Thanga Meenkal (English: Gold Fish) is a 2013 Indian Tamil coming-of-age drama film co written and directed by Ram and story written by Ram and his daughter Shri Sankara Gomathy Ram, directing his second film after Kattradhu Thamizh. Ram, besides, played the lead role as well alongside newcomers Sadhana and Shelly Kishore. A joint production of Gautham Menon's Photon Kathaas and R. S. Infotainment, the film features score and soundtrack composed by Yuvan Shankar Raja. The film's shooting commenced in mid-January 2011 and was completed by late 2011. Thanga Meenkal released on 30 August 2013.
The film opened to positive reviews from critics, but was declared as an average grosser by box office analysts. It won three prizes at the 61st National Film Awards including Best Tamil film award. It was the only Tamil film to be screened at Indian Panorama in International Film Festival of India, IFFI, Goa, 2013.
A poor laborer Kalyani (Ram) is devoted to his young daughter Chellamma (Baby Sadhana), but the child has problems at school with her studies, classmates and teachers. Kalyani wants his daughter to be happy, no matter what. Kalyani is a man who toils pretty hard to meet both ends, thereby trying not to live in his father's shade, but is forced to. His daughter Chellama is a sweet, angelic girl who fares below average in the class, but is all chirpy and gleeful when she is with her father. Without a proper job and an income the tension that prevails in the house forces him to take up a job far away from the reach of his lovely daughter. 'Thanga Meengal' is a coming-of-age story of an unfit father struggling to make ends meet, told through the eyes of his eight-year-old daughter. The film offers a critique of primary education in Tamil Nadu and makes poignant observations through social commentary.