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An impactful debut for Jagadeesan Subu with ‘Sigai’

Express News Service

Sigai, the first ever Tamil film to be released on the streaming platform, Zee 5, has also been screened at international film festivals. Appreciation is pouring in for first-time director Jagadeesan Subu, an associate of Kaakka Muttaifame Manikandan. Making his debut with a movie on the plight of sex workers was not a strategic decision for the filmmaker who previously assisted cinematographer, Vijay Milton.

Subu actually had an action thriller ready to take off when a casual chat with actor Kathir made him change course. “I told him that I had this other script with me about sex workers and how there is no safety or security for them, and he agreed to play the trans woman character in it,” says the director, adding that this was before Pariyerum Perumal had brought the actor acclaim.

Once Kathir was on board, Subu wanted to make sure he found the right girl to play the all-important Nimmi character. After much scouting, he settled on Meera Nair, who started out as a child artiste and graduated to Malayalam serials. “Meera’s eyes were the clinching factor for me. She was all grace while essaying the character, which went well with the understanding portrayal of Raj Bharath (who plays the protagonist).

Every job has a commitment which is what I tried to bring in the character of Raj. He is a pimp, but the onus is on him to ensure that the girl is safely escorted back.” The message Subu delivers at the end of the film is that transgender people are human too, who deserve their rightful place in the society. “That is the bottomline of Sigai. I’m glad the film is being received well and the message is getting across.”

Source: The New Indian Express