Vetrimaaran’s Visaranai joins race for Oscar

The movie, which won three honours at this year’s National Film Awards, has been produced by actor Dhanush. “We selected ‘Visaranai’ on the basis of concept, treatment and technique. There were other good films like Sairat, Bajirao Mastani , Sultan , Fan , Airlift and Udta Punjab. There was a Bengali film also in the race. The decision was unanimous,” filmmaker Ketan Mehta, chairman of the selection committee of Film Federation of India. 

There were total 29 films in the competition, FFI secretary general Supran Sen said. Visaranai is based on the novel Lock Up by M Chandrakumar. Featuring Dinesh Ravi, Anandhi and Aadukalam Murugadoss in the lead roles, the film deals with police brutality, corruption, and loss of innocence in the face of injustice.

Their life takes a turn for worse when they are caught,beaten and tortured brutally in police lock-up for a theft they did not commit, due to police’s need to close a robbery case they are dealing with.

The film was adjudged best Tamil film, actor-director Samuthirakani — who made the super hit Nadodigal — bagged the best supporting actor award for his role in Visaranai, while the thriller also won the best editing award for late TE Kishore. In 2016, India had sent Marathi film Court as the official entry for Oscars. The 89th Academy Awards is scheduled to take place in February 2017 in Los Angeles. 

Earlier, Tamil films such as Jeans, Indian, Kurithipunal, Devar Magan, Anjali, Nayagan and Deiva Magan were chosen as India’s official entries for Oscar awards.

Deiva Magan starring Sivaji Ganesan and Jayalalithaa was directed by AC Thirulokchandar in 1969. It was the first Tamil film nominated for the Academy Awards.