CINEMATOGRAPHY

If I had to be a film-maker then it would have begun by being a Cinematographer. It was bridged by my fondness for clicking photographs by our antique camera. The still medium was later taken over by a moving image and thus photography was replaced by cinematography. The first person I idolized was Govind Nihalani, who was ace cinematographer of Shyam Benegal. Well before knowing about cinematography, I was fascinated by this person. Later on this fascination drove to its pick when he directed Takshak starring Tabu and Ajay Devgan.

So as to convey the importance of a cinematographer I would quote a incident on the set of Roja.

‘While filming the acclaimed "Roja", It was suggested to the director Mani Ratnam that a substitute for the cinematographer be found, as Santosh Sivan had a prior commitment. He immediately retorted by asking the man who suggested the idea if the same could be done with the heroine of the film under similar circumstances.’ (Courtesy: www.santoshsivan.com)

If the story is the heart of the film, then cinematography is the eye with direction as the head of the Film. Why I find cinematography so captivating because it transforms the ideas of story into a reality. It’s again engineering. There are lots of technicalities which need to be mastered. And call it my arrogance but so as to be good in anything you do, technicalities can’t be compromised of.

To tell it by an ace cinematographer Govind Nihalani:

‘There are roughly three kinds of images. At the simplest level, any photographic image that is projected on screen is an image, which does not and need not take into account the various formal and aesthetic factors like composition, color, movement etc.

The second kind of image is what is considered to be the cinematographic image where the shot is composed with a purpose, the angle, the lighting, the size of the image are all shot and calculated with a purpose.

The third kind of image is the image that goes beyond information and acquires a larger meaning than the information contained within a shot. These images carry and echo a lot of our subconscious memories, personal and collective alike, and grow into symbols.’

That’s so explanatory, isn’t it? And as they say Beauty lies in the eyes of beholder, so true with it, what else you look into a scene could be so shallow or deep.

What captivated me to write is Ravi K. Chandran’s article in Hindustan Times in which he said he insists to distributor that his name be their on the poster of the film. In south when the name of cinematographer is displayed on screen in theaters, audience claps for him. We, as audience of hindi films are very myopic in our regards to the actors of the film making. High regards always have gone to Hero/Heroines later followed by Directors.
Probably because the acknowledgements received in south, the classic cinematographers come from South only. To start with, Ravi K. Chandran having DCH, Yuva, Black, Fanaa, Kandukondain Kandukondain and recent Delhi6 to his credit. He started his career by assisting his elder brother Ramchandra Babu in a Malayalam film. His first film in hindi was Virasat, set by a simple and natural story and acting by Amrish Puri, Anil Kapoor and Tabu. He is the man who has worked with as many directors like Priyadarshan, Farhan Akhtar, Maniratnam, Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Kunal Kohli and Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra. There is hardly anyone today who can match his genre of filmmaking.

The other cinematographer has been P. C. Shriram, who’s first hindi film is Cheeni Kum. His belief has been that I will work in the language which I know best of. That’s why he entered late in hindi films. Saahtiya’s original Alaypayuthe was shot by him. As shared by him he is the one who have differences with Mani for the betterment of the product.

Anil Mehta, who hold lenses behind for Lagaan, is an internationally acclaimed cinematographer. He also shot Saathiya, Khamoshi, and Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. He tried his hand into story writing with Agni-varsha. Recently released come-back movie of Madhuri Dixit, Aaja Nachle was his directorial venture. As shared by Ravi Chandran, he is India’s one of the best cinematographers.

There is another creative creature, Santosh Sivan, who has Dil Se, Roja, Fiza on his credit and also The Terroirst which gained critical acclaim in various film festivals, was directed by him. What is distinct about Dil Se and ROja is the beautiful locations they are filmed especially the songs of the films.

Last but not the least is Rajeev Menon, the man showed us Bombay through his lenses. Many ad films later, he started off as cinematographer for Mani Ratnam’s Bombay before directing Minsara Kanavu (Sapnay in Hindi), apart from a few documentaries for Shyam Benegal and a short film for Girish Karnad. Among his recent film is Maniratnam’s Guru. Multi-starred Kandukondain Kandukondain was his directorial doorway. His primary interest has remained that of advertising film making. Airtel, Cadbury, Colgate Palmolive, Asian Paints are directed by him.

Just a little gyan..that a list of India’s cinematographers list would never get completed without names of Subrata Mitra, the legendary cinematographer who held camera for Satyajit Ray’s Pather Panchali, Apur Sansar, Charulata. And also V. K .Murthy who alongwith Guru Dutt filmed Kagaz ke phool and Pyaasa. I have seen none of the movies and have never read credit of these classics shared by these cinematographers.

I am looking forward to new genre of film-makers who could replace the old masters. Unfortunately me being doing something else, the world will miss one of those precious few, wat say?