Watch: Devayani on directing the short film, ‘Kaikuttai Rani’
Tamil actress Devayani
| Photo Credit:
Shiva Raj S
Devayani went to get her daughter admitted in college. She ended up enrolling there instead.
“Yes, that’s exactly how it happened,” laughs Devayani, a well-known face for fans of Tamil cinema and TV serials after more than three decades in the industry. “My daughter wanted to join the LV Prasad Academy for a short-term 15-week editing course on the weekends. I had accompanied her to enquire about course details and class structure. However, she could not pursue it — as college worked some of those Saturdays and she had other extra-curricular activities too.”
But Devayani was interested. It was at that time that she had written a script and was looking to direct it herself. “I figured a course would help. I do have a lot of experience in front of the camera, but direction is a different ball game.”
So, Devayani — wife of popular director Rajakumaran and mother to two daughters — would trudge along every day to class to learn the nuances of direction and world cinema. She was the only woman in a class of eight, some of them students and all from varied backgrounds. “The process of learning was beautiful. I would spend my weekends there, learning a lot about direction and cinema. I would even pack lunch and go,” she giggles, almost like she was recalling a memorable school picnic.
The little joys
The lessons learnt during that 15-week course and her desire to see her story seen widely led to Kaikuttai Rani, which marks her directorial debut. With a runtime of 20 minutes, Kaikuttai Rani explores the emotional journey of a six-year-old girl who faces various challenges because her father works in a distant city.
So, what sowed the seeds of the film in her? “It’s from my life experience. My father had gone away to Saudi for a long time. Though my mother was around, I used to miss him a lot and would long to see him.” She believes that it will be relatable to audiences. “In most household these days, children miss quality time with their parents. It’s a cute, feel-good story.”
Despite being armed with a script and prepared for the sequences, the actress-director was still anxious during shoot days. “My husband (director Rajkumaran) was also out of town during those days. So, I had a lot of self-doubt on whether I would be able to pull this off. I checked my bag multiple times to ensure the script papers were ready. Even when the words ‘action’ came out of my mouth, I didn’t say it too loudly. I think only the cameraman heard it! But slowly, after sensing everyone’s encouragement, I gained confidence,” she recalls.
The presence of illustrious names like music composer Ilaiyaraaja and editor Lenin gives an extra boost to Kaikuttai Rani. “That was a huge blessing. Ten minutes after Ilaiyaraaja sir watched the footage, he started scoring music for it. Just sitting next to him and watching him compose was very special.”
Kaikuttai Rani, featuring Niharika VK and Naveen N, bagged top accolades at the recent 17th Jaipur International Film Festival, where it won Best Short Film for Children. A beaming Devayani says, “I have been in the film industry for 30 years and done almost 100 films, but none of my films has ever gone to a film festival. That my debut directorial was winning an award at a festival gave me great joy. I would love to do more films for children, because other genres like romance and action are already covered extensively,” says Devayani, who adds that the short film is currently doing the rounds on the festival circuit and will be out for public viewing soon.
A still from ‘Kaikuttai Rani’
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
The TV serial craze
Devayani has starred in several superhit Tamil films like Surya Vamsam, Kadhal Kottai, Ninaithen Vandhai, Tenali and Panchathanthiram, to name a few. Some of these movies still play regularly on Tamil TV channels and have an active audience base, despite the influx of multiple OTT players in recent times.
Does she like tuning in to her old superhits? “Oh yes. I never feel, ‘Aiyo, why did I do this?’ Whenever I see my earlier work, I’m take pride,” says Devayani, who is still actively taking on roles in Tamil cinema.
Despite her filmstar status, what made Devayani a household name was when she played Abi in her 2003 debut Tamil TV serial Kolangal. Airing on Sun TV, Kolangal helped her reach a wider set of audiences. “Everyone loved Abi. Kolangal did more for me than cinema. The love that people showered on that serial was unprecedented.”
Some of her lines in that serial, including the popular ‘I won brother, I won’, are in circulation in social media even today. “I’m lucky that I worked in the golden era of television. In those days, people had to assemble in front of the TV set at a particular time to watch a serial they liked, unlike today, where you can watch it anytime.”
Published – February 03, 2025 08:41 pm IST
