Janani's Juliet

For the last 20 years, I have embarked on several visual journeys in the observational mode of filmmaking. My interest in films was seeded and nurtured by theater which I pursued for 10 years. During the shoot of  my last film ‘Two Flags’, I met Valavane Kumarane. After years in France he had come back home (Pondicherry) to pursue his interst in life--theater. He became the main spokesperson for my film offering rare insights.
My interest in Valavan's work was fueled by the way he used theater as a means to express the angst felt upon concurrent realities. He uses striking images and vibrant colors to tell stories to achieve emotional effect.  I find this entire notion: ‘to reflect reality as it occurs in time in a sequence of images’ very cinematic. In his new play, the issues of caste based intolerance is addressed head on, through commonplace experiences. Without professing to supply any answers, cliched or otherwise, the reality is showcased with sensitivity keeping focus on the internal transformation brought about by the power of love. And we see the protagonists rise, despite everything that they are subjected to.