Easy access to the online world and coupled with the anonymity it offers has rendered most of us insensitive.
Pointing fingers at us is Jayaprakash Radhakrishnan’s debut film, Lens. This story is a reflection of today’s society thriving well under the cloak of digital invisibility; a world where pseudonyms rule and masks conceal people’s real faces.
Lens is centred largely around two individuals, Yohan and Arvind, who meet through Skype. When Yohan asks Arvind to be a witness to his suicide, it takes voyeurism to another level.
Besides writing and directing this multi-lingual film (that has dialogues in Tamil, English and Malayalam) Radhakrishnan plays the role of Arvind, a software professional who is caught in an act that leaves him ashamed. Tamil theatre actor Anand Samy plays Yohan, whose family is tragically affected by Arvind’s actions. The supporting cast includes Ashwathy Lal, Misha Ghoshal, Udhayakumar and Parameshwaran.
Radhakrishnan bid goodbye to his software career in the USA to pursue his passion for films. An aspiring actor, he initially worked on a couple of films before embarking on Lens as a director.
From the beginning, the journey was marred with hurdles. Who would want to make a film that does not have the conventional action, romance and songs so intrinsic to Indian cinema?
Producers were hard to find. Not one to give up and believing in his content, Radhakrishnan produced it himself with the support of his wife, Sindhu Jayaprakash.
Lens is a film rooted in reality. Consequently, there were few takers when Radhakrishnan was ready with his film. Despite winning the prestigious Gollapudi award last year, Lens could not find itself a place in theatres.
Coming to the rescue is Tamil director Vettrimaran, a director of repute and a producer known for supporting good cinema. Vettrimaran’s Grass Root Films is distributing Lens, which is hitting screens in India on May 12.
Lens is a story that needs to be told and Radhakrishnan deserves applause for his bold story that lays bare the hypocrisy behind our masks in the digital society.
