WHEN mobile service provider Digi approached local filmmaker R. Azizan on if he would be interested in directing a mini web series, he wanted to give it a try in the Tamil language.
“With the people and crew I had working on my previous production, I decided to direct this thriller in Tamil. I had originally pitched three concepts, but Digi liked the detective concept,” he said when interviewed.
Azizan, 40, from Nibong Tebal, Penang, studied film broadcasting before graduating in 2006. He did several freelance programmes for television before venturing into the corporate world.
“When Digi asked if I could tell a story in a miniseries format, I wanted to apply the neo-noir experimentation in terms of presentation and picturisation. I have always been fascinated by detective and crime stories, so this was a perfect opportunity for me,” he said.
He said the script was developed with inspiration taken from a number of English movies and detective series.
“When we did the casting, I realised that many of the experienced drama artists were ready to experiment and open to challenging roles. That made the shooting for the series even more exciting as I had a good team of people involved,” he said.
Detective Maniam is a dark crime thriller produced by Digi with an initiative to collaborate with local talents. The title is derived from the lead character, played by lead Loga Varman who attempts to resolve the mystery of missing women in the fictional city of Besant.
When his own sister goes missing, Maniam resigns from the police force. Years later, as more women go missing with the strong suspicion of the return of the Trident Killer, Maniam joins hands with his former partner Balaji (played by Yuvaraj Krishnasamy) to solve the case.
Set in a contemporary time period, the crime drama consists of 10 episodes with each running for eight minutes long, complete with subtitles in both English and Malay.
Azizan, who had earlier directed Nadunisi KL, a local anthology series which premiered on Astro, said he received many positive reviews for Detective Maniam.
“We did not promote the series anywhere as the team decided to keep it as organic as possible but the responses received were above expectation. Some did comment that that the episodes were too short but because the entire series is to be done in 60 minutes, we had to keep it as tight and short as possible."
Check out the show here. – The Vibes, December 22, 2022
