Neelira director Someetharan: ‘We wanted to show the life that exists within war…’
At the Neelira pre-release event, director Someetharan spoke about the emotional core of his film, its origins, and the lived realities that shaped its narrative.
Recalling his childhood during the Sri Lankan civil war, the filmmaker said, “When films from Tamil Nadu were releasing, I always had a longing—not just me, but many Eelam artists like me—that one day we might hear our language on the big screen or see even a glimpse of our land and our homes. That longing has become a reality today.”
He noted that several artists from Eelam, including Balu Mahendra, had attempted to bring such stories to cinema over the years. “This film is a continuation of that effort,” he said, thanking Karthik Subbaraj for initiating the process that led to Neelira.
Highlighting the film’s rootedness, he added, “Eelam Tamils across the world have always wondered if they would see something as simple as the food we cook at home, like puttu, on the big screen. Today, that has happened.”
Speaking about the making of the film, Someetharan shared that producer Karthikeyan Santhanam immediately believed in the story. “This narrative brings a way of life that is new to Tamil cinema. Tamil cinema has always embraced new worlds, and I believe it will embrace this one too,” he said.
Describing Neelira as more than a conventional war film, the director explained, “This is not an art film or a heavy, serious film—it tells life within war, something we haven’t seen in usual war narratives."
Drawing comparisons with global cinema, he said films like Life Is Beautiful portrayed war not just through violence, but through the lives lived within it. “That is what we have attempted here,” he added.
The director emphasised that war is often misunderstood. “We usually see war as two sides firing at each other. But there are people in between—celebrating birthdays, preparing for weddings, and living their lives. What happens when a bomb falls there? That is what Neelira explores.”
For him, the film is deeply personal. “From childhood to youth, everything—education, play, love, and marriage—happened within war. This film shows that life,” he said. He concluded by noting that the film captures “a long, tense night” shaped by fear and uncertainty. “For me, fear of death is worse than death itself. This film portrays life lived in that fear,” he said, adding that he also wanted to visually document Eelam homes and lifestyles for Tamil audiences.
Helmed by Someetharan, Neelira stars Naveen Chandra, Sananth, Roopa Koduvayur, Vidhu, Kapila Venu, Rohit D Kokate, Kayal Vincent, Swathy Krishnan, and others. The film, backed by Stone Bench Productions, is set to hit theatres on April 3.