Interview with Randy – “I didn’t want to see Kaththi initially”
Rathnavelu is among the best cinematographers in the country, and his filmography speaks volumes of his stature and caliber. ‘Randy’ as he is fondly called, continues to associate himself with the best projects down South. After Lingaa with Superstar Rajini, ‘Randy’ began working for another Superstar film, Mahesh Babu’s Brahmotsavam. In this chat with Kaushik LM, ‘Randy’ spills the beans on his work for this grand family entertainer and also the upcoming 150th film of Megastar Chiranjeevi. Don’t miss his take on Kabali too.
“Brahmotsavam is a feel good family film like Sreekanth Addala’s earlier one, Seethamma Vakitlo Sirimalle Chettu. While SVSC was more into dialogues and the family element, there is more production value in Brahmotsavam. It would have a glossy feel and innumerable actors. I have literally shown all of them in good light (laughs). There was a lot of co-ordination with the costume department and the art director. Thotta Tharani offered a lot of support. My visual treatment was based on the characters and their description.
I have used a lot of aerial shots to give a wholesome picture. There are some extreme top angle shots of Ooty which haven’t been shown before. We have also shot in places like Haridwar, Rishikesh and Udaipur. Rather than go for the regular point of view, I have given panoramic views to the audience.”
How was your vibe with director Sreekanth Addala?
“Relatable feelings and good emotions are a part of all his films. He is a script writer foremost and since this is a family oriented film, there was not much of a technical interference or expectation. But I have made it technically rich and visually driven, despite being a dialogue heavy film. We have created a visual mood for every scene, and light is a key character in the film.”
Getting back to working with Superstar Mahesh Babu after the experimental 1 Nenokkadine …
“Mahesh was very particular that I do Brahmotsavam. I skipped some really big films for this. He wanted a different look for a regular family drama. He is already a smart hero and I have shown him even younger. He has also told in interviews that he looks very handsome, thanks to my work. His conviction to do a family film like this, despite being a larger than life superstar, stands out. There are scenes when he touches his dad’s slipper and prostrates in front of his family members. He had such belief in the character and went beyond his big image trap, and mingled with all the characters. That has worked positively for the film.”
Working with so many established actors like Mahesh Babu, Sathyaraj, Revathi and the three heroines Kajal, Samantha and Praneetha can be stressful right?
“It can be stressful and really challenging, with the sheer volume of artistes. There was more responsibility on me, due to the limited time on hand. We had to co-ordinate with so many artistes, but we managed. My experience with mega projects like Robot and Lingaa helped and made it easier for them. Such a family drama is a first for me. It is a simple, elegant, nice looking film and there is nothing path breaking in my work.
Revathi and Sathyaraj have done very well and the three heroines would have different characterizations. All of them look very pretty (laughs). Kajal has done very well in a limited role while Samantha would be there for a majority of the 2nd half.”
Coming to the much expected Kaththi remake ‘Chiru 150’, the long-awaited comeback of Megastar Chiranjeevi …
“Ramcharan insisted that I do the film and I also agreed right away as it is a prestigious film. We are looking to do something different from the Kaththi visual template. I’ll start preparations soon. Kaththi was a decent effort by George C Williams and he did justice to the film. Murugadoss’ treatment and Vijay were impressive.
I didn’t want to see Kaththi initially as I didn’t want to get inspired. Director VV Vinayak has rewritten the script with his team and I just wanted to listen to his narration. But then I saw the film just to see what can be bettered. Small changes are being done so that Telugu people can relate to it even better. There is big pressure on me, as it is Chiranjeevi’s comeback and fans expect to see him young and energetic. I am confident of pulling it off as I worked under similar requirements with Thalaivar in Lingaa and Robot. I am looking forward to the excitement.”
When is the successful Kumari 21 F team reuniting?
“Production-wise, visually and content-wise, it was a good Hit for our trio – myself, Sukumar and Devi Sri Prasad. After the Kaththi remake which will release in January 2017, we will start our next venture. I gel very well with Sukumar, who is a very intelligent director. He is actually a Maths professor, they call him the Telugu Christopher Nolan. He is doing a really interesting script now, which will be made with Ramcharan.”
As an ardent Thalaivar Rajini fan, how excited are you about Kabali’s teaser and rushes?
“Thalaivar’s kick-ass dialog delivery and style stood out. He is like an old lion. I got goosebumps when he says that final dialogue in the teaser. I expect Kabali to be more realistic and a sure-shot hit film. His makeover and costumes are just amazing.”
After some outstanding work in Enthiran, fans expected you to be a part of Enthiran 2 (2 Point O) as well. Why didn’t it happen?
“I generally like to wrap one film and then only move on to the next. I had to let go of some really big films due to this policy of mine, which I have been following since Sethu. Working with Thalaivar is something else for me and I would always love to work with him. But Nirav Shah is a good cameraman and I am sure he would do well in 2 Point O.”
Interviewed by Kaushik LM
