Vishal Venkat, a newcomer director, has gained attention with his movie Sila Nerangalil Sila Manidhargal. In an interview, he shares about his personal journey as a filmmaker, the making of 1the film, and his aspirations for the future.
Do you remember Ajith’s movie Mugavari from 2000? It tells the story of Sridhar, an aspiring music director whose middle-class family supports his dreams. While for some aspiring filmmakers, families like Sridhar’s are a dream come true, for Vishal Venkat, the director of Sila Nerangalil Sila Manidhargal, it is a reality. He acknowledges that his family and friends supported him throughout his struggles in the film industry, and without them, he may not have made it this far. Venkat’s debut film has been well-received by audiences.
Vishal Venkat, the director of Sila Nerangalil Sila Manidhargal, recently shared about his journey as a filmmaker and his debut film. Unlike the family in the 2000 movie Mugavari, who throw their support behind their son’s dreams, Venkat acknowledges that his own parents and friends had their own struggles but still supported him in the film industry. Venkat initially pursued a cricket career but realized he did not have the extraordinary talent to make it. He admits that dialogue-writing is not his forte and had his friend and college senior Manikandan write the dialogues for his debut film. Venkat believes in knowing his strengths and weaknesses and asking for help when needed.
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According to Vishal Venkat, the director of Sila Nerangalil Sila Manidhargal, it is essential to know one’s strengths and weaknesses, and it’s okay to ask for help. In the case of his debut film, he had his friend Manikandan write the dialogues, and their excitement for the project was mutual. Venkat believes that finding a middle ground between the writer and dialogue writer is crucial, and there should be a lot of give and take between them. He trusted Manikandan’s skills and gave him the liberty to work on the script, resulting in a sense of mutual trust between them.
Vishal Venkat, the writer and director of Sila Nerangalil Sila Manidhargal, fondly remembers his college days, where he began writing and directing street plays with a group of friends. He had a desire to make a film featuring these friends, including Mirchi Vijay, Manikandan, Praveen, and Rakendu Mouli, which eventually led to the creation of his debut film.
Vishal’s experience working with directors Madhumitha and K Chandru provided him with the opportunity to explore various aspects of filmmaking, including TV promos. Additionally, he worked alongside Kamal Haasan while assisting Madhumitha during her time directing the weekend episodes of Bigg Boss Tamil. This experience was surreal for Vishal because Kamal Haasan’s film Anbe Sivam had inspired him to begin his journey in street plays, eventually leading him to become a filmmaker.
According to Vishal, his various experiences in different fields helped him understand his strengths and weaknesses, and he calls them life-changing experiences. He explored non-fiction television programs, reality shows, and advertisements before returning to the film industry. During the lockdown, his parents wanted him to get married, but he wanted to have a film on the floors before doing so. Before writing Sila Nerangalil Sila Manidhargal, he faced a few heartbreaks and had plans for a film with Ashok Selvan and a socio-political satire with Yogi Babu, but they didn’t materialize. Eventually, things fell into place, and he could make his debut with Sila Nerangalil Sila Manidhargal.
Despite featuring talented actors like Nasser, Bhanupriya, and Ilavarasu, the casting choices for Sila Nerangalil Sila Manidhargal were not originally made by Vishal. However, he was encouraged by the confidence and support provided by the production house to approach these actors. Even the lead actor, Ashok, found his way into the film in a similar manner. Although the film explores heavy themes such as grief, death, rage, and atonement, Vishal emphasizes that it ultimately conveys a message of hope and purpose in life. He admits to being drawn to dark themes but considers this debut film a philosophical exploration of life’s meaning, featuring flawed characters that embody his own personal struggles.
Vishal expresses his desire to continue exploring the theme of hope and the human psyche in his future projects, even if they belong to different genres. He is still contemplating whether to cater to the audience’s expectations or take a different route. Nevertheless, he already has an idea for an action-oriented film that would incorporate philosophical elements. The filmmaker believes that hope is a crucial emotion that reminds us of our inherent goodness. He concludes by saying that exploring the human psyche and hope will always be an integral part of his work.
Vishal Venkat Social Media
Vishal Venkat maintains an active presence on social media, specifically on Twitter,Instagram,Linkedin and Facebook. He has a verified Instagram account with the handle @vishalvenkat1891 and had accumulated over 5,073 followers. On this platform,Vishal shares updates about her personal life and work, as well as he views on social issues and support for various causes. He also has a verified Facebook page with over 7k followers, although it seems He is not as active on this platform compared to Instagram.
Upcoming Vishal Venkat
Vyom, a teenage boy who is passionate about academics and lacks social skills, harbors romantic feelings for his senior and quiz teammate named Tara. However, when Tara suddenly disappears and is later discovered dead, Vyom and his friends take it upon themselves to delve into the case and uncover the truth about her demise. What revelations will their investigation bring to light? it is web series called Oru Kodai Murder Myster streaming on ZEE5
Vishal Venkat Movie List
| Movie Title | Sila Nerangalil Sila Manidhargal |
| Language | Tamil |
| Release Year | 2022 |
| Director | Vishal Venkat |
| Lead Actors | Ashok Selvan, Nasser, Bhanupriya, Ilavarasu, Vishal Venkat |
| Genre | Drama |
| Social Media Presence | Instagram: @vishalvenkat1891, 5,073 followers |
| Theme | Grief, death, rage, atonement, and hope |
| Reception | Critical acclaim |
