6 Athiyayam
A Tamil horror anthology of six short films by six directors.
Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons
6 Athiyayam (meaning "6 Chapters") is a 2018 Tamil-language horror anthology film. The project brings together six directors—Cable Sankar, Shankar Thiyagarajan, Ajayan Bala, E. A. V. Suresh, Lokesh Rajendran, and Sridhar Venkatesan—each handling one of the six distinct stories. The cast is an ensemble that includes Thaman Kumar, S. S. Stanley, Pop Suresh, Baby Sathanya, Pasanga Kishore, Madhu Sri, Sanjeev, Gayathri, Cable Sankar, Vishnu, Francis, Vinoth Kishan, Aravind Rajagopal, and Charulatha Rangarajan. Shankar Thiyagarajan produced the film, and Sam C. S. composed a promotional song with lyrics by Karki Bava. The movie was released on 23 February 2018.
Shankar Thiyagarajan, through his company Ascii Media Hut, made his debut as a producer with this film. He said he wanted to try something experimental and suggested a horror anthology to several filmmakers, eventually attracting 30 young story writers. From those, five stories were shortlisted, and combined with Shankar's own film, they became six short films. For most of the directors, this was their debut feature, except for Cable Sankar, who had previously directed *Thottal Thodarum* (2015). Ajayan Bala also had prior industry experience, having written screenplays for *Chennaiyil Oru Naal* (2013) and *Manithan* (2016). Shankar Thiyagarajan initially called the film *Hexa*, with the tagline "6 Athiyayam," but later made the tagline the official title.
The audio track for the film came out on 30 October 2017. Composer Sam C. S. handled the promotional song and chose Kavitha Thomas to sing it.
Reviews were mixed. Anjana Shekar of *The News Minute* suggested that viewers hoping for scares or the thrill of a good horror film might want to reconsider. Karthik Kumar of *Hindustan Times* called it a brave but amateurish attempt that cannot be easily dismissed. Anupama Subramanian of *Deccan Chronicle* said it is a novel effort in Tamil cinema that can be appreciated. *Cinema Vikatan* also reviewed the film.
- Release date
- 23 February 2018
- Language
- Tamil
- Genre
- Horror anthology
- Directors
- Cable Sankar, Shankar Thiyagarajan, Ajayan Bala, E. A. V. Suresh, Lokesh Rajendran, Sridhar Venkatesan
- Producer
- Shankar Thiyagarajan
- Music directors
- Taj Noor, Joshua, Sathish Kumar, Jose Franklin, Sam C. S.
Lore & Background
The film was produced by Shankar Thiyagarajan of Ascii Media Hut, for whom it is their debut production. Shankar stated he had the urge to do something experimental and pitched the idea of a horror anthology to various filmmakers, eventually getting 30 young story writers who were interested. They then shortlisted five, and with Shankar's own film, it became six short films. In addition, for most of the directors, it is their debut film, with the exception of Cable Sankar, who had previously directed Thottal Thodarum (2015). Ajayan Bala also has experience in the industry, having written the screenplay for films such as Chennaiyil Oru Naal (2013) and Manithan (2016). Shankar Thiyagaran initially titled the film Hexa, with the tagline of 6 Athiyayam, but later made the tagline the title.
Reader's Guide
6 Athiyayam represents an experimental approach in Tamil cinema, being a horror anthology with six distinct segments each helmed by a different director. Its significance lies in its debut production by Ascii Media Hut and its role as a launching pad for several new directors. The film received mixed reviews: Anjana Shekar of The News Minute wrote, 'if you were hoping for a few scares or perhaps for the rush that comes while watching a good horror film, you might want to reconsider this one'; Karthik Kumar of Hindustan Times called it 'a brave attempt -- whacky but equally amateurish -- that can’t be easily written off'; and Anupama Subramanian of Deccan Chronicle noted, 'All said and done, this new attempt in Tamil cinema is a novel one, which can be appreciated'. The film was also reviewed by Cinema Vikatan. Its legacy is as a modest, early example of Tamil anthology horror, notable for its collaborative structure and the involvement of multiple first-time filmmakers.
Did You Know?
- The film was originally titled Hexa, with the tagline 6 Athiyayam, before the tagline became the title.
- For most of the six directors, 6 Athiyayam was their debut film.
- The promotional song was composed by Sam C. S. and sung by Kavitha Thomas.
- The film's audio track was released on 30 October 2017.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is 6 Athiyayam?
It is a 2018 Tamil-language horror anthology built around six independent short stories, one for each of its 'chapters' as the title suggests. Rather than following a single plot, the film stitches together six separate horror narratives under one umbrella.
Who directed the six segments of 6 Athiyayam?
Each chapter was helmed by a different director: Cable Sankar, Shankar Thiyagarajan, Ajayan Bala, E. A. V. Suresh, Lokesh Rajendran, and Sridhar Venkatesan. This multi-director approach gives every segment its own distinct tone and visual style.
Who produced 6 Athiyayam?
Shankar Thiyagarajan served as the film's producer while also directing one of the six chapters himself. His dual role made him the central creative force behind the project's production.
Who is in the cast of 6 Athiyayam?
Because the film is an anthology, the ensemble spans all six stories and features performers such as Thaman Kumar, S. S. Stanley, Pop Suresh, Baby Sathanya, Pasanga Kishore, Madhu Sri, Sanjeev, and Gayathri, among others. Each actor typically appears in only one or two of the segments.
When did 6 Athiyayam release and who scored its music?
The film premiered on 23 February 2018 in Tamil. Its musical score and songs were split among five composers—Taj Noor, Joshua, Sathish Kumar, Jose Franklin, and Sam C. S.—reflecting the collaborative, multi-director nature of the project.
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