Devayani interview: On directing short film, ‘Kaikuttai Rani’, and how ‘Kolangal’ changed her life

Actress Devayani has turned director and has helmed short film, ‘Kaikuttai Rani’.

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.”