CHENNAI:With new age films and young filmmakers looking for many ideas and concepts keep crowding the creative space. In an attempt to bring out the best of ideas within three minutes, Movie Buff First Clap – a short film contest paved the way for youngsters to showcase their work. Chosen among the top five finalists were Pradeep Ranganathan — App(a) lock, Vijay Ganapathy — Ival Azagu and Magesh Balasubramaniam — Indha Naal Iniya Naal. All three stories made in different genres, have an intriguing plot and CE chats with the budding film makers about their journey through their lens.
For Pradeep, his movies need to be entertaining and cater to the masses. “I want the film to be fun and entertaining. While most entries for such contests have a social message, I wanted to keep it different and do something that’s relatable by everyone…especially the youth!” says the short film-maker whose previous film WhatsApp Kadhal went viral and garnered over one million views for its fresh plot.
In App(a) lock, the story talks about how love in the ‘technology era’ can sometimes become a nightmare. “So, how many times have we been hesitant to give our phones to our parents or our close friends….even if we do, we usually have an eye on what they see…don’t we?” he opines. Keeping that in mind, Pradeep shares that he wanted to show what happens when two lovers swap their phones with each other for a day. “I needed a catalyst to make this happen. Who else but the girl’s father! And that’s App (a) lock!” he smiles.
But for Vijay Ganapathy, his story has to create a powerful impact on the audience. In case of Ival Azhagu, it is to give women hope and strength to stand up on their own. The narrative shows a young girl who’s caught in the middle of a cyber scandal, torn between ending her life and standing up for herself. “There are many women who get caught in cyber scandals and are victims of bullying. Most decide to end their lives or stay silent. They are bullied by the society and sometimes, even by their close friends and family. Their mental trauma is excruciating and unexplainable.” This had been bothering Vijay for a while and he shares, he decided to make a film on it. “I hope all the hard work and sacrifice pays off one day,” says the MBA graduate.
Love and emotions, struggle and society; the two directors have showcased them all…so, what are we short of? Some action! And here comes Magesh Balasubramaniam with guns and blood, and a dark comedy with an intriguing narrative. Indha Naal Iniya Naal is a story about gangsters who turn against each other for money and power. But, it gets interesting when the voice of a RJ forecasting the day’s astrological prediction plays in the backdrop.
“Personally, I feel that some genres and narratives have become monotonous. I want to break these barriers and give something new and fresh to the audience. This movie was one such attempt,” says the director who has worked in the recent hit film, Maanagaram. With a drive to stand apart from the rest, a confident Magesh adds, “This platform has given me confidence to try out new genres. People want something new every time they go to theatres to watch films. Even if it’s a commercial movie, it has to be different and not the same old story. I want to tap different genres narratives and stand unique.”
(For details, visit:moviebuff.littleshows.com)