Nagarum Nodigal: A short film on the large screen

How often does one see a poster for a short film at a multiplex? With even the biggest of films not getting enough screens in Chennai, it is encouraging that the city's Rohini Silver Screens has decided to screen Nagarum Nodigal, debutant director Raj Eshwar's 25-minute film, on Sunday.

Raj, who is hardly able to contain his excitement, says, "Our short film posters have been placed at the entrance, and more importantly, right next to the poster of Nayanthara's Kolamavu Kokila."

This is the maiden film venture for the ad-filmmaker who started his cinema journey five years ago when he was part of Naalaiya Iyakkunar. "I was part of a talented team in the show and some of them have already made their first feature films, like Pyaar Prema Kaadhal and 8 Thottaakal," says Raj whose short film has garnered appreciation from celebrities like Prabhudheva and Vijay Sethupathi.

This is the first time a single Tamil short film, as opposed to an anthology like Stone Bench Creations' films, is getting a big-screen release.

"This is a showreel of sorts for the feature film we are planning to make. Producers have suggested retaining the title. The feature film will mostly have the same content with a few changes made here and there," says Raj.

Kaali Venkat and Balaji Venugopal headline the short film that also stars National Award-winner Kaaka Muttai Ramesh and debutant Shyam Sundar. Crediting his ad-film background for picking the apt cast, Raj says, "The editors and PROs of my ads helped me develop contacts with relative ease."

Though it is a short film, Raj affirms he has left no stone unturned to make it a quality product, on par with a full-length feature. "There were no compromises made. The motion poster for the film was done by the same team behind Shankar's 2.0," says the director who has bankrolled the project under his advertising agency, 7 Screen Studios.

With cinematography by Navin Kumar, who has helmed the camera for the yet-to-be-released film Sigai, and music composed by KS Sundaramurthy of 8 Thottakal and Echarikkai fame, Nagarum Nodigal hits Rohini Silver Screens for two shows at 10 am and 11.30 am on Sunday.