Radhkrishnan Parthiban, a film-maker from Chennai, whose film Oththa Seruppu 7 (Single size slipper 7) was screened at IFFI 50 wrote, directed, acted in, produced and distributed his two hour long film all by himself. The film holds a record for a film written, directed and acted in by one person. The film is a murder mystery shot in just a 500 square feet space.
Addressing a press conference at the IFFI venue on Saturday, Parthiban explained that the film was inspired by a murder which happened in Tamil Nadu. The filmmaker had a dream of making such a type of film for 15 years. “Like Abdul Kalam said, a dream is only a dream if it does not allow you to sleep. Such was the dream I had,” he said.
Explaining how he managed with just one actor, Parthiban said, “Sound plays a very important role in the film. Lots of characters are unseen and they are assumed only through sound. We got Resul Pookutty on board to ensure the film is technically sound. ”
The film deals with the rich-poor divide in the country and how the economy is adversely affecting the life of middle class people.
Parthiban, whose film has already been released on Netflix and is available only online at the moment, said that releasing small films is a big challenge independent filmmakers are facing. “Nobody is interested in funding small films. The government must build small capsule theatres to address this issue. Small films have to hold their ground amidst the roar and cry of huge commercial films,” he said.
In the film, Masilamani, a middle aged security guard at a popular sports and recreation club in Chennai, is being questioned as a murder suspect while his terminally ill young son waits outside the investigation room. Masilamani’s strange tale, with moments of unexpected comedy and sudden displays of wit, leaves us questioning who he really is, what he has done and if he deserves the punishment that is staring him in the face.
Filmmaker Parthiban has acted in over 60 films and directed 14. His films Pudhiya Paadhai (1989) and Housefull (1999) won the National Film Awards for Best Regional Film.
