Neripirazh: the only Tamil short film screened at Cannes, this year

Chennai-based debutant filmmaker Karthik Siva is a happy man. His first short film, Neripirazh, was the only Tamil short film, among other 40 short films from India, that was screened at Cannes this year. The film is a psychological thriller, which is based on true events.
���I made this short film for my portfolio, but now, I am happy that my efforts have reached a global scale.I must credit my hero, Maanas (the lead in the film), too, as he was the backbone of the project. We both travelled together for this film���we used to visit libraries daily to research this project. We even spoke to a few psychiatrists to get the characterisation right,��� says Karthik.
Actor Maanas Chavali, who is a popular TV actor says, ���Karthik Siva was after me for a year, adamant that only I play the lead in his short film. Initially, I must admit, I was a little apprehensive as I wasn���t aware of who he was. Plus, I was busy with my other commitments. We started talking when he wished me on my birthday. During our first meeting, he narrated a few scenes to me and I was impressed. There was no looking back after that. I loved my characterisation in the film...it is a character with negative shades. If the lead character was that of a good guy, I may have not agreed.���
Karthik adds, ���The film is about the battle between the mind and the consciousness. It has a beautiful social message on love. We shot the film over a period of seven days, and Maanas���s look in the film is something new. He went the extra mile and actually researched how a psychologically imbalanced person will look and behave. In fact, the title Neripirazh itself means extreme level of being abnormal.���
The fact that the film was screened at a prestigious film festival like Cannes is like a dream come true for Maanas. ���I was happy to be there, and the officials at Cannes appreciated our work. Though I have been a TV serial actor for three years, this is the only short film I have acted in,��� he says.