SHARADA RAMANATHAN
(Questionnaire) |
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What inspired you to make Sringaram?
Sringaram Was A Response From Me To My Environment. There Is So Much Talk About Feminism On The One Hand, And About What A Great Heritage India Has, And Is, On The Other. Sringaram Was A Synergized Response Of These Two Claims That, For Me, Needed To Be Expressed. The Devadasi Represents So Many Aspects Of Indian Culture – Feminism, Art And Culture, Aesthetics, Sensuality And Someone Who Pushed Her Boundaries. Sringaram Is A Tribute To That Aspect Of India.
Sringaram is your first foray into filmmaking.
What gave you the confidence?
I Think What I Had Was Conviction More Than Confidence. I Guess You Just Find A Way Out When You Want To, And Have To, Express Something. This Is A Field Where The Big Players Dominate And Focus Predominantly On Formula Cinema. The Only Thing That Can Keep The Smaller Commercial Players In The Fray Is Conviction.
Your life, post the release of Sringaram?
Sringaram Is A Film That Got Critical And Audience Acclaim Even Before Its Release At Several International Film Festivals And Some Special Indian Screenings. The Theatrical Release Was The Next Logical Step Post The National Awards. Well, Post Release, I Am Exploring Many Windows Of Opportunity That Have Entered The Radar Screen!
You did your filmmaking course at SAE. How much did that help you?
I Had Done Some Short-Term Film Courses At Los Angeles In The Late Nineties. But My Film making Course At Sae Was Very Focused, Very Grounded And Quite Rigorous. It was of international standards but It Also Factored In The Immediate Context, Specially In The Content Development Aspect Of The Course. The Course Was Extremely Relevant For Me To Be Effective As A Director.
What do you think was the highlight of the course? And what helped you the most?
The Highlight Of The Course Was That It Covered All Aspects Of Film Making And Was Yet Quite Tightly Focused. I Think The Modules On Sound Recording, Screenplay And Editing Were Particularly Helpful.
Most of your crew people are new to this genre of movie. How did you choose them?
Sringaram Did Not Have Any Reference Point In Its Style. It Is Neither Like The 1950s Historicals Nor Like The Contemporary Interpretations Like Lagaan Or Ashoka. When We Were Workshopping Some Of The Actors Before The Shoot, One Of Them Asked Me “ How Should I Be?” I Said “Don’t Be, Just Feel!” That Would Enable The Actor To Find A Body Language. Going By The Spirit Of The Approach, My First Stop Was At Lalgudi Jayaraman’s. He Is Known For The Sensuality Of His Music Besides His Legendry Composer Status. Saroj Khan is perhaps the only Indian film choreographer who has transcended forms and can create a timeless energy.
Madhu Ambat Was The Obvious Choice For The Camera. That Is Common Knowledge. Even The Art And Costumes Departments Got Really Creative With Limited Resources!
You missed out the national award for the best director, though most of your crew people won it? Disappointed?
All Is Fair Is Love And War! And There Is Always A Next Time.
Most memorable experience while shooting sringaram?
Every Single Member Of The Team Savoured The Air Of The Fields And The Forest. That Kind Of Greenery And Oxygen Has Become A Delicacy In India. More Than Any Single Incident, That Would Be The Most Memorable Part.
Sringaram cannot be termed as an art movie but still doesn’t boast the predictability of commercial cinema. HOw?
I Once Asked My Good Friend, Ustad Zakir Hussain As To How To Categorize My Film, Which Belongs To Neither Of The Cliched Categories Of “Art” And “Commercial”. He Coined A New Term And Said “Tell Them That It Is A Comastic Film – Artistic With Commercial Prospects!” So I Guess That’s What It Is. Comastic!
In Sringaram who had the upper hand,
Sharada - the feminist striving to make a difference, or Sharada - the debutant director eager to make a mark?
Neither. Sharada, Who Is Part Of The Chaotic Modern Era, With Her Own World View, Has The Upper Hand. You Cannot Contrive And Posture In Creative Expression. Who You Are Will Reflect In What You Do.
Tips for aspiring filmmakers?
The Film industry is opening up to new ideas, experiments and innovation. So go for it, follow your true instincts and someone out there will buy into your soul.
Your next project?
I Am Finishing A Script, Author-Backed For A Male Protagonist, I Think. And Then There Are Those Windows Of Opportunity That Could Get Transformed Into Doors. One Step At A Time… |
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