PETALING JAYA: A short film by Taylor’s University titled The Thief, which was released in celebration of Deepavali, has tugged on the heartstrings of many people.

       Released on Oct 28, the Tamil-language short film has got over 20,000 views on the university’s YouTube channel and more than 5,500 views on Instagram.

       The seven-minute project tells the story of a poor student, Raju, who is caught stealing a mobile phone from a vendor.

       He then reveals he stole the phone as he needed it for his online class.

       Instead of reporting Raju to the authorities, the vendor loans the student a smart phone so he can continue his lessons.

       Taylor’s University said in a statement that, through this short film, it hopes to explore the harsh realities that are afflicting some communities in the country when it comes to education.

       “As educators, we want our students to be able to discuss sensitive topics that are centred in their own values and those of their classmates.

       “Similarly, we reflect this notion through our festive films; recognising the importance of these discussions, (so we can) understand the underlying struggles, and tackle the root cause of the problem,” said Taylor’s University group chief marketing officer Ben Foo on what inspired the film.

       The Thief stars Sathis Rao as Raju and Jibrail Rajhula as the vendor. It was directed by Reuben Kang from Imagineers Film.

       Executive producer Jeremy Teo said that translating the film from paper to screen was somewhat of a challenge as he and Kang do not speak Tamil.

       “We had to bring in a consultant to ensure the message was authentically carried through.

       “It was important that our message is accurately portrayed as we are aware of the sensitivity of it,” added Teo, who is also the head of creative content for the Digital, Technology and Content Team at Taylor’s University.

       The video has received positive feedback from netizens.

       Santhra Mogan commented on YouTube: “We are morally responsible to encourage and help whoever is in need be it in education or any other field. Salute the production team.”

       Prishanth wrote: “Thank you for this, such an important story (and very reminiscent of Jagat, another great movie)!”

       Teo said the university has received a lot of comments applauding the boldness and significance of the message highlighted in The Thief.

       “Many have reached out to us relating to the lack of devices for children to study during the lockdown periods,” he said.