Vijay Sethupathi, Revathi elevated 'Edhiri' with their work: Bejoy Nambiar on 'Navarasa'

'Edhiri' adopts a realistic approach to explore the aftermath of rage

Director Bejoy Nambiar said he enjoyed working on the Edhiri segment from the anthology Navarasa as it featured seasoned performers Vijay Sethupathi and Revathi in the lead.

"It was a pleasure to collaborate with them as they elevated the short film with their work. Their contributions helped me give shape to the project," he told DH.

Navarasa is a collection of nine short films that celebrate the nine emotions associated with life. It has been produced by Mani Ratnam and Jayendra Panchapakesan and is touted to be a gamechanger for Tamil cinema. Edhiri, the opening segment of the anthology, highlights the importance of compassion and explores the aftermath of rage.

The plot revolves around what happens when VJS' Dheena begs Revathi for forgiveness following a shocking incident. It has a realistic narrative that refrains from glorifying violence/anger. The supporting cast includes Ashok Selvan and Prakash Raj.

Bejoy says Edhiri, like all his previous films, is inspired by real life.

"We always draw from life while working on projects. A scene involving Revathi, in particular, is similar to something I have seen in many houses," added the David director.

Also Read | 'Edhiri' short film review: Vijay Sethupathi's 'Navarasa' segment hits the right notes

Edhiri, interestingly, is not the first short film of his career. The filmmaker began his career with the silent short film Reflections, which featured Malayalam star Mohanlal and Bollywood actor Prateik Babbar in the lead. He subsequently helmed feature films such as David and Shaitaan, carving a niche for himself in the industry.

He returned to the short format with the Malayalam-Tamil bilingual Solo, an anthology of four segments, which featured Mollywood heartthrob in the lead. It clicked with DQ fans but did not quite live up to expectations at the box office due to the mixed reviews. The biggie had an impressive supporting cast that included Neha Sharma, Dino Morea, Sai Dhansika, and Anupama Kumar.

The perception is that Edhiri has helped him get his career back on track.