Director Seenu Ramasamy’s Appeal to Chief Minister Vijay!
Seenu Ramasamy is a multifaceted personality who works across various domains as both a writer and a director. Recently, he released a video addressing Chief Minister Vijay, making an appeal regarding his recently authored book, The Soul of Cinema (Cinemavin Aanma). In it, he states: “The book I have written—published by Sandhya Publications—is titled The Soul of Cinema (Cinema Appreciation Education and Other Essays). You might ask, ‘What exactly is Cinema Appreciation Education?’ Well, schools teach a variety of subjects, ranging from sports to painting. However, not everyone goes on to shine as an athlete or an artist. We have established classes for such fine arts; yet, there are no classes here designed to foster a proper understanding of cinema—a medium that runs deep in the very veins of our people.
In particular, children of the current generation spend most of their time glued to their mobile phones. It is our duty to help them identify what constitutes authentic, quality cinema. It is my firm conviction that this ‘Cinema Appreciation Education’ is even more vital for children than nutritional food. Parents, teachers, and indeed all of us share the duty and responsibility to expose children to excellent films at a young age, thereby cultivating their appreciation and understanding of the medium.
I wrote this book after having screened films for and engaged with children from diverse backgrounds. If you ask whether this is a book for children to read, the answer is no! Rather, it is a guide on how to impart cinema appreciation education to students ranging from the first grade through the fifth grade.
This is a book for primary school teachers. It is a book for students of cinema. It is a book for young people who love cinema. It is a book that belongs in every household. I do not say this merely because I am the one who wrote it; I say it because I have been actively engaged in this work for nearly fifteen years.
We teach children everything—how to read, write, paint, and play sports—yet we fail to teach them what films are truly worth watching. In that spirit, I hope this book reaches everyone. I also wish to make a specific request to the newly formed government led by Joseph Vijay: that this ‘Cinema Appreciation Education’ be introduced and implemented in all schools. Just as schools across Tamil Nadu—from the primary level up to the 12th grade—maintain dedicated laboratories for various subjects, I propose that every school establish a ‘Home Theater’ facility to screen films that serve to enhance the students’ aesthetic appreciation and understanding.” “I urge you to elevate cinema into an academic discipline. The book that all of you must read is ‘The Soul of Cinema’.”
