Kishanth ~ கிஷான்த் ஐவகர்

An experimental performance that’s been 2000 years in the making, showcasing the ancient Yazh played by @tharun_sekar_ from @urupaanar . The film explores the deep ancestral connection between the ancient Tamil literature, Tholkaapiyam (Tamil’s oldest document on linguistics and grammar), reviving and reintroducing the Yazh to the next generation and how Tamil people’s indigenous connection to the land influences their music, culture, emotions and way of life. Thank you to Uru Paanar for letting me tell their story in a unique way that the band hasn’t seen before. My pitch for this project was to show the Yazh through the ages from ancient to the modern. This is the first part. Additionally, I wanted to show the artist behind the art to find out who Uru Paanar are and what their story and purpose is of making and reviving the yazh and what it takes to pursue your passion and not just show the glitz & glamour. But we would never guess the surprise that was awaiting for us, as we were shooting Tharun found out his wife just went into labour and he was about to be a father. I luckily and anxiously got to capture on film the moments after he found out. This was a serendipitous moment. ❤️🙏🏽✨ I couldn’t have done this without Dhinesh’s (@dop_ld ) incredible cinematography. He didn’t even know me until we met on shoot and was completely willing to go with all my crazy ideas. You were such a wonderful person to collaborate with us on this project brother. Written and directed by: @kishanth Cinematography: @dop_ld Artist: @tharun_sekar_ x @urupaanar .
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#urupaanar #yazh #tamil #tamilmusic #harp #tholpakkiyam #filmmaker #storyteller #chennai #tamilnadu

Last Swim is out in theatres today!! 🌊 🥳 @sashanathwani has poured all his love into the film. Thanks for letting me be the shadow director and learn from you and your team brother. Please go out and support this pure Independent British Cinema, it’s especially key during these times. Here are some BTS I shot on set. I hope this film also inspires other young filmmakers who are all in the trenches with me, that our time too will come. Keep going. Brick by brick. 🧱 💪🏽 . . . . . #lastswim #britishcinema #cinema #independentcinema #indiecinema

On the last days of Ramadan, we present to you: أبو أدم - Father of Adam. Inspired by my dear friend Feras and his 5 year old son Adam, this film explores an honest representation of Arab fatherhood, masculinity, and male relationships. A film that challenges and deconstructs the dehumanising portrayals of the ‘Arab Man.’
We reject the imposed narratives. We resist the framing. We reclaim our stories—in our own words, in our own images. Shot in just four hours, nearly a year ago, in urgent response to the events in P@lest !ne. Yet, a year later, the destruction of life continues.
“Once we were kings… our throne awaits us.”
 This passion project would not have been possible without these heroes: Starring my dear @ferasnour and the star of the show, Adam Nour
Written & Directed by @kishanth 🙋🏽‍♂️
DOP: @mikebrindley Original music composed by: @dilushselva Outro song by the incredible @bedouinburger - Harir.
Editor: @kishanth & @lawrence_k_lakshmanan 
Color @mikebrindley 
Super-Mum @faykh_ . . . . . . . . . . #cinematic #arab #🍉 #keffiyeh #father #son #fatherhood #masculinity #nowness #storyteller #cinema #baba

I was robbed at the Dev Patel Lookalike Contest!!! Read my Substack to find out ‘What does Dev Patel represent for Brown Boys in the UK?’ - A seriously unserious essay on ‘representation’ and desirability politics. Please tell me in the comments why I should have clearly won this contest. And thank you to all my supporters for helping me fight for justice and pursuing my dream of becoming Dev. The journey continue. Jai Ho. 🙏🏽 🪔 👨🏽

