Unlike in previous years of International Film Festival of India where only one or two Tamil films would be screened, this year’s IFFI festival at Goa, which ended on Wenesday, featured four Tamil films.
To Let had already taken part in 100 international fests and won 26 awards including national awards. Ram’s Mammootty starrer Peranbu received overwhelming response at the current fest. The critically acclaimed Pa.Ranjith’s Pariyerum Perumal and Baaram directed by Siva Selvan were the other two.
Directed by cinematographer turned filmmaker Ra Chezian, To Let tells the story of a middle class couple with a child and their plight to find a house for rent during the boom in real estate as a result of huge development in IT sector.
Talking about the extraordinary response at IFFI, Chezian says, “My mentor Balu Mahendra used to feel that ‘we are always awe of Iranian movies. A day will come when Tamil movies would be in a similar position’. That has come true now! Oscar winning Iranian filmmaker Asghar Farhadi was all praise for the movie and commended it for its realistic approach.”
Those who watched Peranabu were heaping laurels on the movie as well as the imposing performance of Mammootty. The film was said to have been given a standing ovation. Directed by Ram, the movie is the story is about a spastic child and the associated parenting issues. “The screening of Perambu at IFFI was a very thrilling experience. I find the Indian audience is very mature and celebrates film as an art. I wouldn’t have made Peranbu if Mammootty had not signed the film”, Ram remarked.
Pariyerum Perumal, set against caste discrimination backdrop and directed by Maari Selvaraj, also got a standing ovation from the audience. “Though we did not understand the language, we could feel the pain of the people and how caste bias is so harsh in India,” stated those who watched the film.
