Navarasa (film)
Encyclopedia
Navarasa (2005) is a film
directed by Santosh Sivan
. The film is in Tamil
, with English
subtitles. It has met with a strong reception since its release, and has been shown at many film festivals across the world including the Singapore International Film Festival
, the Pusan International Film Festival
, Korea
, the Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival, Taiwan
, the São Paulo International Film Festival
, Brazil
and the Lyon Asian Film Festival, France
among others. In January, 2006 it was selected as an official entry to the International Film Festival Rotterdam
.
) taking her first steps towards adulthood. Ready for the adventure, the thirteen year old is upbeat, however soon discovers that every night, her uncle Gautam (Kushboo) transforms himself into a woman to lead a completely different life. When Shweta confronts Gautam on the matter, Gautam tells her he wishes to run away and marry Aravan at a local festival, the Koovagam Festival. The festival is held annually where people of the third gender regularly meet to re-enact the story of Aravan, a character from the epic Mahabharata
. Shweta decides to find her uncle and bring him back home, and along the way, she makes new friends of the third gender, and discovers a whole new culture.
2005 Monaco International Film Festival
(Monaco
)
2005 National Film Awards
(India
)
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
directed by Santosh Sivan
Santosh Sivan
Santosh Sivan is an Indian cinematographer, film director, and producer who has worked in Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil, and Hindi cinema....
. The film is in Tamil
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
, with English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
subtitles. It has met with a strong reception since its release, and has been shown at many film festivals across the world including the Singapore International Film Festival
Singapore International Film Festival
The Singapore International Film Festival was launched in 1987. The festival is an annual film event, held around April/May each year, and screens about 300 films from over 45 countries...
, the Pusan International Film Festival
Pusan International Film Festival
Busan International Film Festival , held annually in Haeundae-gu, Busan , South Korea, is one of the most significant film festivals in Asia...
, Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
, the Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival, Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
, the São Paulo International Film Festival
São Paulo International Film Festival
The São Paulo International Film Festival is a film festival held annually in São Paulo, Brazil since 1976. In 2004 Iranian director Abbas Kiarostami was a member of the jury.-International Jury Award:*2001: The New Country ...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
and the Lyon Asian Film Festival, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
among others. In January, 2006 it was selected as an official entry to the International Film Festival Rotterdam
International Film Festival Rotterdam
The International Film Festival Rotterdam is an annual film festival held in various cinemas in Rotterdam, Netherlands held at the end of January. It is approximately comparable in size to other major European festivals such as Cannes, Venice, Berlin, and Locarno...
.
Plot
The film revolves around the story of a young girl Shweta (P. ShwethaP. Shwetha
P. Shwetha is an actress. She debuted in the critically acclaimed film Malli , directed by Santosh Sivan, playing the young girl Malli, on an adventure to find a blue wishing stone to help cure her best friend's ailments. She won the National Film Award for Best Child Artist in 1999 for her...
) taking her first steps towards adulthood. Ready for the adventure, the thirteen year old is upbeat, however soon discovers that every night, her uncle Gautam (Kushboo) transforms himself into a woman to lead a completely different life. When Shweta confronts Gautam on the matter, Gautam tells her he wishes to run away and marry Aravan at a local festival, the Koovagam Festival. The festival is held annually where people of the third gender regularly meet to re-enact the story of Aravan, a character from the epic Mahabharata
Mahabharata
The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India and Nepal, the other being the Ramayana. The epic is part of itihasa....
. Shweta decides to find her uncle and bring him back home, and along the way, she makes new friends of the third gender, and discovers a whole new culture.
Awards
The film has won the following awards since its release:2005 Monaco International Film Festival
Monaco International Film Festival
The Monaco International Film Festival, one of the premiere European film festivals, is an annual international special interest film festival held in Monaco. It is a non-profit organization, formed in December 2003. The festival focuses on Non-Violent films, screening productions from around the...
(Monaco
Monaco
Monaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the...
)
- Won - Best Supporting Actor - Bobby DarlingBobby DarlingBobby Darling, born ', is an Indian actor who has acted in various Bollywood and regional Indian films.Darling, who was born biologically male, identifies with being a woman, insists that interviewers address her as such, and has had cosmetic surgery towards that end.She has been romantically...
- Won - Angel Independent Spirit Award - Navarasa - Santosh SivanSantosh SivanSantosh Sivan is an Indian cinematographer, film director, and producer who has worked in Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil, and Hindi cinema....
2005 National Film Awards
National Film Awards
The National Film Awards is the most prominent film award ceremony in India. Established in 1954, it is administered, along with the International Film Festival of India and the Indian Panorama, by the Indian government's Directorate of Film Festivals since 1973.Every year, a national panel...
(India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
)
- Won - Silver Lotus Award - Best Regional Film (Tamil) - Navarasa - Santosh SivanSantosh SivanSantosh Sivan is an Indian cinematographer, film director, and producer who has worked in Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil, and Hindi cinema....