A promotional still for `Mozhi'

CHENNAI: The box office success of three recent Tamil films with off-beat themes points to a new trend, say industry watchers: the line between commercial and parallel cinema is blurring.

If the audience response to `Mozhi', `Paruthiveeran' and `Lee' is any indicator, Tamil filmgoers are prepared to lap up some bold experiments by young directors.

`Mozhi,' produced by actor Prakash Raj and directed by Radha Mohan, has a story woven around the life of a young beautiful woman with speech and hearing impairment.

The director says the movie was based on the life of a girl he knew. "I had seen such a girl and when I wanted to do the film I made it a lead character... When I narrated the story and the character, actor Jyotika could not turn it down, though she was not much interested in doing movies after her marriage. The people have also accepted it and I am happy about it".

The `real life' touch is also seen in `Paruthiveeran,' directed by Ameer (of `Ram' fame).

An emotionally surcharged rural drama unfolds where envy and possessiveness end in a cycle of vengeful violence. Actor Priyamani, the lead lady, and the director argue that the violence and gore were unavoidable in the story.

But that has not stopped loads of audience from watching the movie.

Hero Karthi's debut in the rather heavy subject has also come in for appreciation.

Director Prabhu Solomon has also touched a different subject: Lee is about the passionate love of a young football player for the sport. "If the script is good, the film will be interesting — a fact that I learnt in `Kokki,' which too succeeded."

Incidentally, actor Sathyaraj turned producer in `Lee,' which features his son, Sibiraj, in the lead.

Will these bold experiments, which long time film-lovers say started with doyens such as K. Balachander, Sridhar, Mahendran and Balu Mahendra, continue?

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