Mani Ratnam and Jayendra Panchapakesan come together to finance a film to help members of Tamil film industry

Director Mani Ratnam and Jayendra Panchapakesan have come together to produce an anthology called Navarasa for Netflix to help members of Tamil film industry, whose livelihood is affected due to outbreak.

The proceeds from the movie will go to those who have suffered due to unemployment during the lockdown. Netflix has also confirmed that the cast and crew of the anthology will be providing their services pro-bono.

Navarasa will see the coming together of some of the most prominent directors, who will make nine short films based on nine ‘rasas’ (emotions). Bejoy Nambiar, Gautham Vasudev Menon, Karthik Subbaraj, Karthick Naren, K.V. Anand, Ponram, Rathindran Prasad and Halitha Shameem will be directing short films in this anthology. Also, actor Arvind Swamy will make his directorial debut with a short film in the anthology.

In addition to the directors, about 40 top actors of the industry and hundreds of technicians will work on the project.

 “We have always loved to brainstorm and come up with unique ideas to raise money for deserving causes. This time the brainstorming was for the cause of our own industry, to soothe and try and alleviate to some extent the agony of our people who had no work for months. The idea of making short films and raising money through them for this cause was born on one such brainstorming evening. We were thrilled when the idea resonated well instantly with leading directors, actors and technicians of the industry that we approached. The idea of Navarasa was a spark when we discussed it and the industry has come together to make it glow, give it soul and make it count for its people,” said Mani Ratnam and Jayendra Panchapakesan in a statement.