Acclaimed filmmaker Vetri Maaran, whose latest film Asuran has won over audiences and critics alike, is releasing the National Award-winning film Baaram on the big screen. The winner of this year’s National Film Award for Best Tamil Film is directed by Priya Krishnaswamy.
The film is being released by Vetrimaaran’s home banner Grassroot Film Company. Sharing the news with the media, the director of the film Priya Krishnaswamy said, “The film has a sensitive subject, Thalaikoothal (where infirm elders are killed by their own children), and I didn’t realise that it would win me such an accolade.”
Karuppasamy laughing
Speaking of his decision to bring the film to the big screen, Vetri Maaran shared his thoughts in a post online, saying, “We rarely come across a sincere film around a relevant issue. Baaram is an intense and intriguing tale exposing a practice that’ll leave us all introspecting on our own sensitivities to the world around us. When I saw the film I wanted to be a part of this film in some way and decided to present it. I am happy to be a part of Baaram.”
The film is based on a true story and took five years to make and complete. Winning the National Award made the process of bringing the story to the masses a lot easier. The director of the film says, “We had a firm conviction that such a moving story should reach the people. I am very grateful for the National Award for making this dream come true.”
The director expressed her happiness at the opportunity to showcase her film to a larger audience, saying, “The Tamil film audience is really receptive to all kinds of stories. And Vetrimaaran’s films are a testament to that. I admire his work and I feel that his sensibilities are aligned with mine. He makes films with strong subjects and hard-hitting treatment. I identify with that.”
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Baaram features mostly first-time performers in an 85-strong cast. The actors are from the villages and were chosen to enhance the realistic feel of the film. Some of the actors playing important roles include R Raju, Sugumar Shanmugam, SuPa Muthukumar, Jayalakshmi, and Stella Gobi.
Priya Krishnaswamy, who is an alumnus of FTII Pune, has written and directed the movie and produced it herself under the Reckless Roses banner, with Ardra Swaroop. This is the first time a female director has won the National Award in the Tamil film category.
The other technical crew includes Ved Nair (Music and Sound Design), Jayanth Sethu Madhavan (DoP), Tarun Sharma (Sound Design and Mix), and Rakav Mirdath (Dialogues and Additional Screenplay).
The film is being distributed by SP Cinemas and will release Statewide in early 2020.