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Ram (director)

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Ram
Ram at the Aruvi, Tamil Movie Premiere
Born
Ram Subramaniam

Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India
Alma materAmerican College, Madurai
Occupation(s)Filmmaker, actor
Years active2007–present
Ram (right) at IFFI 2013

Ram is an Indian film director, who works in Tamil cinema.[1] After assisting Hindi directors Rajkumar Santoshi and working under Balu Mahendra, he made his directorial debut with Kattradhu Thamizh (2007), which fetched him strong critical acclaim. His second film Thanga Meengal (2013) also won critical praise and three National Film Awards. He released his next film Taramani in August 2017 which was critically acclaimed and a box-office hit. His fourth film Peranbu starring Mammootty was premiered at International Film Festival Rotterdam in January 2018, which was also critically acclaimed.

Career

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Ram, completed his Bachelor of Arts in American College in Madurai, while he was pursuing a Master of Arts postgraduate degree in Tamil literature at the Madras Christian College, began writing short stories in Tamil language.[2] He worked with director Thangar Bachan in a few films, then Thangar Bachan recommended Ram to meet Hindi film director Rajkumar Santoshi. Since he was unaware about Hindi films, and Rajkumar Santoshi, he was initially reluctant, but eventually decided to meet him and joined him as a script writer, travelling to Mumbai subsequently.[2] Ram worked together with Santoshi in several Hindi films, including Pukar (2000) and Lajja (2001),[3] and helped him in shaping the story of Lajja.[2]

Ram had first planned to make a "cross-over English film on man-woman relationship" and approached Balu Mahendra to handle the cinematography, since he felt Mahendra's style suited his script best.[2] The project failed to take off, but Ram continued working with Mahendra. Though he did not assist him in any of his films, Ram considers Balu Mahendra as his teacher, who, he says, "converted" him "from being a film maniac to a film student" as he also learned about cinematic techniques from him, particularly about cinematography.[2]

By mid-2006, Ram began working on his directorial debut, initially being titled as Tamil M.A.,[4] which was later changed to Kattradhu Thamizh to get exempted from the entertainment taxation.[5] The film revolves around a young man, who gets into trouble because of his education,[6][7] quoting that it would show the "pathetic state of our mother tongue Tamil in today's society".[4] He selected Jeeva as the lead character in his film, after he saw Raam (2005) and been impressed by the actor's performance.[3] while a newcomer Anupama from Mumbai was tipped to play the lead female character of Anandhi first,[8] however she was later replaced by Anjali, who debuted in Tamil cinema with this film.[9] The film was shot for nearly a year across Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Chennai,[10] and gained high anticipation in its finishing stage, mainly due to Jeeva's looks in the promotional stills,[2][11] and Ram's controversial statements at the film's soundtrack release.[12][13]

Kattradhu Thamizh followed the journey of a lower middle class post-graduate degree holder in Tamil literature, who struggles to find a job and gradually turns a sociopath, frustrated by the inequality in the social stratification. Following its release in October 2007, the film received high critical praise,[14] becoming termed as a "cult classic".[15] Behindwoods in its review called the film a "kurinji flower in Indian cinema", citing that "once in a while a movie re-writes Tamil cinema history" and that Kattradhu Thamizh was "one such precious gem", further adding that Ram deserved a "standing ovation for not bowing down to commercial format and sticking to his theme with strong conviction".[16] Ram denied that the film was his autobiography, clarifying that, unlike the protagonist in the film, he went on to work as a media consultant and that the film was an autobiography of a fictional character named Prabhakar.[2]

Shortly after the film's release, Ram was expected to commence his second project, which was tentatively titled Saddam Hussain featuring Dhanush and Bhavana.[17] The project was shelved and Ram took a sabbatical, beginning to pen a new story titled Thanga Meengal instead. By mid-2009, Touch Stone agreed to produce the film,[18] with Karunas being signed to play the lead role,[19][20] however the studio opted out the following year after facing financial troubles.[15] Director-producer Gautham Vasudev Menon eventually accepted to produce it, asking Ram to enact the protagonist's role,[21] which he agreed to after shooting rehearsal scenes with cinematographer P. G. Muthiah and being "thoroughly convinced".[22] Thanga Meengal discusses how a common man's life is twisted and turned by globalization and today's educational system.[22] The film was a critical success,[23] winning three National Film Awards including the Best Tamil Feature Film Award[24] and three awards at the Chennai International Film Festival.[25] It was also screened in the International Children's Film Festival, India in the Children's World section which screens the finest movies of the last decade,[26] and was the only Tamil film selected to Indian Panorama in IFFI, Goa.[27]

In 2014, Ram started filming his next project Taramani that deals with contemporary relationships. The movie was released on 11 August 2017 garnering rave reviews from both audiences and critics and becoming a box-office hit. The movie was a box office hit and was re-released later. Taramani was also screened at the International film festival Rotterdam in their House on Fire section and gained standing ovations and applauds from international audience.

In 2016, Ram started shooting for the next film titled Peranbu starring Mammootty and Thanga Meengal fame, Sadhana. The movie had its world premiere at 47th International film festival Rotterdam. It was recommended as one of must watch 20 films at IFFR 2018 by VPRO, a Netherlands-based leading publication company. Peranbu was nominated for the NETPAC Award and also for the Audience award. The film secured 20th position based on the voting of the audience among 187 films competing for the Audience Award category at IFFR 2018. It was the only Indian film to be in the top 20 in the Audience Award category at Rotterdam. Peranbu was officially selected for and will have its Asian premiere at the 21st Shanghai International Film Festival 2018. The movie is slotted to release in August 2018.

Ram was also part of a panel discussion at International film festival Rotterdam on Tamil cinema.

