R Gowtham

Amateur Filmmaker

[Aditya Shrikrishna @gradwolf]

Reviewed Don Palathara's latest film Ekadesham (The Uncertainty Principle). A metatext with meta ensemble where precarious lives of strivers clash in Kochi. Link in reply.

[Krithika Srinivasan @krithika_writes]

My husband's grandfather is a staunch DMK man. He has Kalaingar's photo tattooed in his arms. He was attracted into the party by Periyar. In fact, he organized a public meeting for Periyar right near a temple area when Brahmanical oppression was too much in their village. His fight to employment, ownership of land, education and humanity were taught by the Dravidian ideology, he claims.
He didn't go to school and owes all his ability to read, write along with awareness of society to reading Murasoli for the last 60+ years. He made sure his grandchildren were well read, so he put them in the best colleges in Madurai even if the family couldn't afford it at that time.
The grand old man is 80+ today, he didn't give one word against my husband's proposal to marry me. Ours was an OBC - SC marriage that usually comes with too much violent drama in TN but it wasn't the case with a grandfather like Kasi in the fam, who believes in equality and love against caste inequality and hatred.
He didn't say (then and now) anything discriminatory or even bitter about the intercaste arrangement, instead too happy and proud of me for choosing my boyfriend as my husband. He likes me more for being educated and empowered. He loved the fact I go to a job in the media, reads books. He was so supportive to the marriage! ❤️✊🏾
Kasi thatha speaks so dearly, and gives courage everytime I meet him.
He was in the peak of happiness when his grandson wanted to marry at Periyar Thidal.
On the day of the wedding, he stood there before Periyar's statue and looked at it with awe and wonder with gratitude filling his eyes. Seeing him look at his hero was deeply moving.
It is people like the 80 years old Kasi from a random remote corner of Tamil Nadu who are willing to get their children, grandchildren married at the Periyar Thidal for a Self Respect Marriage and register it in the same Act. It is their only weapon against the casteist kith and kin from the soil of Madurai.
Yet, Kasi's multiple petitions to Arivalayam seeking one meeting with the party chief as a token of love and respect from an "udan pirappu" went unanswered for the last three years.
@arivalayam must understand that the party is still relevant to a large group because of "why" it was started and "how" it empowered the marginalised people.

Last mile cadre and functionary like Kasi are the ones teaching us the real meaning of Dravidian principles in our families. They are the foot soldiers who adorn the 'black & red' shawls with pride and actually live up to what it actually means.

Y'all keep ignoring such elderly mass and elevate people in the party who chose to throw ideology in the bin for a wedding.
Sad to see the party absolved by fake progressiveness.
#SelfRespectMarriage

[Leena Manimekalai @LeenaManimekali]

https://t.co/PUtG6fTH7Y

[Leena Manimekalai @LeenaManimekali]

I was just reading @gradwolf’s article on Tamil independent cinema. It ends with the speculation that the indies will eventually be “absorbed” into the mainstream.

After two decades as an independent filmmaker, I’ve found myself making a film with the Tamil mass audience firmly in mind. But I don’t feel “absorbed”. I feel “expansive”.

I’ve self-produced the film, so my creative autonomy remains intact. I’ve changed my audience, not my allegiance.

Now comes the interesting bit: distribution. I’m curious to see if I can navigate that beast with the same vigour—and what happens when the film meets the audience it was made for.

Maybe the question isn’t whether the indies will be absorbed into the mainstream, but whether the mainstream has room to be expanded by the indies.

Sharing a photograph from the first day of recce for the film I’ve just completed.

Article shared in the first comment.

[“paula” @paularambles]

i love her

[Nazia Farheen 2.0 @NaziaFarheen84]

On a serious note, Doc, I have a genuine question.

Brahmins are among the most successful communities in Tamil Nadu and across India. I won't take away from their hard work, but you guys had a state built on social harmony. What made you turn so strongly against Dravidian politics that you had to pin your hopes on North Indian parties?

For decades, Dravidian governments have focused on social justice and welfare schemes benefiting people across castes and communities, including Muslims. Tamil Nadu has also largely followed a model where religion and politics are kept separate.

Personally, I believe a government that doesn't privilege one religion over another and focuses on people's welfare has its merits.

