Sarjun KM
{{Short description|Indian filmmaker}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2017}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2017}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Sarjun KM
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1986|4|03}}{{Cite web|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/tamil/filmmaker-sarjun-on-directing-nayanthara-in-airaa-5648091/|title=Airaa director Sarjun KM: I am more immune to criticism now|website=indianexpress|date=29 March 2019}}
| birth_place = Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
| occupation = Film director, writer
| yearsactive = 2017 – present
}}
Sarjun KM is an Indian film director and writer who works in the Tamil cinema industry.
{{Cite web|date=2017-11-11|title=Lakshmi short film review: Why we need to re-think about how we see women on screen|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/tamil/lakshmi-short-film-review-why-we-need-to-re-think-about-how-we-see-women-on-screen-4932778/|access-date=2021-02-19|website=The Indian Express|language=en}} He made his directorial feature film debut with Echcharikkai – Idhu Manidhargal Nadamaadum Idam (2018).
Career
Sarjun's career was launched after the release of his first independent short film.Lakshmi. The film Lakshmi was written, edited and directed by Sarjun KM. The film cast Lakshmi Priyaa Chandramouli in the lead role along with Nandan and Leo Sivadass in supporting characters. The film was distributed by Gautham Vasudev Menon through his official YouTube channel of the film production company Ondraga Entertainment on 1 November 2017. The film was critically acclaimed for the direction, but faced criticism for its storyline, which gained popularity among the general audience and media.{{Cite web|date=2017-11-11|title=Lakshmi short film review: Why we need to re-think about how we see women |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/tamil/lakshmi-short-film-review-why-we-need-to-re-think-about-how-we-see-women-on-screen-4932778/|access-date=2021-02-19|website=The Indian Express|language=en}} In 2018, he directed his next short film Maa under the banner of Ondraga Entertainment, owned by director Gautham Vasudev Menon. Maa also received positive reviews.{{Cite web|date=2018-01-26|title=Maa short film review: Like it or not, KM Sarjun's film needs to be watched|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/tamil/maa-short-film-review-like-it-or-not-km-sarjuns-film-needs-to-be-watched-5040269/|access-date=2021-02-19|website=The Indian Express|language=en}}{{Cite web|date=2018-01-31|title=Maa short film review: Sarjun KM Gautham Menon Teenage Pregnancy|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/reviews/story/maa-short-film-review-sarjun-km-gautham-menonn-teenage-pregnancy-1158218-2018-01-31|access-date=2018-01-31|website=Indiatoday|language=en}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/regional-movies/maa-tamil-short-film-subtlety-packs-a-punch-in-this-gautham-vasudev-menon-venture/story-eN9pfxPJ89B127ioTNGPrL.html|title=Maa Tamil short film: Subtlety packs a punch in this Gautham Vasudev Menon venture|date=31 January 2018|website=Hindustan Times}}
He came out with his first feature film, a crime thriller film Echcharikkai, which was written and directed by him. The film got released on 24 August 2018.{{Cite news |date=2018-08-24 |title=Echcharikkai movie review: A kidnapping tale that fails to scratch beyond the surface |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/movie-review/echcharikkai-movie-review-sathyaraj-varalaxmi-sarathkumar-5320979/ |access-date=2018-08-24 |work=The Indian Express |language=en-US}} The film featured actors Sathyaraj, Varalaxmi Sarathkumar, Kishore, Yogi Babu and Vivek Rajgopal. Sarjun's next feature film project, Airaa released on 28 March 2019.{{Cite news|url=https://m.hindustantimes.com/regional-movies/airaa-first-look-nayanthara-s-double-role-in-black-and-white-see-pic/story-kwEJz56vyQvSJn6OoLRDfN.html|title=Airaa first look: Nayanthara's double role, in black and white. See pic|date=2018-10-09|work=hindustantimes|access-date=2018-11-26|language=en}} The horror film revolves around a female protagonist played by Nayanthara.
It also cast Kalaiyarasan and Yogi Babu in lead roles. For the first time actress Nayanthara played a dual role - Vlogger Yamuna and village girl Bhavani. Sudarshan Srinivasan (cinematographer) and Karthik Jogesh (film editor) who were in long-term collaboration with director Sarjun KM in his previous film have also worked on this project.
He directed the episode The Road That Never Ends in the three-episode anthology Addham. The story{{Cite web|url=https://www.cinemaexpress.com/reviews/telugu/2020/oct/16/addham-movie-reviewan-anthology-that-falls-short-of-expectations-20834.html|title=Addham Movie Review: An anthology that falls short of expectations|website=Cinema Express}} revolves around a lorry driver played by actor Jayaprakash and a teenage boy who tries to steal the money owned by the lorry driver.{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/directors-siva-ananth-sarjun-and-barath-neelakantan-on-addham/article32860689.ece|title=Relook at the moral compass through 'Addham'|first=Sangeetha Devi|last=Dundoo|newspaper=The Hindu|date=October 15, 2020|via=www.thehindu.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/telugu/2020/oct/28/matters-of-morality-addham-cast-on-what-makes-the-film-click-2215774.html|title=Matters of morality: 'Addham' cast on what makes the film click|website=The New Indian Express|date=28 October 2020 }}{{Cite web|url=https://www.cinemaexpress.com/stories/interviews/2020/oct/27/i-like-that-we-have-made-good-telugu-content-from-chennai-addham-aha-prasanna-20987.html|title=I like that we have made good Telugu content from Chennai|website=Cinema Express}} He directed the segment Thunintha Pin of Navarasa - an anthology web series, starring Atharvaa and Anjali which is released in Netflix.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sify.com/movies/sarjun-km--directing-mani-sirs-script-thunitha-pin-was-challenging-in-navarasa-news-tamil-vieeHIjfhfaha.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210804055638/https://www.sify.com/movies/sarjun-km--directing-mani-sirs-script-thunitha-pin-was-challenging-in-navarasa-news-tamil-vieeHIjfhfaha.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=4 August 2021|title=Sarjun KM : Directing Mani sir's script 'Thunitha Pin' was challenging in Navarasa!|website=Sify}}
Filmography
= Feature films =
| class="wikitable" | ||||
| Year | Film | Director | Writer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | style="text-align:center;" | {{y}} | style="text-align:center;"| {{n}} | ||
| 2019 | Airaa | style="text-align:center;" | {{y}} | style="text-align:center;"| {{n}} | |
| 2021
|style="text-align:center;" |{{y}} |style="text-align:center;" |{{n}} | | ||||
| 2023
|style="text-align:center;" |{{y}} |style="text-align:center;" |{{y}} | |
= Short films =
= TV series =
| class="wikitable" | ||||
| Year | Film | Director | Writer | Language
! Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| rowspan="1"|2020
|style="text-align:center;" |{{y}} |style="text-align:center;" |{{n}} |Telugu | segment: The Road That Never Ends | ||||
| 2021
|style="text-align:center;" |{{y}} |style="text-align:center;" |{{n}} |Tamil | segment: Thunindha Pinn | ||||
| 2025
|Suzhal -2 |{{y}} |{{n}} |Tamil |Episodes 3, 4 and 5 |