While Prasanna wrote the huge applauding comment for the Virumandi review, I didn’t know he was as passionate as he is about movies. He had mentioned in a comment that he and friends had tried their hand on a short film and he would like to send a copy to me. So we fixed up and met at Prasanna’s place to watch his short film Ini Bhayam Illai.
Ini Bhayam Illai runs for just 16 minutes. It has a very simple theme. The short screenplay however has added a lot of value to this rather interesting piece of work. All the 15+ minutes I was glued to the screen to see what would happen next. IBI talks about the guilt of two people who are unconnected. One’s guilt was due to a simple act committed. And the other for a guilt uncomitted. So the shots move back and forth among these two people and finally gives an philosophical ending to the theme.The theme has been well thought about, very well re-created on screen.
Prasanna who has written, directed and starred the film has done a good job. He and Jithin are the protagonists and he has carried the role of a student who commits a simple act which leads to a guilt that is unsurmountable. The other suprise package comes from Rajesh, who has done a supporting role, amazingly well.
As Prasanna said that the whole movie was shot with a HandyCam in MinDV format, I was suprised for the quality of movie which was so good. With 10 hours of editing in a professional editing studio, this shortfilm really deserved one for the movie itself has more scene cuts than the number of actors in it. That clearly elevates the movie to higher standards. I have to appreciate prasanna for the ‘telling-without-telling’ idea in the screenplay.
With people taking such good shortfilms with just a handycam, films are no more the toys of a rich producer. And as more and more such shortfilms are being shot, more and more reality creeps in. What a welcoming move that is.
P.S: Prasanna would be happy to screen you the movie. you can reach him at his email, rsprasanna[at]hotmail[dot]com. He also acted in the play Death by Vaanam Vasappadum fame Karthikkumar’s Evam group. This play was a recent hit in chennai and it is inspired by Woody Allen’s movie by the same name(?). Here is the piece of introductory text by Prasanna about the shortfilm.
Two men. Each burdened by guilt.
One, for an act committed. The other for an act not committed.
The Beach. The sound of the waves. Only their fears holding them back
Will they confront their fears? Ini Bhayam Illai.
kirukkal.com 
17 responses to “Ini Bhayam Illai – A shortfilm review”
Just 15+ minutes? Can we see this movie as a streaming video?
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Anayway it can be downloaded/viewed over internet? or possible to be sent as a CD?
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sounds great!
it will be great if you could ftp it to some server and allow us to download it. 3 hour movies are being shared online, i’m sure a 16 min movie can also be shared!
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You have made all of us curious. Will be neat if it is put up somewhere on the NET. Will give the director more visibility even if it does not make him any money.
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Ashok,
Will talk with Prasanna for that.
Also I am sure you guys are aware of what to expect from a shortfilm. FYI. this is second short film of prasanna and given that fact this is a neat film.
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welcome effort geek. i hope you many more invitations to watch such movies so that you can host them here.
as you mentioned in comment can u host in on a server for easy viewing of others like us.
best wishes prasanna.
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hi there, i’m a friend of prasanna’s. I saw his Ini Bayam Illai and i think its very good. I guess the movie was some 16 minutes long, but I can really tell that it has delivered a strong message, that there are people still living in this world with a conscience. The concept was something very different and I felt that I had seen a good movie after a very long time. The acting and supporting cast was very realistic and hats off to Prasanna,Jithin and Praveen for their performance. What I liked most about the movie was that the lead characters were projected as people who did not want to escape reality and preferred to DEAL with it. Especially the scene where Jitin saya “Marakka Vendam, Marakka mudiyathu, Marakka Matten”. This is exactly what many people need to think about when they face a problem. Forgetting is the best means of escapism and the movie has described it exactly as what I think it is – Cowardice.Also the scene in which prasanna tells his mother that “accepting what he has done, is important” was good. It supports the fact that you can fake anything in this world except reality. I too am a college student and therefore I’ve had some personal experiences which i could identify with some shots in the movie, eg. I’ve been in Sandhya’s situation, and I have also seen friends with the same problem that Prasanna’s character faces in the movie. Such situations might be considered too trivial by some people, too trivial to put some thought into and arrive at a decision, but I think that it is situations like these that pave way for a person to realise what kind of a person he/she is.I’ve always felt that movies are supposed to be thought-provoking in someway. Well, here is one movie which does exactly that. Congrats to all who had contributed to the movie on and off-screen. Make sure u watch it.Bye,
Luv,
Madhu
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Hi. I am very happy to see so many people wanting to see our film Ini Bayam Illai – and thanks to Guru for that.
Seeing the comments mentioning words like “server” etc., I feel lost.
I have the movie in the original miniDV and also in VCD format.
I would love to have those of you who are interested coming home and watching the movie – feel free to bring your friends along.
As of now I have no idea how to “upload” the movie etc. – I only know that we have made a movie which we would love to proudly show to any discerning audience – because we have put in our best, and enjoyed every minute of the process – dreaming, falling, stumbling, rising…. but all the while, LEARNING.
We call ourselves the Eklavyas.
PS: I would really appreciate it if some of you could advice me about the “uploading” part. Thanks!
R S Prasanna
Ini Bayam Illai
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Hi Prasanna,
The easiest way as far as I know to do this is to check the VCD in a computer. There will be a foler in there called MPEGAV or something like that. In this folder there will be a file with .DAT extension. Find out the size of the same by righcliking on it and check the properties in the dropdown list.
That is the main file. Now you have to find a friend who has got broadband connection to the net. Maybe he can help you upload the file to some site like http://www.coolgoose.com and post a comment here later. Then we can go to that location and pick the file up.
Alternatively, you can post me a copy of the VCD, and I can pay you the postage charges and the VCD cost 🙂 Please do let me know that and I will email you my address.
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Hi,
Thanks Praveen. Your post was very useful. I’ll do what you suggested (uploading) as soon as I am free.
Thanks once again Praveen – for your advice; but more for your interest in the film !!
Prasanna
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hi!
If any guys who need help to make shortfilm do call me in my number. Hi I havn’t see the film Bayam illai, Where can I access the CD? pls do reply
My number 9841177712
seenu
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Hi prasanna
Cool man when r u goin’ to Premiere it for the alumni of C.V . u possibly have to show it to us . Understand
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Hi prasanna
Cool man !! when r u goin’ to Premiere it for the alumni of C.V . u possibly have to show it to us . Understand
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Hi Pres
I lost my mobile phone got all numbers vanished, pls send in ur phone number to my id. SO V fix a date and meet.
hey_seenu@yahoo.com
reply
seenu
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Prasanna’s “Ini Bhayam Illai” has been selected for the Pondicherry Film Festival on 4 and 5th of June. He’s gonna be there. Way to go Prasanna.
Cheers,
Praveen.
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