Raj, who runs an ad film company called 7screenstudios, says though NN is his debut as a director, it hardly made him feel out of place. “I got into ads because I wanted to master this field before moving to cinema. With this intention, I began drafting the script for this pilot film,” says the youngster. 

When asked how its format is different from a short, he explains, “The entire story must be told without any loopholes in a limited period of time. Secondly, we haven’t compromised on the quality at all because we wanted to have a theatrical release so without shooting on Canon 5D cameras, we rented professional equipment used in movies.” The output naturally improved so it fetched the team a lot of laurels in international and national film festivals, especially for best cinematography that was done by newbie Navin Kumar. The background score by Sundaramurthy KS also received positive feedback.

Nagarum Nodiyil tells the story of a car journey that takes place over one night and guess what, the entire shooting was completed within a night too. “We initially faced a lot of difficulties because we didn’t have proper permission, especially since the entire shoot revolves around a car. However, my 35-member crew was of immense support,” smiles Raj. By that, he doesn’t just mean morally but financially too! The film is entirely self-financed by its team, indeed making it a unique collaboration.

Did Raj expect it would win over 15 awards and appreciation from the likes of Ashok Selvan, Vignesh Shivn and Vijay Sethupathi even before its release? “Certainly not. There comes a moment in everyone’s life where the unexpected happens and everything turns around — this film was my moment and that’s exactly what the title means too. The story revolves around that one second when the entire scenario changes, making it quite a thrilling watch,” feels the director.

If you wish to catch the screening of this pilot film, head to Rohini Silver Screens, Poonamallee High Road, Koyambedu on August 26 at 10 am.