Kizhakku Africavil Sheela

1987 Indian film

14 January 1987 (1987-01-14)

CountryIndiaLanguageTamil

Kizhakku Africavil Sheela (transl. Sheela in East Africa) is a 1987 Indian Tamil-language film produced and directed by Dwarakish. A remake of the 1986 Kannada film Africadalli Sheela and inspired by the works featuring Sheena, Queen of the Jungle, the film stars Suresh, Sahila Chadha, Nizhalgal Ravi and Kanchana.^[1] It was released on 14 January 1987.

Plot

A doctor goes deep into the dark continent of Africa with his wife to help tribals. The couple are killed before that can be done, and their daughter is raised by apes, growing up to be Sheela. The doctor's father sends an expedition to search for his son. Unknown to him, the members of this expedition have other goals. How one of the expedition's members checkmates their moves and does the rescue forms the rest of the plot.

Cast

Nizhalgal Ravi
Sahila Chadha
Suresh
Senthil

Production

Kizhakku Africavil Sheela is a remake of the 1986 Kannada film Africadalli Sheela,^[2] and was also inspired by the works featuring Sheena, Queen of the Jungle. The film was shot predominantly in Zimbabwe. Directed by Dwarakish,^[1] it was also produced by him under his banner Dwarakish Chitra.^[3] Sahila Chadha, who starred as the eponymous Sheela in Kannada, reprised her role in the remake.^[1]

Soundtrack

The soundtrack was composed by Bappi Lahiri and lyrics written by Vaali.^[4]

Track listing
No.	Title	Singer(s)
1.	"Sheela Sheela"	Bappi Lahiri, Nazia Hassan
2.	"Sheela Oh My Sheela"	K. J. Yesudas, K. S. Chithra
3.	"Thakka Thimi Thana"	K. S. Chithra
4.	"Poovu Irukku Kayum Irukku"	Manjula
5.	"Semmeni Ponno"	K. J. Yesudas, K. S. Chithra

Release and reception

Kizhakku Africavil Sheela was released on 14 January 1987.^[5] In a review dated 6 February 1987, The Indian Express felt the film largely resembled the "listless" television series Appu Aur Pappu as it was "stilted and trashy" like the dubbed Telugu action films that were common in that era. The reviewer criticised the characterisation of the villains, but praised the "catchy disco rhythms" composed by Bappi Lahiri, and Disco Shanti's "raw appeal".^[1] Jayamanmadhan of Kalki panned the film, saying it might have worked better in a language other than Tamil.^[6]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "Trashy". The Indian Express. 6 February 1987. p. 14. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
^ "Sheela". MySwar. Archived from the original on 23 February 2022. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
^ "1987-ல் வெளியான படப்பட்டியல் - தயாரிப்பாளர்கள்" [List of films released in 1987 – Producers]. Lakshman Sruthi (in Tamil). Archived from the original on 22 June 2018. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
^ "Kizhaku Africavil Sheela Tamil Film LP Vinyl Record by Bappi Lahiri". Banumass. Archived from the original on 10 October 2023. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
^ "கிழக்கு ஆப்பிரிக்காவில் ஷீலா / Kizhakku Africavil Sheela (1987)". Screen 4 Screen. Archived from the original on 18 November 2021. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
^ ஜெயமன்மதன் (8 February 1987). "கிழக்கு ஆப்பிரிக்காவில் ஷீலா". Kalki (in Tamil). p. 38. Archived from the original on 30 July 2022. Retrieved 23 February 2022.