Añar / அஞர்/ මනෝඝාතය, 6.45min HD Video Installation

The title of the film, taken from the title of a poem by the Sri Lankan poet Cheran means Trauma in English but in Tamil and Sinhalese the word more specifically denotes a complex trauma resulting from war. There are several references to the word in Classical Tamil literature, within the Sangam poems and the Silappathikaram which both deal with the theme of conflict.

The film portrays a Sri Lankan dancer who was abducted and tortured by the Sri Lankan security forces after the end of the war in 2009. The type of dance used is called Bharatanatayam, a form of Indian classical dance that originated in the Hindu temples of Tamil Nadu in Southern India. Although traditionally and most commonly performed by women the male dancer uses the steps from this dance called Thandava. This is a particular dance belonging to Lord Shiva who is one of the main Gods in Hinduism. According to myth, he performs this dance when he furiously fights against evil, destroying injustices and establishing peace in the world.