How Tamil present Naalaiya Iyakkunar has modified Kollywood’s panorama

In 2012, director Karthik Subbaraj and actor Vijay Sethupathi teamed up for the experimental horror movie Pizza, which gained vital acclaim and shot them each to fame. However this wasn’t the primary time the director-actor duo had collaborated. Each of them had beforehand labored collectively in 2009 within the first season of the Tamil actuality present, Naalaiya Iyakkunar through which Karthik was a participant. “It was a turning level. I had an curiosity in filmmaking once I was in faculty however I by no means pursued it. Collaborating within the present gave me the precise push I wanted to take up filmmaking significantly and if not for it, I would nonetheless be a software program engineer,” director Karthik Subbaraj, who has made a number of movies together with Jigarthanda and Petta tells TNM.

Naalaiya Iyakkunar, began airing on the Tamil tv channel Kalaignar TV in 2009. The truth present was began with the goal to offer a platform for aspiring filmmakers and within the course of actors, editors, cinematographers, writers and different technicians additionally obtained to showcase their skills. In every season, round 32 beginner administrators took half, they labored with groups of their selecting to make 5-6 brief movies throughout genres, together with horror, romance and even youngsters’s motion pictures. In reality, Karthik Subbaraj, roped in actor Vijay Sethupathi, who was then a newcomer to the business to be part of his movies within the present.

And so they each aren’t the one ones who discovered their footing within the Tamil movie business, due to the fact present. From its inception until the newest season in 2019, the present has performed a key position in introducing new expertise to Tamil cinema. Over six seasons, an extended record of administrators like Karthik Subbaraj, Kalyan, Balaji Mohan, Alphonse Puthren, Vijay Kumar, Ramkumar, Arunraja Kamaraj, Nalan Kumarasamy, in addition to actors akin to Manikandan, Bobby Simha, Vijay Sethupathi, and Karunakaran, discovered fame. The administrators and actors who emerged from the present have considerably modified Kollywood’s panorama, by doing experimental movies and numerous roles.

The truth present was the brainchild of KG Jayavel, who not solely created it however was additionally on board because the producer. “I used to be working as a cameraman for some time earlier than I obtained concerned in actuality reveals. I got here up with the thought in 2009 once I was chatting with administrators of brief movies who felt like they wanted extra hands-on coaching and expertise to have a greater shot at pursuing it professionally,” says Jayavel. So along with his staff, which included college students in media research and graduates in Visible Communication, he conceived the present. He additionally provides that again when Naalaiya Iyakkunnar began airing, there weren’t any related reveals in different languages. 

Because the present grew in recognition, Jayavel was ready to usher in massive names from the business to guage the brief movies. Actor and director Prathap Pothen, Kumki fame director Prabhu Solomon, late director Balachander, in addition to administrators like Vetrmaaran, Bhagyaraj, Sundar C; and actors Vijay Sethupathi and Kamal Haasan have been judges or particular visitors. “We needed to rope in outstanding filmmakers and actors from Tamil cinema in order that individuals get insights that they’d have the ability to put to make use of in future,” Jayavel factors out. 

The individuals within the actuality present say that the nuanced suggestions has enabled them to search out their weak spots and enhance their expertise. Illustrating this with an instance, Rashmi Bedi, the title winner of season 6, says: “I’ve labored as a author for a number of years within the movie business earlier than I attempted my hand at filmmaking. There have been many particular takeaways which have helped me. Once I was engaged on an adaptation, the judges identified that I’m not making the character my very own. That’s not often the case with characters that I write however diversifications could be tough,” Rashmi factors out.  

Echoing this, Rohit Muralidharan, who had performed the lead in a few shorts directed by Rashmi Bedi, states that receiving suggestions from achieved filmmakers like Vetrimaaran was a useful a part of the training expertise.  

Quick movies to silver display screen 

Many filmmakers like Nalan, Karthik Subbaraj and Kalyaan proceed to work with technicians and actors they met throughout the course of the present. In season one, when Karthik Subbaraj participated within the present he forged Bobby Simha and Vijay Sethupathi in his brief movies, two actors he continues to work with. Nalan who gained season 1 labored with Karunakaran Kalidas within the present. Chatting with TNM, actor Karunakaran, who rose to fame along with his performances in Soodhu Kavvum, Jigarthanda and Pizza, observes that Naalaiya Iyakkunar was an enormous studying curve for him. “I acted in eight brief movies below Nalan’s route. It was very new to me. Other than appearing, we additionally needed to handle manufacturing since we had tight deadlines. I used to be introduced with an array of alternatives.I used to be working at an IT consultancy at that time and if not for the present, I’m not certain if I’d have entered the movie business,” he says.  

If being on the fact present has served as a ticket to the movie business for some artists, for others it has served as a chance to hone their expertise. The title winner of the second season, director Kalyaan, who has helmed motion pictures like Kaathadi, Jackpot and Katha Solla Porom, says that the present helped him to supply motion pictures inside an allotted price range. “I used to be directing brief movies earlier than I entered the competition. However because the competitors required us to have a working data of various elements concerned in manufacturing, it geared up me to have the ability to make a directorial debut with my first function movie Katha Solla Porom,” says Kalyaan.  

Bear in mind Kadhalil Sodhappuvathu Yeppadi, the Balaji Mohan directorial that starred actors Siddharth and Amala Paul within the lead? The 2012 movie is a unusual romantic comedy that narrates the story of two engineering college students in love. It was in style amongst critics and followers alike, and in addition reportedly had a superb run on the field workplace.

Apparently, director Balaji Mohan, who was a participant in season one in all Naalaiya Iyakkunar, conceptualised and submitted it as a brief movie in one of many rounds within the competitors. Actor Siddharth had reportedly watched the ten-minute brief on YouTube and expressed his curiosity in turning it right into a full-length function movie.  

Though Naalaiya Iyakkunar extensively focuses on filmmakers, it has additionally been useful for technicians. “Even within the first two seasons, judges included feedback concerning the contributions made by every member of the crew. In season 3, we launched awards for technicians. That actually helped in boosting up their morale and selling wholesome competitors,” states AR Vimal Raj, a producer of Naalaiya Iyakkunar. 

READ: 10 yr problem: The story of this pic of Karthik, Vijay Sethupathi, Alphonse and others 

Exploring new avenues 

Whereas the primary and second seasons of Naalaiya Iyakkunar helped enhance Kalaignar TV’s TRPs, Jerin, who’s onboard as co-director of the present, mentions that the next seasons didn’t obtain the identical form of response from audiences.“The brief movies and clips from episodes have plenty of views on YouTube, however the audience for the present – individuals beneath the age of 35-40 – will not be the identical because the channel’s viewers base,” says Jerin.  

Jayavel additionally provides that they’ve managed to retain their model picture over time, however wish to discover new horizons. Spilling the beans, he shares that the staff is engaged on a actuality present constructed on related strains, which is more likely to be out on an Over-the-top (OTT) platform within the close to future. “It’ll nonetheless be a contest for filmmakers however we wish to change the format to open extra doorways for individuals,” he states. 

He additional says that the format of the brand new present is constructed to swimsuit the reducing consideration span of viewers. Talks are underway to give you an analogous actuality TV present in Telugu. As for season 7 of Naalaiya Iyakkunar, Jayavel mentions that they’re ready for a go-ahead from the channel.