Interview with Cinematographer Rathnavelu :

A discussion about cinematography...Interview with leading cinematographer Mr.Rathnavelu...

The aspect of cinema is not only based on the hero and heroines of the film, but it is a combined process of many individuals.

Apart from the hero, heroines there is the director who gives the film a color, and there is the cameraman, who gives the film a life.

Cinematography is an art. You have to completely immerse in it to know the ticks and turns of the trade. One of the leading cinematographer in Tamil Cinema is Mr.Rathnavelu, who has worked for many big shot directors like Director Bala.

Mukam Cine/TV Directory went for an interview with Mr.Rathnavelu, on behalf of Behindwoods.com. The interview as follows...

When our officials went to his house, they were warmly received by our host. The interior of his house is well decorated, which gave the impression of his work and reflected his thoughts very well. After a nice cup of coffee, the interview began...

Q: Sir, What is your first movie and how did you get your chance in that movie?

Mr.Rathnavelu: My first movie was "Aravindhan" starring Sarath Kumar and directed by Director Nagaraj. Actually I was not called for the movie. But I was called for a trailer shoot. After seeing the movie, Sarath Kumar was impressed by it and "Aravindhan" became my first movie.

Q: Are there any specific movie of yours, which you like to talk about?

Mr.Rathnavelu: I have done a movie by name "Sandhipoma". This movie was not a hit movie, but my camera work in the movie was well talked about.

Q: How did you become an official cinematographer for director Bala?

Mr.Rathnavelu: I worked with Bala for the first time in the movie "Sethu". After that we did "Nanda" together. Later it became easy for us to do the work together, and we got together.

Q:  Now a days the advancement in the technology in terms of cinematography has very much developed, different angles and different effects are available through the advanced instruments. Even experienced cinematographers like you would not be aware of it. How come you keep in touch with those advancements?

Mr.Rathnavelu: Yes, technology has very much advanced now a days. We do have to keep in touch with it. We train ourselves a little bit at the end of the shooting sessions, without our little experiments with the instruments biting the producer's pockets.

Q: Why didn't you do the film "Pithamagan" with Bala?

Mr.Rathnavelu: Well, that is just for a change. If I am continuously doing the films for Bala, many may think that I will not do other director's film, so I did not do the cinematography work for "Pithamagan".

Q: What is your latest film in progress?

Mr.Rathnavelu: I'm doing the film "Mayavi" directed by director Singampuli, an associate of Bala. Surya is the hero of the film.

Q: Please tell us your friendship with actor Surya?

Mr.Rathnavelu: Me and Surya got together in "Nanda" for the first time. We became good friends after that. He wanted me to do "Peralagan" for him. But I was busy with some other schedule. So AVM waited for me for a month till I returned to the film.

Q: What are your other accomplishments?

Mr.Rathnavelu: I've done a film "Arya" in Telugu, which was a super hit. That was my first film and I think I may get an award for that film. Many offers are coming for me from Telugu, but I want to concentrate in Tamil movies first. The good name I got in Telugu is the accomplishment for me.

Q: Tell us about your Family?

Mr.Rathnavelu: My family consists of my father, mother, two sisters and one brother. One sister is a Doctor, another sister is an Advocate, my brother is an MBA holder and is doing his own business.

Q: Please tell us about your studies and your initial work experience?

Mr.Rathnavelu: I studied in the Chennai film institute. There was only 10 seats each in the Chennai and Pune divisions. I managed to get into the Chennai division. There was a campus interview from Doordarshan, when I finished my studies, many of my colleagues went for that offer, But I want to be an exception among them. So, I joined as an assistant under Director Rajeev Menon and worked under him for more than two and a half years. we did more than 200 ad films together. Then I came out and did my own ad films. I have done more than 100 ad films after that.

Q: Did you get any recognition for your work?

Mr.Rathnavelu: Yes, of course. I got one state award and one film fare award for my work as a cinematographer.

Q: Do you think that cinematography has changed over a period of time in Tamil cinema?

Mr.Rathnavelu: Of course it changed. When there is a technological growth in any field, the area that particular field covers also grows along with it. It is applicable to the cinema and the cinematography techniques also.

Q: How do you think that cinematography has evolved further?

Mr.Rathnavelu: Well, as you can see, Balumahendra and P.C.Shriram are successful cinematographers and as well as directors. They have their own unique trend. Though Balumahendra has given noted hits P C Shriram's film are not that much recognized hits, but their work is still recognized even by a new comer to Cinema. Because they have set a trend in their own way of cinematography.

For example, In olden times the shooting is done in a artificial lights for best results. Balu Mahendra changed the way of technique, by implementing natural lights into cinematography in Tamil Cinema. P C Shriram's ad of "Regal Sottu Neelam" featuring the combination the white shirt's using the combination of natural and overexposed artificial lights became a hit ad of that time. Similarly each and every cinematographer has his own style.

Many cinematographers are known through the films they have worked on, Camera man Ashok Kumar is known for his film "Andru Peitha Mazaiel". Similarly, every one has their own masterpiece.

Q: Ok. We accept that old time cinematography was good, But what about the new trend in the Tamil films involving the use of "Akela" cranes and unnecessary panning of the camera angles etc.. What is your opinion upon that?

Mr.Rathnavelu: The "Akela" crane is used for filming the impossible angles. Suppose you take a scene from the film "Jayam", "Akela" crane is used in the song sequence taken on a train. We need to use the "Akela" crane for showing a different angle from the viewer's perspective like showing the train going beneath, with us viewing from the top, which cannot be filmed normally. Otherwise using the "Akela" crane for unnecessary purpose is really bad.

The panning of camera angles, like you said has become a fashion now a days. In olden times while showing two characters' speech sequence, one characters speech is recorded first and then it is cut, then the other characters speech is recorded. Then slowly the technique advanced day by day, they began to slowly pan the camera angles side by side to the characters while they are involved in a dialogue. But in the present day the camera panning is really misleading. For example, In some song sequences, The camera panning closing in and zooming out in a fast pace along with the song's music is irritating for the viewer and eventually leads to a headache .

I had seen such panning in some film's, but I don't use such kind of panning in my work unnecessarily.