Tamil Film ‘Enna Vilai’ Wins Award At Atlanta Film Festival

ATLANTA, GA-Director Sajeev Pazhoor’s socio-political family thriller ‘Enna Vilai’, starring Nimisha Sajayan and Karunas in the lead roles, has won the Award for Best Cinematography at the Atlanta Indian Film Festival.

The award was accepted by producer Anugopal Venugopalan on behalf of the film’s cinematographer, Alby Antony, at the festival ceremony.

Reacting to the recognition, Antony said, “Receiving the Best Cinematography Award at the Atlanta Indian Film Festival is an incredibly humbling and proud moment for me. Enna Vilai is deeply rooted in its landscape and characters, and it was a privilege to translate that world into images. I share this honor with director Sajeev Pazhoor, producer Githesh Viswambharan and Anugopal Venugopalan and the entire team.”

Producers Githesh Viswambharan and Anugopal Venugopalan said the award was a moment of pride for the entire team.

“An international recognition for Alby Antony’s cinematography is a moment of great pride for the entire Enna Vilai team. This award is a wonderful acknowledgement of the film’s visual language and creative work,” they said.

Set in coastal Rameswaram, ‘Enna Vilai’ follows a fisherman whose livelihood depends on the coins devotees offer to the sea. His struggle for survival and dignity gradually develops into a larger legal battle, bringing questions of justice, resilience and human dignity into focus.

Sajayan’s performance in the film has also drawn attention, with the actress describing how she was initially unsure which role Pazhoor had in mind for her when he narrated the script.

“When Sajeev narrated the story to me, he didn’t tell me which character he had in mind for me. He simply said, ‘Okay, now, you pick.’ There were two beautifully written characters, and Rishi’s character was also brilliantly written. So, I was genuinely curious and a little sceptical about whether he was considering me for Vijayalakshmi’s character or the role of Kanchana. But honestly, I was happy either way. I was completely open to taking up Viji’s character as well because I really liked the space the character offered,” she said.

Sajayan said she already had a soft corner for Kanchana and was overwhelmed when Pazhoor finally told her that the role was intended for her. (IANS)