'To Let' bags National Award for Best Tamil Film

The 65th National Awards were announced on Friday morning by acclaimed director Shekhar Kapur, who was the jury chairman of the affair. Tamil cinema had only a little to cheer up this time. To Let, directed by Chezhiyan, has been adjudged as the Best Tamil film, while Shashaa Tirupati bagged the award for Best Female Playback Singer for the song Vaan from Kaatru Veliyidai. The Mozart of Madras, AR Rahman, won awards for Best Music Direction (Kaattru Veliyidai) and Best Background Score (Mom). Actress Parvathy got a special Jury mention for her performance in Mollywood film Take Off and Fahadh Faazil won Best Supporting Actor award for Thondimuthalum Driksakhshiyum. Interestingly, Shekhar tried pronouncing the film’s name in nine different ways, though none of them was right. He went on to say that regional cinema has outclassed Bollywood and termed them as “world-beating”. While announcing the awards, he said, “The standard of performances in some of the regional movies is completely stunning. Hindi films cannot compete with them, not at the state they are.”‘I am glad and surprised that this jury has recognised an independent film like ours’Having written a series on world cinema in a Tamil magazine, I wanted to make a film in Tamil that should be showcased on the international arena. That is why I decided to send the film to various film festivals first. So far, we have been to 30-plus film festivals worldwide, and have received 17 awards altogether under various categories. Generally, we think that popular and big-budget films are what are recognised by the jury. And we don’t have that many independent films in Tamil cinema. So, I am glad and surprised that this jury has recognised an independent film like ours. I dedicate this award to my parents.— Chezhiyan, Director of To Let, Best Tamil Film‘The melody of Vaan... hit me so hard, I was hoping I wouldn’t cry while recording it’The song had so many versions. Anyone who has worked with Rahman sir will know that he improvises a tune till he’s satisfied. So, when I was singing it, I realised it was nothing like what we jammed to. He was tweaking it while we were actually recording. When I was standing behind the mic, there was a huge lump in my throat; I was worried I’d break down any minute. The tune and the melody hit me so hard. I don’t understand the lyrics much, and for me, it was all about the melody, and the instruments that were being used. I was just standing there, fervently hoping that I wouldn’t cry. It was pure magic, and it will be my most loved song of Rahman sir. In fact, in the future, when I adopt a girl, I will call her Vaan. — Shashaa Tirupati, Best Female Playback Singer for Vaan