Mysskin

Mysskin

In 2007
Born Shanmugha Raja
September 20, 1971 (1971-09-20) (age 40)
India
Occupation Film director
Years active 2006–present

Mysskin (Tamil: மிஷ்கின்; born Shanmugha Raja on 20 September 1971) is an Indian film director and screenwriter. He made his directorial debut in 2006 with Chithiram Pesuthadi. His other directorials Anjathe and Nandalala received high critical acclaim. He has also proved his acting skills by starring as a mentally challenged person in Nandalala.

Career

He chose Mysskin as his pen name inspired by Prince Myshkin, the protagonist in Dostoevsky's novel The Idiot. He was working at Landmark when Kathir sir first asked him to join him. He was with him for nearly 8 months but did not work on any movie. It was under Vincent Selva that he did his first movie, Youth. After that he did Jitthan again under Vincent Selva.[1] Mysskin made his directorial debut with the low budget film Chithiram Pesuthadi whi ch went to become one of the biggest hits of the year. A simple love story, it became a hit owing to the unique style the film was written in. Narain and Bhavana debuting as leads in the film became popular faces. He then moved on to Anjathe which became one of the biggest blockbusters in Tamil Cinema. The film received critical acclaim for all departments of filmmaking involved in the film. It starred Narain, Prasanna, Vijayalakshmi Ahathian and yesteryear actor Pandiarajan in a never before seen role. Interestingly both his films have item songs which have become big hits and has captured the hearts of the young and old alike.

Anjathe catapulted Mysskin into the big league. He is touted to be one of the best young directors in Tamil cinema. Two years after this, he came back with Nandalala a film completely different from first two ventures. A film on motherly love, the film dealt with a young boy and a mentally challenged person going in search of their respective mothers. He chose to play the mentally challenged character after the script was turned down by most stars in kollywood. The film went to become his most critically acclaimed film with some critics calling it one of the best Tamil films ever made while others gave it a thumbs down because of its similarity to Takeshi Kitano's Kikujiro. Nandalala won the people's choice award at the Norway Film Festival. His latest film, Yuddham Sei, a dark thriller was a huge hit at the box office as well. His visual style and directing prowess was appreciated and talked about by everybody. He has now started pre-production works on his magnum opus - Mugamoodi to be produced by UTV Motion Pictures. The film will star Jeeva as a superhero.

Filmography

Year Film Language Notes
2006 Chithiram Pesuthadi Tamil Accidental inspiration of Beauty and the Beast (1991 film)
2008 Anjathe Tamil Nominated, Filmfare Award for Best Director – Tamil
Nominated, Vijay Award for Best Director
2010 Nandalala[2] Tamil Also actor
Nominated, Vijay Award for Best Debut Actor
Inspired from Kikujiro
2011 Yuddham Sei Tamil
2012 Mugamoodi Tamil Pre-production

References

1.New giant on the rise, Indiaglitz interview
2.NDTV Hindu Interview "Mysterious Mysskin"
3.Mugamoodi from November
4.Narain unveils his ‘mugamoodi’ TOI
5.Jeeva - Mysskin's Mugamoodi will have sequel
6.Jeeva’s Mugamoodi Story Based On Superhero Flick
7.Jiiva - Mysskin plan 'Mugamoodi-2
8.Mugamoodi from November 7th - sify
9.Latest on Mugamoodi, Mysskin & Jiiva work it out
10.Nandhala wins Norway critics award. Retrieved Feb 13, 2010
11.Kollywoodtoday article, Krosowa of kollywood. Retrieved March 16, 2011.
12.Priyadarshan wants to remake anjathey
13.Mysskin’s mystique charms all. Times of India
14.Mysskin is kollywood samurai. Times of India Retrieved August 2, 2011.
15. Mysskin takes up super hero film oneindia.in
16.http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/tamil/article/69134.html
17.http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/tamil/article/68310.html
18.http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/tamil/article/68341.html
19.Mysskin with Kamalhassan. http://www.sify.com/movies/mysskin-meets-kamal-hassan-news-tamil-kkfrFSgajae.html
20.http://www.behindwoods.com/features/Interviews/interview-5/director/mysskin-01.html
21.'I wrote the script of Anjathe out of anger' Rediff Movies
22.Split Psyches, Severed Bodies