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The Waltz of Chennai

The Waltz of Chennai is a mesmerizing short film that masterfully blends violin, dance, and movement into a breathtaking artistic journey. Anchored by the timeless rhythm of the Viennese Waltz, the film traverses seven iconic Tamil film songs, originally composed by the legendary music directors AR Rahman and Anirudh Ravichander, each reimagined across diverse soundscapes—orchestral symphony, jazz, rock, Lo-Fi, Carnatic, and an explosive dappangkuthu finale.

At the center of this musical and cinematic experience is the captivating violin performance by Achi Bala. A heartfelt tribute to a city, a heritage, and the passion of storytelling, the project was born from Achi's years of travel between Houston and Chennai and a deep love for ballroom dance and Tamil music.

This ambitious vision was brought to life by an extraordinary team of collaborators: keyboard virtuoso Siddharth crafting the soundscapes, mixing and mastering by Dr. Srimix, percussion beats by Karun Salvady, and dance by Kavya Giridharan. The dances were brought to life through the choreographies of Kimberly Conde from Houston’s River Oaks School of Dancing, Black Swan Dance in Chennai, and Mumbai-based hip-hop artist Pratik Joshi. Guided by Director Shara Shanth and the dedicated team at 37Factor, this project was a labor of love, spanning 18 months of artistry and perseverance.

The Waltz of Chennai is a beautiful testament to the confluence of different art forms and cultures.

  • Shara Shanth
    Director
  • Achi Bala
    Key Cast
    "Achi"
  • Kavya G
    Key Cast
    "Kavya"
  • Sampoorna Ramesh
    Key Cast
    "Young Kavya"
  • R Shivaansh Jain
    Key Cast
    "Young Achi"
  • Achi Bala
    Writer
  • Nirupama Balakrishnan
    Producer
  • Pratik Joshi
    Choreographer
  • Kimberly Conde
    Choreographer
  • Kavya G
    Choreographer
  • Dr. Srimix
    Music
  • Siddharth Ramalingam
    Music
  • Karun Salvady
    Music
  • Pratik Joshi
    Dancers
  • Sharath Krishnakumar
    Dancers
  • Thamizhiyan Venkataraman
    Dancers
  • Aravindan Ramakrishnan
    Dancers
  • Sowndarya Venkatesan
    Dancers
  • Poornima Madheshwaran
    Dancers
  • Karishmah Aswin
    Dancers
  • Suriya Priya
    Dancers
  • Sathish Karuppusamy
    VFX and Editing
  • Kishore Shano
    VFX and Editing
  • Ragul
    VFX and Editing
  • MF MD Thurabudeen
    VFX and Editing
  • Sajeevan
    VFX and Editing
  • Seja
    VFX and Editing
  • Nav
    VFX and Editing
  • Project Type:
    Music Video
  • Genres:
    Romance
  • Runtime:
    5 minutes 19 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    August 9, 2025
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    India
  • Language:
    No Dialogue, Tamil
  • Shooting Format:
    S-Log3 Prores
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2:39:1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
Director Biography - Shara Shanth

The Director and DOP of The Waltz of Chennai, and the Founder of 37 Factor, a creative company that films, produces, executes, and strategizes everything from shoots and live events to full-scale applications

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Director Statement

This project began with Achi Bala, the violinist, producer, and my collaborator, who carried the weight of these five songs for years. When he first brought the idea to me, I was both scared and excited, scared because we were venturing into an unfamiliar space, a music video driven almost entirely by the violin; excited because I knew we could transform this into a five-minute visual journey unlike anything I had experienced before.

For me, this was never just a music video. As both director and cinematographer, I approached every shot as choreography, the camera itself became a dancer, moving to the counts of the music. I was determined that the cuts should not break the flow but hypnotize the viewer, keeping them anchored to the performer while still surprising them with each new visual reveal.

The story unfolds through shifting worlds: from the dark chandelier-lit stage to a childhood memory, from Viennese waltz to a pure white dreamscape, from Carnatic arangetram to a grand ballroom finale. Every transition was designed to carry forward the emotional beat of the music, through match cuts, wipes hidden in movement, or handheld rhythms timed to lighting cues. What could have been solved with expensive robotic arms, we pushed ourselves to achieve with raw timing, intuition, and handheld precision. Even the smallest details, like building a childhood set in 30 minutes with plants and staircases, became opportunities to embrace spontaneity and authenticity.

At its core, this is not only Achi’s story, but also mine. Through this project, Achi and I became more than collaborators, we became brothers. His journey with the violin, and my responsibility to translate that journey into imagery, are deeply personal.

In a world of fleeting 15-second reels, I wanted this film to hold an audience for a full five minutes, to surprise them, move them, and remind them what it feels like to be immersed in music and cinema together. My hope is that this work is not just consumed as content, but experienced as a piece of visual music, where every frame, cut, and movement sings.