Tamil film short-listed for international award

Portrays the life of a Coimbatore man reduced to a second class citizen

A Tamil film by Arun Karthick titled “Nazir”, which revolves around the life of a salesman in a textile shop and the uncertainties that he faces, is among the ten films short-listed for the Tiger/Special Jury awards at the International Film Festival Rotterdam. A release says the film is a candid portrayal of a man reduced to second class citizen as a Muslim in a country characterised by rising Hindu nationalism.

The film, which revolves around the man’s life with his mother and wife and his work on the busy Oppanakkara Street in Coimbatore city, is an Indo-Dutch co-production. The film is an adaptation of a short story by Dillipkumar. It initially won the grant from Netherlands Film Fund and Hubert Bals Fund.

Arun Karthick told

The Hindu that his first movie “Sivapuranam - A strange case of Shiva” was an entry in the previous IFFR under the Bright Future category. A French company has come forward for the distribution of the movie, to have it screened in more cities and film festivals after the premier at the IFFR festival. Mr. Karthick also plans to have the movie released in many Indian cities too.

In fact, Arun Karthick has plans for his next movie with the Dutch partner Rinkel Film and Mathivanan Rajendran of Stray factory of Chennai who was ready to support Arun after his first movie.