Kalainithan Kalaichelvan is a Tamil Canadian film director and screenwriter.Baisakhi Roy, "Kalainithan Kalaichelvan on Tamil identity, family secrets and his TIFF premiere". Canadian Immigrant, September 17, 2025. He is most noted for his 2025 short film Karupy, which was a Canadian Screen Award nominee for Best Live Action Short Drama at the 14th Canadian Screen Awards in 2026."The 14th Canadian Screen Awards Nominations (2026)". The Canadian Film Reviewer, March 26, 2026.
He previously directed a number of short films and music videos before studying at the Canadian Film Centre, where he made Karupy as his student project.Nirris Nagendrarajah, "(TIFF 2025) “You Don’t Belong to Anyone: A Conversation on Kalainithan Kalaichelvan’s 𝐾𝑎𝑟𝑢𝑝𝑦” by Nirris Nagendrarajah & Kalainithan Kalaichelvan". CHA Journal, October 7, 2025. In 2022 he received a Juno Award nomination for Video of the Year, for Shan Vincent de Paul's "Neeye Oli"."Gala des prix JUNO 2022: Charlotte Cardin devance Justin Bieber et The Weeknd dans les nominations!". sorstu.ca, March 1, 2022.
Karupy premiered in the Short Cuts program at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival.Melanie Goodfellow, "Idris Elba’s ‘Dust To Dreams’ Starring Seal Set To Premiere In TIFF Shorts + Full Lineup". Deadline Hollywood, August 7, 2025.
His first feature film, A Varnam in Silence, is in development.Naman Ramachandran, "Payal Kapadia, Neeraj Churi, Subhadra Mahajan Among Talent Behind SASO, IFFSA-Backed South Asian Toronto Market Projects". Variety, August 28, 2026.
His brother, Kalaisan Kalaichelvan, is also active as a film and television score composer.Jamie Casemore, "Playback’s 10 to Watch 2024: Kalaisan Kalaichelvan". Playback, October 15, 2024.
Filmography Stella Maris - 2017 Inland Freaks - 2017 The Windless Days - 2018 Petit Four - 2019 Kingdom Animalia: The Melanie Fyfe Story - 2020 80613 - 2020 Two Doves on a Painted Lake - 2020 A Feller and the Tree - 2021 Junglefowl - 2023 Karupy - 2025 Till the Milk Runs Dry - 2026
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