After making audiences laugh with hsi expressions and slapstick comedy, director cum actor Pandiarajan has now moved to short films. A veteran of 25 years in the the film industry, Pandiarajan has directed 12 films like Aaan Paavam and Gopala Gopala, and has also acted in 95 films.
So what prompted him to venture into short films? “There are certain stories that cannot be shown in a commercial cinema and short films are a great medium for it. Also, I want to send my films to the international film festival,” says Pandiarajan.
He directed his first short film, Magan, in 2004. “Magan was selected for screening at the International Children Film Festival held in Hyderabad. The film dealt with the issues of child labour. In 2006, I directed another short film, Iru Thuligal, on polio awareness. Two years later, in 2009, I made one more film on organ donation. Titled Azhagu, acclaimed cinematographer Ravivarman produced the film and also cranked the camera,” he explains.
Pandiarajan is so hooked on to the medium that he wants to make a short film every year. “Recently, I directed a English short film, Help, which has also been selected for the screening at the Art Deco Film Festival to be held in Sao Paulo, Brazil on May 20,” he adds proudly.
Since it’s the first time his film is screened worldwide, Pandiarajan is beyond thrilled. “The 11-minute short film deals with social awareness. Only if you watch the film you can understand the concept,” he says.
Delhi Ganesh, Mohanram, Devipriya and Kishore form the cast. “My three short films were made in Tamil and we had to use subtitles. But this time, I wrote the dialogues for Help, and it was a different experience to write in English. Of course, my assistants helped with the pronunciation.” Of the 55 films for screening at the fest, Help is the only film selected from Asia.
“Editor Lenin completed the editing in 45 minutes and Srikanth Deva scored the music overnight. Help is a realistic film and the actors have done a great job,” he adds. Though it took just three months to complete the film, he says, “You should not compromise just because it’s a short film. Short films are not made for the sake of it. Since I have done three films already, the experience I gained helped me a lot while directing Help.”
Pandiarajan has a different take on the upcoming short film directors. “A lot of people make short films but they’re not aware that they should be censored. There are a lot of festivals happening around the world. So you have to search and find out the festivals that would screen your films. Ofcourse, you should also make a film of international standard.”
On a personal note, the director says, “If you want to become a commercial filmmaker, try directing a short film and use it as a visiting card to introduce yourself to a producer.”