Mari Selvaraj’s latest film Bison Kaalamaadan has once again been winning praise for its raw and gritty portrayal of caste-related atrocities in the state. The filmmaker, who has carved a niche for himself by creating films that shed light on these issues, has also received a significant amount of hate online for continuing to focus on this genre.
Defending the filmmaker and underlining the importance of making these movies, Dhruv Vikram, who spearheads Bison as the lead actor, said, "With regards to Mari Selvaraj sir, he makes these films because of what he has been through. Every director has the right to make art the way they want to. I think it is also important to address this when there's still a social climate like this India and mostly in the southern parts of Tamil Nadu. It is important to throw light on these issues that continue to happen in the state. Cinema is a good medium to educate people." The actor made these comments at a recent press interaction when a reporter probed about the reason why the state continues to make movies on casteism.
Previously Mari Selvaraj said that he has constantly seen caste as the "ghost" that follows him throughout his life. "I have been impacted by these issues and I continue to showcase them in my script and screenplay. I want to have a healthy discussion on caste and casteism. Since this is happening after a long time, consuming this narrative might be difficult, but it will soon become normal."
He further added, "Many youth in the state, for example in Tirunelveli, continue to avoid the topic, but it needs to be addressed. This narrative needs to break and everyone needs to look at an issue with an open mind, understanding where justice lies and on whose side. I don't want youth to undergo the pain I went through."
Produced by Pa Ranjith and Aditi Anand under Neelam Studios in association with Applause Entertainment, Bison also features Anupama Parameshwaran, Lal, Ameer, Pasupathi, and Rajisha Vijayan. A sports drama, the film is inspired from the life and struggles of Arjuna award-winning Kabaddi player Manathi Ganesan.
Our CE review of the film read, "Bison is Mari Selvaraj’s most violent to date, and it is beautiful how the gore and bloodshed aren’t at the hands of the protagonist but everywhere around him. It is a terrific exploration of the aftermath of violence and its unsettling consequences in the minds of the young and easily influenced."
The technical crew of the film includes Ezhil Arasu K as the cinematographer, Sakthi Thiru as the editor, Kumar Gangappan as the art director, and Dhilip Subbarayan as the action choreographer.
