Award-winning independent film Sennai now streaming on Zee5

Independent filmmaker Jaikumar Sedhuraman’s critically-acclaimed film Sennai is now streaming on Zee5. The director took to his social media handle to announce the news and wrote, “ Dedicated to My dear #RajaKannu Another Milestone for #Sennai Now streaming on Zee5 Global worldwide in 190+ countries ! https://zee5.com/global/movies/details/sennai/0-0-1z5137657Congratulations to the Entire team of #sennai.Thank you @ZEE5Global for giving a platform for Independent filmmakers (sic).”

Speaking to OTTPlay, Jaikumar said “Sennai was one of the films nominated for the Zee5 Global Content Festival 2022 and since then, it has been streaming on the platform since April 26.” The director added that without the support of the audiences the team wouldn’t have come this far.

Sennai is a hard-hitting drama on caste oppression and gender bias. Semmalar Annam plays the lead character in the film, who works as an undertaker in a crematorium. Writer and activist Bava Chelladurai plays her husband. The plot delves into the issues marginalized communities in the country face on a daily basis, until their deathbed. The film had won the Best International Special Mention Film Award at the Nepal Cultural International Film Festival, 2021 and the Best Debut Feature Film at the Port Blair International Film Festival 2021. Semmalar, too, had bagged the Best Actress Award for her role in the Tagore International Film Festival 2021 and the Port Blair International Film Festival 2021. Interestingly, this is Jaikumar’s debut directorial.

In the meantime, the award-winning director is in Zambia gearing up for his next project. “We have many preconceived notions and stereotypes about the African continent. I want to break that through this film. I have arrived with a small team to begin the groundwork and I guess I will be here for a while,” says an excited Jaikumar. The director tells us that he has approached some popular names in the industry to play the lead characters in the film.