The Navarasa anthology of nine short films by nine directors, which premiered on Netflix in August, was conceptualised in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Helmed by Mani Ratnam and Jayendra Panchapakesan, the unique project had some of the best names in the business working pro bono, in order to raise funds for cinema industry workers afflicted by the lockdowns. 12,000 workers – the majority of them behind-the-scenes staff including lighting personnel, vessel washers, junior artists and numerous others – received financial support for six months, using the infrastructure of the Bhoomika Trust NGO.
As a video just released on Youtube on the success of this initiative shows, this critical assistance proved to be a life-saving intervention, enabling the families of the 12,000 beneficiaries to secure provisions and manage their households during the most difficult stages of the lockdowns.