So what exactly did the DMK do to earn so much hatred?

Apart from not wishing your festivals or making verbal jibes, was there something genuinely discriminatory that made you turn against them?

What exactly is the grievance that made you want to import the BJP into Tamil Nadu?

[Bangalore Film Forum @BlrFilmForum]

The wait is finally over !

Introducing ✨BDFF ✨ Bangalore Documentary Film Festival ✨

We have been working on this for a long time and its finally here.

Find the full program here - https://t.co/9Uk9M6XjXi

Purchase the passes here - https://t.co/DlPZ9lMJzd

[Sanghmitra Hitaishi @sanghmitrahit20]

Can the whole country crowd fund a channel for Mr @PrannoyRoy7749
We all will pool in and we all will subscribe.

[karthik subbaraj @karthiksubbaraj]

I Strongly Condemn....

[Rana Ayyub @RanaAyyub]

Just Jean Dreze being himself

[Betwa Sharma @betwasharma]

Jean Drèze was offered freedom after 4 hours in detention. He refused to leave w/o his fellow detainees, many poor Muslims. After 11 hours, police relented. They walked out together

Oh, and when shown the video of a journalist asking who he was, he laughed: “That was hilarious"

Don't miss this story from @khanthefatima 1/2 #DelhiProtest

[Just Another Film Buff @J_A_F_B]

The child will likely be beaten up by Delhi police if he doesn't fall into a manhole first.

[Leena Manimekalai @LeenaManimekali]

மதிப்புமிக்க பெர்லின் சர்வதேச திரைப்பட விழாவில் உலகத் திரையிடலைத் தொடர்ந்து , Members of the Problematic Family திரைப்படத்தின் இயக்குநர் ஆர் கௌதம் Asia Pacific Screen Award - Young Cinema வென்றிருப்பது பெருமைக்குரியது. Asia Pacific Screen Awards என்பது ஆசிய–பசிபிஃக் பிராந்தியத்தின் மிக முக்கியமான சர்வதேச திரைப்பட அங்கீகாரங்களில் ஒன்று. உலகின் மிகப் பெரியதும், கலாச்சார ரீதியாக மிகவும் பன்முகப்பட்டதுமான திரைப்படப் பிராந்தியங்களில் உருவாகும் படைப்புகளை உலக சினிமாவின் மைய உரையாடலுக்குக் கொண்டுவரும் மேடை இது. அத்தகைய விருதில் ஒரு தமிழ் திரைப்படம் அங்கீகரிக்கப்படுவது, ஒரு இயக்குநரின் வெற்றியைத் தாண்டி, தமிழ் மொழி மற்றும் தமிழ்ச் சமூகத்தின் கதைகளுக்கான உலகளாவிய சாத்தியத்தை நிரூபிக்கிறது.

குடும்பம், உறவுகள், சமூக நெருக்கடிகள் ஆகியவற்றை எளிய தீர்ப்புகளுக்குள் அடைக்காமல், தனித்த திரைப்பட மொழியில் அணுகும் கௌதமின் படைப்பு பெர்லினைத் தொடர்ந்து, ஆசிய–பசிபிக் உலகின் உயரிய அங்கீகாரத்தை அடைந்திருப்பது குறிப்பிடத்தக்கது.

Local is Global என்பதற்கு சான்றாக, இளம் தமிழ் இயக்குநர்கள் தங்கள் நிலம், மொழி, வாழ்வனுபவங்களிலிருந்து உலகத்தரமான சினிமாவை உருவாக்க முடியும் என்பதற்கான
சான்று கெளதமின் முயற்சியும் பயணமும்.

இந்த விருது தமிழ்ச் சினிமா மிக அபூர்வமாக, உலக சினிமாவுடன் நிகழ்த்தும் காத்திரமான உரையாடலின் மிக முக்கியமான தருணம்.

@kapadavaasagan #independentcinema #Tamilcinema #Indie #IndianCinema #AsiaPacificScreenAwards #Berlinale

[Kanu Behl @KanuBehl]

After the fight for screens and a successful theatrical run, Agra has found it’s way on OTT!

Agra releasing on Amazon Prime Video on 17th April!

Set your reminders!
#AgraTheFilm
@primevideoin