Se(a)lf Portrait - Wading through grief and the eye of the storm. I made this short film almost 5 years ago, but it feels deeply resonant with what I’ve been going through now. The past 16 months has felt like wading through the eye of a storm, constantly getting swept away and trying to keep your head above the water. Hoping for the storm to quieten and the dark grey clouds to clear, but it was relentless and non-stop. I caught glimpses of the light inbetween small moments of the year, but I was still unable to bask in its bosoms and cocoon in its warm embrace. There were days I wanted to tap out, call the referee, stop the match…but I didn’t have the privilege of pausing this fight at the moment. I couldn’t run away this time, even though I’m great at it. But not this time. Funny thing is, many reading this will think it’s about the loss of Appa. But it was actually the loss of everything else. So much of this year, I’ve felt so exposed and vulnerable. That I can’t even hide behind my pride and ego to not ask for help or reveal much of myself emotionally and financially, to actually get the necessary help I need to get myself not out, but through this situation. Just when I thought I was about to fully lose myself, the skies cleared and my persistence and determination paid off. I can finally see the light now. For that I’m grateful. Start of a new chapter and I cannot wait to start this new story. 🙏🏽❤️‍🔥✨ . . . . . . #filmmaker #cinematography #selfportrait #storyteller #tamil

Today is Appa’s 1 year passing day. ❤️‍🩹✨ It’s been the longest and quickest year, but by far the hardest. It wasn’t necessarily the loss of him, but the loss of everything else and almost myself in this process. I’ve learnt as much about him that I didn’t know before, as I’ve learnt about myself this year. In Tamil and Hindu culture they say that the Son of a parent has to be very careful during the first year, as he’s the one that sets the fire to his pyre, so death is very close to him. I’m not one to easily believe in superstitions, but everything that could possibly go wrong, did and even things I couldn’t even imagine would happen, casually occurred. A lot of my life felt like a film this year, where if a producer read the script would say ‘hey, this is not believable, the audience won’t buy that all these things occurred in one single year.’ Yet at the same time, the immense love, support and strength I’ve been showered by my friends and family has been overwhelming, without them it would have been unbearable, so I’m grateful for them. And I find myself still standing here, still deeply envious of his rich moustache and ridiculously handsome looks…with my love, respect and admiration for Appa forever growing. I’m proud to carry his name and determined to make him proud.

Excited to partner again with @londonmigrationfilmfestival and @hekayyatna to host Memory, Messiness and Migration, a participatory Long Table event exploring how our memories and messiness, personal, ancestral, and collective, shape our understanding of migration. Hosted by storyteller and filmmaker கிஷான்த் ஜவகர் - Kishanth Javegar, the evening will begin with Kishanth’s reflection on tracing his Tamil roots across India and Eelam.  Followed by an open Long Table discussion where participants are invited to share their “Hot Takes” related to migration, memory, or messiness to spark open dialogue. Participants can enter or leave the table freely, contributing when they feel moved to speak, or simply by listening. 
Guests are also encouraged to bring an object, photograph, or item connected to their family’s migrational story. Together, we’ll sit with the complexities and contradictions of migration; its beauty, discomfort, and in-between spaces, creating a space for dialogue, honesty, and shared reflection beyond echo chambers. If any of themes resonate with you, please join me. 🙏🏽✨ 🎟️ Tickets in bio! Saturday 29th November 4:45-6:30pm - Please arrive 15mins early. Upstairs at the Ritzy - @upstairsritzy Poster design by @aminamuench and @kishanth Photo taken by @akinajan . . . . . #lmff #hekayyatna #tamil #migration #londonmigrationfilmfestival #storyteller #filmmaker #filmfestival #ancestors

