From flower hawker to film auteur, meet India’s new cinematic sensation

P.S. Vinothraj joins an emerging movement of Tamil directors – many from disadvantaged backgrounds like his own – addressing societal inequities through the voices and lives of everyday people. Photo: AFP

At a bustling Indian market, a child labourer carrying bags of flowers was captivated by cameramen riding huge cranes during film shoots. Two decades later the boy has become his country’s latest cinematic sensation.

P.S. Vinothraj’s low-budget debut movie Koozhangal – internationally known by its translated title Pebbles – has been selected as India’s entry to the international feature film category at next year’s Oscars.