He also acted in the protagonist's role in Mysskin's production, Savarakathi (2018).

Filmography

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Year Film Credited as Language Role Notes
Director Writer Actor
2007 Kattradhu Thamizh Green tickY Green tickY Red XN Tamil Nominated, Vijay Award for Best Director
Nominated, Vijay Award for Best Story, Screenplay Writer
Nominated, Vijay Award for Best Find of the Year
2013 Thanga Meengal Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Tamil Kalyani National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil
Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Director
Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Film (Second prize)
Vijay Award for Best Film
2017 Taramani Green tickY Green tickY Red XN Tamil Ananda Vikatan Cinema Award for Best dialogue
2018 Savarakathi Red XN Red XN Green tickY Tamil Pitchai Moorthy
2019 Peranbu Green tickY Green tickY Red XN Tamil

Ananda Vikatan Cinema Award for Best Film

2020 Psycho Red XN Red XN Green tickY Tamil Muthu
2024 Yezhu Kadal Yezhu Malai † Green tickY Green tickY Red XN Tamil World Premiere at 53rd International Film Festival Rotterdam[28]
Writer
  • Mamangam (2019) (Dialogues for Tamil version)
Actor

References

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  1. ^ "Kollywood's Top 25 Directors". Behindwoods.com. Archived from the original on 21 September 2008. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g "Ram on his Thamizh MA". Rediff.com. 8 October 2007. Archived from the original on 11 October 2007. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
  3. ^ a b "From Bollywood, for Thamizh – Tamil Movie News". IndiaGlitz. Archived from the original on 28 October 2006. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
  4. ^ a b "Jeeva to take Tamil issue". IndiaGlitz. 28 August 2006. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
  5. ^ "A name change!". Sify. 26 September 2007. Archived from the original on 22 October 2012. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
  6. ^ "Tamil movies : An unidentifiable Jeeva in Tamil MA". Behindwoods.com. 6 September 2006. Archived from the original on 14 February 2007. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
  7. ^ "Metro Plus Puducherry / Cinema : Realistic film". The Hindu. India. 6 October 2007. ISSN 0971-751X. Archived from the original on 30 December 2007. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
  8. ^ "Anupama – From Bangalore, Ahoy! – Tamil Movie News". IndiaGlitz. 9 September 2006. Archived from the original on 24 October 2012. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
  9. ^ "Jeeva on a serious mode – Tamil Movie News". IndiaGlitz. 2 May 2007. Archived from the original on 24 October 2012. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
  10. ^ "'A path breaking film': Jeeva". Sify. 20 January 2007. Archived from the original on 21 October 2012. Retrieved 9 January 2011.
  11. ^ "Four releases this Friday". Sify. 3 October 2007. Archived from the original on 22 October 2012. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
  12. ^ cinesouth. "Dailynews – I killed those that I wanted to – 'Thamizh MA' director shocks!". Cinesouth.com. Archived from the original on 17 September 2007. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
  13. ^ "Tamizh M.A is ready! – Tamil Cinema News". Bharatwaves.com. 9 December 2007. Archived from the original on 3 April 2008. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
  14. ^ "Ram eyes Saddam Hussain". Behindwoods.com. Behindwoods News Bureau. Archived from the original on 28 October 2007. Retrieved 19 October 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  15. ^ a b "Karunas produces for friend Ram – Tamil Movie News". IndiaGlitz. Archived from the original on 24 June 2010. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
  16. ^ "Kattradhu Tamil - A Kurinji flower in Indian cinema". Behindwoods.com. Behindwoods Movie Review Board. 26 November 2006. Archived from the original on 9 October 2007. Retrieved 19 October 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  17. ^ "Dhanush as Saddam Hussain! – Tamil Movie News". IndiaGlitz. 29 October 2007. Archived from the original on 11 March 2008. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
  18. ^ "Ram and his 'Thanga Meengal' – Tamil Movie News". IndiaGlitz. 18 August 2009. Archived from the original on 21 August 2009. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
  19. ^ "Karunaas is RamÂ's hero". IndiaGlitz. 26 September 2009. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
  20. ^ "Karunas turns serious – Tamil Movie News". IndiaGlitz. 14 November 2009. Archived from the original on 15 November 2009. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
  21. ^ "Ram is Gautham's new hero – Tamil Movie News". IndiaGlitz. 5 January 2011. Archived from the original on 7 January 2011. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
  22. ^ a b "Ram ready with 'Thanga Meengal' – Tamil Movie News". IndiaGlitz. 2 September 2011. Archived from the original on 3 February 2012. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
  23. ^ "Happy With IFFI Response to 'Thangameengal': Director Ram". New Indian Express. IANS. 28 November 2013 [27 November 2013]. OCLC 243883379. Archived from the original on 2 December 2013. Retrieved 27 November 2013.
  24. ^ "Thangameengal wins 3 National Awards". The Times of India. TNN. Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. 26 February 2017 [2014-04-16]. ISSN 0971-8257. OCLC 23379369. Archived from the original on 28 March 2015. Retrieved 18 January 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  25. ^ Subramaniam, Anupama (17 September 2013). "'Thanga Meengal' at Indian Panorama in Goa". Deccan Chronicle. OCLC 302708964. Archived from the original on 21 February 2014.
  26. ^ "Offbeat movies earn laurels at Chennai film festival". The Hindu. Chennai. 21 December 2013. ISSN 0971-751X. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
  27. ^ "'Thangameengal' goes for Indian Panorama in Goa". Sify. 15 October 2013. Archived from the original on 13 December 2013. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
  28. ^ Kudláč, Martin (18 December 2023). "IFFR unveils its 2024 line-up". Cineuropa. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
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