Neer Mel Neruppu, also known as Fire on Water, is a 2024 Malaysian Tamil-language romantic drama directed by Sun-J Perumal and written by Sivanantham Perianan. The film stars Karnan Kanapathy as Karthi and Rubini Sambanthan in the pivotal roles.[1] In January 2024, the film had its world premiere in the Harbour section of the International Film Festival Rotterdam.[2] The film was also premiered at Osaka Asian Film Festival in March 2024.[3] The film opened to positive reviews from critics, especially praising the screenplay, direction of the film, cinematography and the performance of the protagonist.[4]
| Neer Mel Neruppu | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Sun-J Perumal |
| Written by | Sun-J Perumal Sivanantham Perianan |
| Starring |
|
| Cinematography | Gwai Lou |
Production companies | Skyzen Studios Astro Shaw |
Release date |
|
Running time | 120 minutes |
| Country | Malaysia |
| Language | Tamil |
Synopsis
editKarthi, an assistant director who is predominantly working on commercial productions, is aspired to build up a personal film script, elevating the script with an array of emotions going through his mind as it could culminate in a life changing moment for him.[5] He has worked as an assistant director, editor and as a sound recordist, but he pinned hopes on becoming an independent filmmaker. However, he faces stumbling blocks in fulfilling his filmmaking ambitions, due to failing to get the support of industry backers. In a turn of events, he becomes pessimistic and loses his focus and determination by being addicted to alcoholic consumption.[6][7]
Cast
edit- Karnan Kanapathy as Karthi
- Rubini Sambanthan as Peggy
- Rupini Krishnan as Shoba
- Tinesh Sarathi Krishnan as Mazhaikannan
Theme
editThe film sheds light on the plight of the independent Tamil filmmakers in Malaysia whose novel ideas are being rejected and their suggestions are not taken into consideration due to the biases that mainstream Malaysian culture holds towards the artists hailing from minor ethnic backgrounds.[2] The film also depicts the constructive criticism on the Malaysian film industry as a whole, while the film's theme also portrays the grievances that the Malaysian Tamil film industry faces due to the undue pressure exerted by the influence of the South Indian Tamil film industry.[4] The film downplays the narratives of Kollywood which has normalised attributes including glamour appeal, commercial masala elements, action-packed sequences, songs and dance choreography to be mandatorily included in Tamil films.[4] The film portrays such narratives of the Indian Tamil film industry, which has culturally evolved into a situation where even the Malaysian Tamil filmmakers are also expected to deliver the same aspects in their filmmaking for the output of a typical Tamil cinema without deviating from the checklist.[4][8]
References
edit- ^ "Neer mel neruppu (Fire on Water)". Labocine. Retrieved 2024-11-29.
- ^ a b Ramachandran, Naman (2024-01-04). "Rotterdam Selection 'Fire on Water' Examines Malaysian Tamil Cinema, Trailer Unveiled (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 2024-11-29.
- ^ Festival, Osaka Asian Film (2024-02-04). "Fire on Water | 大阪アジアン映画祭 Osaka Asian Film Festival". Retrieved 2024-11-29.
- ^ a b c d Kotzathanasis, Panos (2024-01-27). "Film Review: Fire on Water (2024) by Sun-J Perumal". Asian Movie Pulse. Retrieved 2024-11-29.
- ^ TRAILER - Fire on Water (2024). Retrieved 2024-11-29 – via mubi.com.
- ^ "Fire on Water". IFFR EN. Retrieved 2024-11-29.
- ^ Akhiil, Niikhiil (2024-02-15). "Fire on Water (2024) "IFFR" Movie Review: An Inspiring Journey Towards Honest Filmmaking". High On Films. Retrieved 2024-11-29.
- ^ "Program | 大阪アジアン映画祭 Osaka Asian Film Festival". 2024-02-02. Retrieved 2024-11-29.