I am honoured to host another workshop this year, ‘Memory, Messiness and Migration’ - a Long Table event exploring how memory and messiness shape our understanding of Migration. Tickets are in the bio now! But here’s a bit about my extremely late post, where last year I hosted my first storytelling workshop with @londonmigrationfilmfestival ‘Preserving Ancestral Recipes’ at the esteemed @upstairsritzy to answer one question: How can we document and preserve our ancestral family recipes as heirlooms through creative mediums and ensure it is passed down through generations? The event was sold out 3 times and attended by almost 40 people from a wide array of diverse migrational backgrounds. I initially shared how I had created and archived my own family’s recipes and how Tamil cuisine had shaped its people and was a cultural testament in face of ethnic violence and erasure. I highlighted how food can be used as a trojan horse to discuss and challenge colonialism, but also a means to preserve your cultural identity. I also got to cook my family’s recipes for everyone’s to try, my favourite part. Guests were invited to document their own family recipes during the workshop and also brought one ingredient and shared beautifully how it connected to their sense of ‘Home’. It was a truly humbling and nourishing experience to hold space for everyone’s stories. Grateful to be doing this work. Subsequently, the workshop was also referenced in @the_oceans_song ’s dissertation, such an honour! 🙏🏽😇 Photos were taken by the lovely @nazliiadiguzel . . . . . . #lmff #londonmigrationfilmfestival #filmfestival #storyteller #tamil #ancestors

Having grown up in South London estates my whole life, I have a special love for them. Thus, Aylesham Community Action’s landmark battle with the property developers, Berkeley Homes, to protect Peckham is one that I know everyone needs to get behind. I’m donating around 10 analogue prints I’ve taken of my ends in South London and unreleased photos from my recent trip to the the motherland, Tamil Nadu. All the money raised will go towards @acapeckham ’s £50,000 legal fund, hiring the best legal team to fight this case and to save the soul of Peckham. Art for Aylesham is happening on Saturday 4th October, 2-6pm at SET Social. Come down to support Peckham’s community and buy some prints. Protect the ends. ✊🏽❤️‍🔥 . . . . . #peckham #savepeckham #peoplemakepeckham #communityaction #southlondon

Birthdays for me are a lot more about celebrating my loved ones rather than myself and gathering everyone I love to all come together in one space. This year, I was seriously not planning to do anything and really didn’t feel I was in the mood for any celebration. But my folks wouldn’t allow it. After Appa’s passing, this past year the house has been filled with stillness and quietness. But to see it once again roar with voices, laughter and chaos was simply beautiful. It’s what he was always best at doing, he loved to be surrounded by people and made sure everyone was fed in abundance…I continue to follow in his footsteps, as I too am his son. Luckily, I took a seat back for once, trying to be the ‘chill Kish’ rather than cooking a 7 course meal with a themed storytelling event…I sat back and let others bring food and host themselves. I always marry new and old faces to this space, bringing new energy, vibrancy and furry friends. And then, we sat together at end of the night to look through 13 rolls of my unopened film photos I shot in India & Eelam. This part was for me. Thank you for being with me this year through grief and joy. 🙏🏽❤️✨

The prodigal son has returned. ✌🏽 போயிட்டு வரேன் - In Tamil we don’t say ‘bye’, it’s always போயிட்டு வரேன் meaning ‘I’ll go and come back’. Well, it’s been 10 years, way too long…I can’t believe I’ve left it this much time. But I’m so happy to be back home now. After everything that’s happened recently, every fibre of my body was itching to be back on this soil, smell its air, be in the comfort of my people’s presence and hear my people’s language all around me. . . . . . . . . . #tamil #indian #india #tamilnadu #diaspora #diasporatamil #chennai #trichy #london #brown #browncreatives #thanjavur #brihadeeswarartemple #thanjai #thanjaiperiyakovil #thanjavurtemple

First credit in a feature baby as a Shadow Director to @sashanathwani ! 💪🏽🥳❤️‍🔥 Have you gone to see Last Swim in the theatres yet? It’s a beautiful love letter to London, friendships and the moments when you’re young where anything seems possible. ✨ Played a small part in this film, but learnt a lot and grateful for all the experiences on this long creative road. These photos show 2 more reasons to check out this film. Catch me if you can. 😋 Photo taken by @julijafricsone . . . . . . #lastswim #britishcinema #cinema #independentcinema #indiecinema