockdown, focusing on relationships across generations:
- An elderly couple, Rajeev and Lakshmi, grow closer as lockdown begins. Their children worry about their safety, but the pair decide to introduce each other to their families via video call.
- A bond forms between a retired scientist grandfather and his estranged granddaughter Khanna, helping them heal past hurts and understand each other better.
- Two daughters visit their comatose mother and, through their time together, reconnect with their own lives. The mother shows signs of waking up, bringing the family closer.
- Sadhana, a music lover with an events business, and Vikram, a doctor, are old friends who spend lockdown together with Vikram’s mother Bhairavi. Sadhana battles drug addiction, and with support from Vikram and his mother, she seeks help and finds hope. Vikram also admits his long-held feelings for Sadhana.
- A young filmmaker named Michael watches a Guru on TV, while two petty criminals, Devan and Rocky, chase a quick fortune. The story unfolds with a humorous twist as the Guru’s prediction clashes with reality.

The music combines scores by G. V. Prakash Kumar and Govind Vasantha, with a six-song soundtrack released alongside the film. The lead single “Putham Pudhu Kaalai” was launched on 7 October 2020.

Critical response to the film was mixed. Some critics praised its relatable, intimate moments and the idea of storytelling during a difficult time, while others felt certain segments were uneven or conventional. Overall, the anthology offers a gentle, hopeful look at human connections during the pandemic.