Throughout an in depth masterclass on the Worldwide Movie Pageant of India (IFFI) in Goa, veteran Indian filmmaker Mani Ratnam engaged in dialog with actor-director Gautham Vasudev Menon about adapting literature to display screen, his method to interval filmmaking, and his artistic course of.

Discussing his latest two-part historic epic “Ponniyin Selvan,” primarily based on Kalki Krishnamurthy’s Fifties Tamil novel, Ratnam emphasised authenticity in interval storytelling. “We needed to make it appear to be it actually occurred, that it’s not only a set or one thing shot within the studio. There must be daylight, filth, sweat – you need to really feel that you’re there at that time limit,” he stated.

The filmmaker revealed the sensible challenges of taking pictures a interval piece set within the Chola period. “If you happen to go to Tanjore right now, you’re not going to get any forts. There’s no palace, nothing left. So we shot in a palace within the North [of India] and digitally transformed the structure to make it extra South Indian,” Ratnam defined.

On adapting the beloved literary work, Ratnam acknowledged the strain of reader expectations. “Every one has their very own imaginative and prescient of how every character must be. I used to be battling not simply the five-volume ebook but additionally the notion of so many readers who’re keen about it. However the one guiding issue was that I used to be additionally one of many passionate readers.”

Concerning the cinematography of “Ponniyin Selvan,” Ratnam detailed his collaborative relationship with cinematographers: “Your DOP turns into your closest particular person when making a movie. I attempt to carry them in as early as doable, when I’ve an thought, not a script. The journey is collectively.”

The director mentioned his collaborative method with composers, notably Oscar winner A.R. Rahman. “Rahman is one composer who collaborates very effectively with the director. The music is his utterly, however the model and the choices and skill to take a lateral view of the scene – he doesn’t essentially underline the moments inside a scene, however he can do one thing which is a layer beneath.”

Concerning his filmmaking course of, Ratnam emphasised the significance of effectivity whereas remaining open to natural developments. “It’s important to be environment friendly in filmmaking. Typically these accidents are unbelievable – you discover one thing you didn’t plan that offers you a totally completely different perspective. A director borrows all the pieces with none qualms.”

When requested about probably transferring into streaming sequence, Ratnam expressed hesitation about long-format storytelling. “I’m very completely happy scuffling with two hours. If you happen to give me six and a half hours, seven hours to make, I believe I’ll simply get misplaced. It’s an artwork you need to study.”

The filmmaker additionally mirrored on his relationship with literature and cinema. “The nearer the hole between literature and cinema, I believe the higher Indian cinema will probably be,” he stated, noting that Tamil-language literature stays a wealthy, largely untapped supply for movie adaptation.

All through the masterclass, Ratnam maintained that regardless of his intensive profession, every new undertaking appears like beginning anew. “If I’m sincere with myself, each movie is sort of a first movie. After I go there, I don’t understand how I’m going to do it, whether or not I’ll be capable of put it collectively cogently. No matter has occurred earlier than, good or unhealthy, stepping into a brand new undertaking, beginning off with a clean paper simply pulls you down to at least one real looking place the place it says that you simply’re nonetheless a newbie.”

The dialog additionally touched on his work with actors. “It’s important to be very thoughtful to your actors. They’re those who’re in entrance of the lens. It’s important to be certain they’ve sufficient time to arrange, to look contemporary, to have the ability to give their greatest,” Ratnam stated.

The packed viewers included a number of luminaries together with IFFI pageant director, the filmmaker Shekhar Kapur, main actor Suhasini Mani Ratnam, actor-politician Khushbu Sundar and cinematographers Ravi Varman and Santosh Sivan, each of whom have labored extensively with Ratnam.

Subsequent up for Ratnam is “Thug Life,” headlined by Kamal Haasan.