There's nothing like watching your short film amongst an audience and feeling the validation that you made something that affects people — 26-year-old aspiring filmmaker Shatish Rao Sivakumar looks toward this moment today when his short film bearing the title En Muzhuvale makes its release on his own YouTube channel.
Having said that, with the recent release of the phenomenal pilot film, the local media were left astounded when the promising young filmmaker grasped the importance of delivering a quality film to the audience. To learn more insights about his journey in the filmmaking world, we at Astro Ulagam had an exclusive chat with the captain of the ship.
Born at Shah Alam and bred in Rawang, Shatish believes that "life is a process of learning." To date, Shatish has directed a music video aptly titled 'Udaney Vaayen' and the brand new release of his pilot film, 'En Muzhuvale'. Asking about the difficulties of a young filmmaker to direct a film in the competitive industry:
“What could be a director's secret weapon? A phenomenal team. When a director is surrounded by a talented and supportive crew, together you'll conquer any challenge.”
How many of us truly understand the hurdles of directing and acting for a film? A question to ponder.
In terms of Shatish’s scenario, it was indeed an interesting challenge to take up such a heavy task as it's tough to handle both extreme positions. And, with the support of my amazing co-director (Piraga Krishnan) who truly understands the power of artistic expression made my job much easier.
So, what is ‘En Muzhuvale’ all about?
Speaking about the pilot film of En Muzhuvale, it revolves around the story of a struggling filmmaker who is also a part-time Grab Driver who meets a passenger who happens to be his ex-girlfriend, and both of them get to share their post-break-up events in their journey. Shatish Rao who roped in the role as the lead actor, acted along with an ensemble cast including Dhiviyaa Rathi and Koghilan.
Having a great yet talented cast for a film is indeed a great blessing. Shatish had an amazing experience working with the talented and supportive cast. Collaborating with dedicated individuals who are willing to put in the effort for multiple takes - creates a big difference in the outcome.
The pilot film stands out for?
The climax scene was flawlessly captured in a stunning long-shot sequence without a single cut. A perfect execution.
With a duration of 27 minutes, Shatish’s En Muzhuvale stands out for the climax scene which was flawlessly captured in a stunning long-shot sequence along with the nature elements without a single cut. Receiving a plethora of positive reviews for that specific scene has made the writer even more curious about what makes the director have a natural element for that scene.
“Elements of nature are great tools for a filmmaker. It gives a certain energy, a certain mood, and a certain visual power.” - Mani Ratnam
As the ace filmmaker says in an interview, Shatish has certainly grasped his sayings in emphasizing the elements of nature throughout the pilot film. There’s a saying that when nature meets acting, emotions come alive. Indeed, the power of nature in this pilot film elevates performance to a whole new level.
The million-dollar question on everyone's mind:
Will there be a Part 2 of En Muzhuvale in the near future as the pilot film ends on a cliffhanger?
“There is! It may take some time, but I promise you'll leave the theater with a big smile on your face,” says the director.
We must say that the crew members are the backbone of this entire pilot film. Hence, let’s give a special shout-out to the crews who gave their all to make this series successful!
To those who missed out or haven’t got a chance to watch the teaser of En Muzhuvale, there you go: