Team Navarasa releases an emotional video on the Netflix film benefitting 12,000 film workers

It was almost a couple of months ago that the Tamil anthology Navarasa, featuring nine stories by different actors and directors, premiered on Netflix. A few days after its release, the makers had released a BTS video, in which some of the actors and directors explained about the cause which made them come up with the unique project. 

They have now unveiled a five-minute video which has a few workers, belonging to different sectors, from the Tamil film industry briefing about the hardships they faced after their livelihoods were destroyed owing to the lockdown.

It begins with AK Venu, Jaya and Manigandan - a junior artist, a vessels cleaner and a light man respectively - narrating the poignant experiences they faced during the lockdown. Many of them opened up about the days where they couldn't afford a single meal. It was followed by RK Selvamani, president of FEFSI (Film Employees Federation of South India), saying the situation was such that many workers of the union would have died of starvation. Selva also added that he will be indebted forever to Mani Ratnam and Jayendra, the producers of Navarasa, for coming up with an initiative to help the film industry workers.

In the video, Mani is seen saying, "We wanted to do a project which would help huge number of workers in the industry. More over, we were keen on beginning the project as soon as possible." On his part, Jayendra said, "We had already figured out that raising around 15 crores would benefit 12,000 workers. Thanks to all directors, actors and other technicians who worked together without taking remuneration for the project. We were thrilled that we could help thousands of people." Suriya, too, expressed happiness over the fact that he could be part of a project which supported several families. 

The video also featured a few BTS moments from the anthology and the family members of the workers who posed happily for pictures. AR Rahman, Siddharth and Karthik Subbaraj, who were part of Navarasa, shared the video from their Twitter handles and expressed happiness for associating with the project.