The ensuing weekend (July 19) would be important for the Auckland based Aiswarya Entertainments Limited and its Director Sasi Nambissan as the audio release of their maiden Tamil feature film ‘Serndhu Polama’ (Shall we go together) is released in Chennai, home of the so called, ‘Kollywood.’
Audio launches are the next biggest events marking the completion of a feature film before it hits the big screen. It also marks the end of a lengthy, often painful and anxious production and post-production process.
Coordinating the production of a low budget (Serndhu Polama may have cost close to $1 million) is a challenge for any seasoned filmmaker, and in the case of Sasi, it was a formidable task. For, the film was shot entirely in New Zealand, involving more than 65 actors and five technicians.
Formidable challenge
Sasi had put together the sets, coordinated the travel, accommodation and schedule of the cast (Vinay Rai, Madhurima Banerjee, Thambi Ramaiah, Thalai Vasal Vijay, Arun Sasi, Preethi Paul and Anand Srikrishna) and crew (Director Anil Kumar, Cinematographer Sanjeev Sankar, Music Director Mohan Sitara, Production Designer Senthil Kumar, Assistant Director Ravichandran, Assistants Jiju Mathew and Vaishak).
The 35 days of shooting schedule involved a host of other responsibilities, sufficient to deter anyone outside the industry.
Yet, Sasi, his wife Dr Rita Sasidharan and their son Arun successfully accomplished the challenge with the support of a number of friends and organisations including the Muthtamil Sangam.
“A shooting floor in Chennai would have about 150 people, whereas we managed with only 25 persons. One of the advantages of shooting in New Zealand was that no one stops to watch. But finding extras was a difficult job since everyone was keen to appear in more frames than the other,” Sasi said.
No Government help
He was sore that despite being a film shot 100% New Zealand, Serndhu Polama has had no support from the Government.
“The threshold of $2 million budget to obtain Government support and subsidy works against small producers like us. Our film will showcase New Zealand for about two-and-half hours, which in itself would be an endorsement of our tourism and film industries. We are of course grateful to ‘Film Auckland,’ ‘New Zealand Film and Technicians Guild,’ Screen Directors Guild of New Zealand,’ ‘Auckland Tourism Events & Economic Development’ and ‘Actors Equity New Zealand’ for their guidance,” he said.
Auckland Party
Aiswarya Entertainments Limited will host a party in Auckland next month to commemorate the release of Serndhu Polama.
The event will be held at St Columba Church Hall, 480 Ti Rakau Drive, Botany on Saturday August 2 at 6 pm. Sasi intends to screen a trailer and the promo song of the film.
You can follow the film on Facebook: Sasi Nambissan, Serndhu Polama, Aiswarya Entertainments.
