Filmmaker and writer Seenu Ramasamy has urged Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay to introduce film appreciation education in schools across the state. In a recent video, the director spoke at length about his book Cinemaavin Aathma (Cinema Appreciation Education and Some Other Essays) and stressed the need for children to develop a proper understanding of cinema from a young age.
According to Seenu Ramasamy, while schools offer lessons in sports, painting, and other fine arts, there is little effort to educate students about cinema despite its strong influence on society. He pointed out that cinema is deeply ingrained in people’s lives and argued that children must be guided in identifying meaningful and quality films.
"Today’s generation of children spends most of their time with mobile phones. It is our duty to help them identify what genuine cinema is," he emphasised, adding, "In my deep opinion, cinema appreciation education is even more important for children than midday meals. We, along with parents and teachers, have a responsibility to expose children to great films at an early age and help them develop an appreciation and understanding of cinema."
The filmmaker clarified that Cinemaavin Aathma is not meant specifically for children but serves as a guide on how film appreciation can be taught to students from Classes 1 to 5. He added that the book is intended for primary school teachers, cinema students, young film enthusiasts, and families interested in nurturing an understanding of cinema.
Making a direct appeal to the newly formed Vijay government, Seenu Ramasamy requested the inclusion of cinema appreciation education in schools from primary classes to Class 12. "Just as schools have dedicated laboratories, I request that home theatre setups be installed in schools from primary level to Class 12 across Tamil Nadu, so students can watch films that improve their taste and understanding, and cinema can become a part of education," he noted, underlining that Cinemaavin Aathma is a book that everyone should read.
