Balaji Mohan: Kadhalil Sodhapuvadhu Eppadi was one of the first short films which found a feature film adaptation, making him one of the first short film directors to break into mainstream cinema.
The director went on to collaborate with some of the major stars of the industry including Dhanush for the Maari franchise creating a niche for his quirky writing.
Karthik Subbaraj: One of the first few, to break into films from the short film circuit. Making a leap from Nalaya Iyakkunar, he made a smashing debut with Pizza.
Making genre-bending narratives his trademark, Karthik went on to make big-league films but also backing other short filmmakers and even backing a short-film anthology with his Stone Bench banner.
Nalan Kumaraswamy: Another name from the Nalaya Iyakkunar roster, Nalan 's Soodhu Kavvum is still a benchmark in Tamil cinema for black comedies, years post its release.
His second film Kadhalum Kadandhu Pogum, a remake of the Korean film My Dear Desperado, is another example of the bittersweet writing that Nalan made his forte; a name that we wish we see more often.
Alphonse Putharen: Most famous for his Malayalam film Premam, Alphonse has strong roots in the short film circuit, where he frequently collaborated with Vijay Sethupathi and Bobby Simhaa.
His first feature film Neram was first made as a short film with Vijay Sethupathi playing an important role. The feature film proved to Nivin Pauly and Nazriya's Tamil debut.
Atlee: Before Atlee became a household name with his hit debut feature Raja Rani, his short film Mugaputhagam starring Sivakarthikeyan went viral on social media, much before it became a major trend.
With Raja Rani, his debut film, becoming a hit, Atlee went on to make three films with Vijay, all of them turning to be profitable. He is now said to be in talks for a film with Shah Rukh Khan.
Rathnakumar: His first feature film Meyaadha Maan was initially a short film that was part of the anthology backed by Karthik Subbaraj's production banner, who also produced the feature film.
Rathnakumar went on to make Aadai, a film about a naked woman stuck in a building, which was much appreciated for its visual sensibilities. He is also a co-writer on Vijay's upcoming film, Master.
Lokesh Kanagaraj, who burst on to the scene with much-acclaimed Maanagaram, has confessed to learning cinema through short films. His short film Kalaam was also part of Aviyal.
Lokesh followed Maanagaram with Kaithi, another terse one-night thriller which raked in the moolah. Currently helming Master, he will also direct Rajinikanth in a film produced by Kamal Haasan.
Sarjun KM's ticket to fame was his short film Lakshmi, which ran into controversy for its take extra-marital affairs. However, it got Gautham Menon to back Maa, his second short.
The popularity and success of Maa, and its sensitive narrative, fetched Sarjun an opportunity to work with Nayanthara in Airaa, a horror film that saw her play dual roles for the first time.
Karthick Naren: Before D16's success, Karthick has a list of short films and also a pilot film to his credit. Not having assisted anyone, Karthick credits short films as his teacher.
The success of D16 made Karthick a name on the most-promising lists of Kollywood. Undeterred by the delay in Naragasooran's release, Karthick now has a film with Dhanush next, in addition to Mafia.
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