A still from the movie ‘Aatman’ | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Hariharan Raju introduced himself as the author of ” GargiIn business meetings these days.
People warm to him immediately and notice, because tamil movie GargiDirected by Gautham Ramachandran and starring Sai Pallavi, was one of the most critically acclaimed films of last year. “It was a writers’ film and it keeps getting appreciated,” Hariharan says with a smile.
The beginning of the year 2023 has been positive for him; his short film, AtmanIt is expected to drop on January 23 as an NFT and later on the OTT platform. AtmanThe 19-minute short film without any dialogue depicts a man experiencing nine different emotions. With music by Ilaiyaraaja, the film is yet to be publicly released, but is already garnering awards at several festivals, including the International Motion Pictures Canada and the Tokyo International Film Festival.
for Hariharan Atman It was a journey that gave him a lot of challenges. “I wanted to pack in as many complications as possible. When I directed, I didn’t want to make it easy on myself,” he explained, pointing to three aspects in particular: There is no dialogue in the film. It is based on the nine senses, And It is located in the Thar Desert of Rajasthan. “everything about Atman It was challenging, but we really wanted to do it. We hoped that the desolate terrain of the desert would inspire viewers to experience the sometimes grueling journey of transcendence through each emotion.
Hariharan Raju | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Once he was satisfied with the visuals, Hariharan wanted someone to enhance the film musically. chance encounter with Music composer Ilaiyaraaja elevated the film, he recalls. “I didn’t even tell the story. All he said was, ‘Play the movie.’ I doubted whether he would do it because it was a short film, not a feature. But as he clocked in for 18 minutes, I could see his fingers snapping. He understood the sentiments we were trying to convey and within minutes he joined in as a musician.
Ilaiyaraaja spent three days working Atmans score, which has not only enhanced its content but also increased visibility in film festival circles.
Hariharan, now 36, was a full-time employee with a major carmaker for several years until the creative bug bit him. In 2017, he wrote an English novel titled barbaricthat fuses elements Mahabharata and Modern Genetics, before writing his first Tamil feature, Gargi, After this, he has three scripts – a non-mainstream film, a script that revolves around a 50-year-old hero and other commercial themes. So, what does he like to watch? “I love world building movies like incarnationand love entertainment love todayBut what I love most are the movies that connect with you and offer you some takeaway.
For details visit atmancnft.com