In the shadow of post-KGF Kannada cinema, often dominated by the pursuit of high-octane action drama, grandeur, and spectacle, Rajesh Ramaswamy’s debut short film, Iruve (Ants), offers a refreshing respite. Running for just 17 minutes, this Kannada short film is a delightful exploration of everyday life set in the South Bengaluru neighbourhood of Jayanagar. With veteran actor HG Dattatreya (popularly known as Dattanna) and the versatile Mahantesh in the lead roles, Iruve tells a simple yet compelling tale that would resonate with audiences far beyond its immediate cultural context.
Rajesh Ramaswamy, fondly known as Ramsam, is no stranger to storytelling. With a career spanning over two decades in advertising, he has crafted some memorable ad campaigns, including the popular ‘Yella okay, cool drink yaake?’ (‘All okay, but why the cool drink?’) featuring Kannada star Upendra for a UB Export beverage brand. However, Iruve marks his first foray into short filmmaking — a transition he says has been both challenging and rewarding.
“I’ve always been fascinated by the mundane aspects of life, the small stories that often go unnoticed,” Rajesh says, “With Iruve, I wanted to capture the essence of these everyday moments, much like RK Narayan did with Malgudi Days.”
The story of Iruve revolves around Govindiah, a 70-year-old man whose house is overrun by red ants. The plot thickens as he commissions Kumara, an exterminator , to rid his home of the pests. What ensues is a slice-of-life drama filled with everyday characters in an absurd situation that makes for a delightful dark comedy.
Being an ad filmmaker, Rajesh has always had a passion for storytelling. For over 15 years, he has been writing short stories, often inspired by the interesting characters he encounters in his daily life. One such character sparked the idea for Iruve.
“I met a pest controller whose equipment I found amusing. He carried this plastic or aluminium thing on his back like a school bag. These kinds of characters just stick with you. You wonder what kind of adventures they could have. You toss around ideas, trying to figure out what might happen to them. Sometimes, it leads to a story. Sometimes, it doesn’t,” says Rajesh about the birth of Iruve.
A still from ‘Iruvam’ | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
After two decades in advertising, what prompted Rajesh to venture into films?
“This is a project of love, and we went with the flow organically by deciding to make it without thinking too much,” he replies, “I still remember the first time we approached Dattanna with the story. He said, ‘Ha ha. Ok…I like the story. But what is your main uddesha (motivation) to make this film?’ This was a loaded question. But the only honest answer was, ‘Sir, just for the fun of it.’ We had a lot of fun making it, and we are hoping that everyone has the same fun while watching it, which is why we have made it available on YouTube for anyone to watch it for free.”
The film’s success is largely due to the solid performances of Dattanna and Mahantesh, who breathe life into Rajesh’s script. Working with these Kannada artists, he feels a sense of homecoming. “I grew up in Bangalore, but my advertising career has taken me to Mumbai for most shoots. It’s frustrating because there’s so much talent here, but the nature of the business means we don’t shoot in Bangalore as often. I wanted to do a project with an all-Bangalore cast and crew to get to know the local talent and shoot closer home.”
Five days since its release, Iruve has had close to 20,000 views on YouTube with many positive comments. Looking ahead, Rajesh is keen to explore other short stories he has written, potentially developing them into an anthology of short films. While he also has ideas for feature films, he adds that he does not have a fixed plan. For Rajesh, the creative journey is more important than the destination.
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