Mathivanan Rajendran
Mathivanan Rajendran | |
|---|---|
 Mathivanan at the 2020 International Film Festival Rotterdam | |
| Born | Pudukkottai, India |
| Alma mater | Virginia Tech |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 2011-present |
| Website | http://www.strayfactory.com |
Mathivanan Rajendran (born 12 January) is an Indian media entrepreneur, film producer and actor.
Career
[edit]Rajendran’s work spans film, theater, and digital media.His 2020 Tamil-language production, Nasir, premiered at the International Film Festival of Rotterdam, where it was nominated for the Tiger Award and won the NETPAC Award for Best Asian Film.[1] The film also received the FIPRESCI Best Indian Film and was featured at the New Directors/New Films Festival at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York. Additionally, Nasir was included in the *British Film Institute’s list of 10 Great Modern Indian Independent Films' [2]underscoring its global recognition.
Rajendran’s portfolio includes Humans in the Loop (HITL) and Taak (Tracker), two short films exploring themes of artificial intelligence and surveillance, respectively. Developed under the Museum of Imagined Futures (MOIF)[3], an initiative connecting speculative storytelling with social relevance, these films were supported by the Omidyar Network India. Humans in the Loop was showcased at the Mumbai Academy of the Moving Image (MAMI) and the International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK),[4] while Taak (Tracker) premiered at Mumbai Academy of the Moving Image (MAMI) and featured at the Dharamshala International Film Festival (DIFF).
Rajendran’s production credits also include Nirvana Inn, a psychological drama supported by the Asian Cinema Fund (ACF), which premiered at the Busan International Film Festival [5]and earned acclaim for its atmospheric exploration of guilt and redemption. B. Selvi and Daughters, supported by GIZ, received three Critics' Choice nominations for its portrayal of women entrepreneurs in Tamil Nadu.
In 2024, Rajendran launched Earthbound/100, a platform aimed at developing 100 socially impactful media projects. Supported by the Mantra Foundation, the initiative focuses on blending storytelling with measurable social outcomes, positioning media as a tool for systemic change. He also established the root.ax accelerator, a transmedia program fostering collaboration among creators in film, digital media, and immersive storytelling.
In addition to film, Rajendran co-founded Rascalas, a platform amplifying South Indian narratives[6] . He produced Black Sheep.(2016)[7], one of South India’s pioneering web series, known for its relatable and humorous take on urban youth culture. His theatrical work has been internationally recognized, with productions staged at the National Arts Festival in South Africa and the Hollywood Fringe Festival in the United States. These works blend regional narratives with universal themes, earning critical acclaim for their innovative storytelling.[8]
As an actor, Rajendran has appeared in films such as Mayakkam Enna (2011), Sawaari (2016), Andhra Mess (2018), and Freddie's Piano (2020),
Recognition and Background
[edit]
In 2022, he was named as a BAFTA Breakthrough Talent from India.[9], a distinction recognizing exceptional contributions to film, games, and television. He holds a Masters degree in Industrial and Systems Engineering from Virginia Tech, which informs his analytical approach to storytelling and production. Through Stray Factory, Storiculture, and initiatives like Earthbound/100 and the root.ax accelerator, he continues to champion innovative narratives that explore social, cultural, and technological themes, advancing the role of media in creating global impact.
Filmography
[edit]As producer
[edit]| Year | Title | Language | Director | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Black Sheep | English/Tamil | Naveen Kumar | Web Series |
| 2019 | Nirvana Inn | Hindi | Vijay Jayapal | 24th Busan International Film Festival 2019 |
| 2020 | Nasir | Tamil | Arun Karthick | Winner NETPAC Award International Film Festival of Rotterdam
FIPRESCI Best Indian Film Andrei Tarkovsky International film festival - Zerkalo - Grand Prix Winner |
| 2020 | B.Selvi & Daughters | Tamil | Drishya | Critics Choice Awards for Best Actress, Best Director & Best Film |
| 2020 | Freddies Piano | English | Aakash | |
| 2020 | The Tremor | Tamil | Balaji Vembu Chelli | Festival du nouveau cinéma |
| 2024 | Humans in the Loop | Hindi | Aranya Sahay | International Film Festival of Kerala 2024 |
| 2024 | Taak | Hindi | Udit Khurana | |
| 2025 | Aanaikatti Blues | Tamil | Arun Karthick |
As actor
[edit]| Year | Film | Role | Language |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Mayakkam Enna | Shankar | Tamil |
| 2016 | Sawaari | Mathi | Tamil |
| 2018 | Andhra Mess | Ritchie | Tamil |
| 2019 | Freddies Piano | English | |
| 2020 | The Discreet Charm of the Savarnas | English |
As voice actor
[edit]| Year | Film | Role | Language | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Vishwaroopam | Deepak Chatterjee |
Tamil |
References
[edit]- ^ Rosser2020-01-31T19:01:00+00:00, Michael. "Rotterdam Film Festival 2020 winners revealed". Screen. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "10 great modern Indian independent films". BFI. 28 November 2024. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
- ^ "In Person: Taak by Udit Khurana". www.asapconnect.in. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
- ^ "Becoming Our Beliefs: A Contemplation On Humans In The Loop". Outlook India. 8 November 2024. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
- ^ Ge, Krupa (23 October 2019). "Mathivanan Rajendran On How Adil Hussain Starrer 'Nirvana Inn' Raised Funds Without Compromising On The Maker's Vision". Silverscreen.in. Retrieved 9 February 2020.
- ^ "Meet, drink, make merry at the community table - The Hindu". The Hindu. 30 May 2016.
- ^ "Rascalas' new web series Black Sheep offers a slice-of-life urban story - The Hindu". The Hindu. 23 June 2016.
- ^ "Drama beyond the arclights". The Hindu. 18 July 2014. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
- ^ "Mathivanan Rajendran | Producer". www.bafta.org. 7 March 2022. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
External links
[edit]
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