Chennai, March 5 (IANS) Forthcoming Tamil film "Esappattukkari" may prove a trendsetter on two counts: it is directed by a Carnatic music maestro and its pre-release tickets will be available for only Rs.10.

This will be the first film with a Carnatic musician as director, music director and screenplay-writer. Veteran violinist Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan will play all these roles for the film that will tell the story of love between a girl born in a slum who becomes a popular playback singer and a nadaswaram artiste.

While Kunnakudi, as he is popularly known, produced "Todi" - the title being the name of a major Carnatic raga - many years ago, he did not direct it.

Another uniqueness of the film is that its producer, Sri Purna Vidya Productions, proposes to distribute it in an innovative manner. It plans through different organisations and outlets pre-release sales of tickets priced as low as Rs.10. The ticket-holders will view the film in cinema halls rented by the producers.

The producers say that if the plan succeeds it will show the way for several small-budget films. The method may work especially in the case of films made for niche audiences with special interests.

According to the producers, "Esappattukkari" will have as broad an appeal as "Thillana Mohanambal", a classic film featuring thespian Sivaji Ganesan as a nadaswaram player and Padmini as a Bharatanatyam dancer. They say the forthcoming film will give a similar theme a contemporary dimension.