Director Bramma’s Kuttram Kadithal, which is to hit screens this Friday, will be among the most keenly watched films in recent times, as it has already garnered praise in at least eight international film festivals. In fact, the film, which the director says will have universal appeal, has been invited to participate in two more film festivals that are to take place shortly.
“My film has been screened at a number of festivals including Zimbabwe International Film Festival, the Mumbai International Film Festival, and the International Film Festival of India. The film is to be screened at the Taiwan International Film Festival and the International film festival that is happening at Puducherry,” says Bramma G.
This is Bramma’s first feature film and the man hasn’t so much as been to a film festival before making Kuttram Kadithal. “The first film festival I attended was the Mumbai International Film Festival as my film was being screened there,” he discloses with a chuckle and begins to narrate the story of how Kuttram Kadithal got made.
“I am someone who has worked with NGOs and the government. I was a regional manager with the Tamil Nadu State Aids Control Society (TANSACS) for three years. Then, I cleared competitive exams and was posted as the joint director of TANSACS. However, three months after assuming charge, I realised that clearing files wasn’t my cup of tea and chose to quit. I did not even have a plan then. I was into theatre and I started working on short films and public service announcements,” says the MBA grad, who is also a national champ in skit and mime.
It was at this time that Christy Selvappan, a media manager with the Qatar-based TV channel Al Jazeera and an old friend of Bramma, made the offer to produce a film if Bramma chose to direct.
“Christy, Gerald Dhirav (Brahmma’s close friend who is also the co-director of Kuttram Kadithal), and I chose to make a film that we thought must have universal appeal. We started off on a small scale and knew that content was our trump card. We wanted every single person who watched our film to be able to relate to the incident in the story. We wanted to make sure that the film will be remade in other languages, at least in other Indian languages. That was how it all started,” he explains.
So what’s incident he’s referring to? Is it based on real-life? Replies Bramma, “The incident we have showcased is not a real-life one. But, it is inspired by a number of incidents that we would have come across in the state or the country. I cannot disclose anything more about the story of the film, except that it pertains to schooling in particular and education in general.”
He also insists that his film will not have a ‘message’. “It is not meant to preach. But yes, the movie will be so interesting that it will spark a discussion on the topic,” he points out.
The role of the protagonist in the film is played by Radhika Prasidhha, who is basically a theatre artiste, writer and director. “We watched a web series that she had done and chose her for this role. Then, we have Paval, a writer and theatre artiste, who has also directed at least 10 short films, each of which have won him praise. Master Ajay plays one of the most important characters of the film as does Sai Raj Kumar, a film student.”
Not one to rest on his laurels, Brahmma already has a script ready for his next: a political thriller. “I am waiting for Kuttram Kadithal to release and will then announce this next project,” he smiles.