Warm greetings to journalists, media professionals, and critics!
I am Somitharan, the director of the film Neelira. Having once stood among you as a journalist, having served as an assistant to the legendary Balu Mahendra, and having directed documentaries, I have today directed this feature film. Moreover, I have realized my long-cherished dream of bringing the story of my people—the Eelam Tamils—to the screen.
I present before you a story that, while never before told in Tamil cinema, is one that absolutely needed to be told. I trust that it will resonate with all of you. Depicting the lives of the Eelam people in Tamil cinema was not merely my personal dream; it was the dream of countless Eelam people, and indeed, the dream of great artists like Balu Mahendra.
I eagerly look forward to reading and watching your reviews, and to hearing your thoughts on this film. It is your critique that will ultimately carry this film to the wider public.
At this juncture, I also wish to make a humble request of you. I kindly ask that you refrain from mentioning the climax of Neelira in your reviews. I make this request because the wedding sequence constitutes the most pivotal part of the film, and I sincerely wish for audiences to experience it firsthand in the theater, without having its details revealed to them beforehand. As your brother—and as an artist hailing from the soil of Eelam—I entrust this film into your hands. I stand here seeking your support.
Thank you very much.
Sincerely,
Someetharan