No Filter: Chennai’s very own model-turned-Insta motivation guru

It’s not very often you talk to someone for the first time and feel like you are going to be good friends. For quite a while, with the success of Kallachiripu, the city has been talking about Roju, an exciting new talent in writing and direction. My friends from the industry told me that Rohit, who is also an actor himself, directed the film. This piqued my curiosity so I asked him about his dual sides. “I’m Rohit when I act and Roju when I write and direct! It is easier for me to write under a moniker without any biases as an actor,” he says. This has led to several interesting experiences with audiences giving him feedback about his acting and then enquiring about the director.

I think it’s a brilliant idea that helps him switch roles effortlessly and for the audience to enjoy a film or show without any preconceived notions. Also, the anonymity his pseudonym provides, lends him great freedom that is reflected in what is being lauded as a ‘fresh perspective and a new approach’ in the industry.

So far, it has all been roses in terms of audience reception and critic reviews but he has his feet firmly planted on the ground. “I have always wanted to be a part of cinema in some way. I come from a family that has been on the periphery of the cine world and they passed on their knowledge to me. As a family, we enjoy watching films together and my earliest memory of movies is discussing screenplay with my father at the age of seven — I was hooked ever since,” he smiles. He feels his father appealed to his curious nature and with time, he realised that his shifting interests would be best channelled into cinema, where it’s a different script every year and a different persona with each character.

A script of Roju’s was made a short film that formed part of Avyial, along with four other shorts, and received favourable reviews. Karthik Subbaraj’s Stone Bench Creations took a chance on this aspiring filmmaker in whom they saw great potential. Where Roju differs from the pack is that he doesn’t slot his work into any genre; he writes what comes to him and lets his first audience — which could be his fourteen-year-old sister or Kaarthekeyan Santhanam and Kalyan Shankar, both with Stone Bench Creations — who, upon hearing it, give him their feedback, which he values greatly. His ability to take feedback and gauge audience’s reaction has helped him push his own imagination and go far out of his comfort zone while writing.

Roju has another web series in the works and Rohit has acted in Pettai, the to-be released Rajinikanth movie.