Lens (film)

Lens is 2016 Indian drama thriller film written and directed by Jayaprakash Radhakrishnan. The film was made simultaneously in Malayalam and Tamil languages. Dealing with the subject of voyeurism, it features Anandsami and Jayaprakash in the lead roles.

Lens has been screened in several film festivals including CLAM Festival Internacional Cinema Solidari, South Asian International Film Festival, Jagran Film Festival, Chennai International Film Festival, Pune International Film Festival, Bengaluru International Film Festival, Lonavala International Film Festival, and Bioscope International Film Festival. The Malayalam version was distributed by LJ Films and the Tamil version was distributed by producer Vetrimaaran under his company Grassroot Film Company.

The film was later released on Netflix.

Plot
Aravind's growing estrangement with his wife, owing to his indulgence in virtual sexual relationships, paves way for his encounter with a stranger. This random experience takes a turn for the worst when the stranger requests Aravind to witness his suicide on a Skype call.

Cast

 * Anandsami as Yohan
 * Jayaprakash Radhakrishnan as Aravind
 * Vinutha Lal as Angel
 * Misha Ghoshal as Swathi
 * Kulothungan Udayakumar as the Inspector in Munnar

Reception
The film was received positively with the audience liking the fact that it addressed concerns about privacy and adult content on the web. Malayalam director Vineeth Sreenivasan said "There are so many things I wanted to say about this film. In fact, if the movie was released already, I would have written in detail. For now, I' ll just say this... this film needs to be seen by today's internet-savvy generation. It is relevant, gritty, honest, and it haunts." Baradwaj Rangan wrote, "Lens is a refreshingly grown-up film...not only does it deal with a grown-up subject, it also refuses to infantilise the audience by treating its points as messages. Lens understands that a movie isn’t a pharmacological product: pop one and cure a social ill. It lays out problems without the comfort of easy solutions."

Awards

 * Best Debut Director --- 19th Gollapudi Srinivas National Award
 * Best Screenplay — Lonavala International Film Festival
 * Best Direction — Lonavala International Film Festival
 * Best Screenplay — Bioscope Global Film Festival
 * Best Director --- 7th Jagaran Film Festival.