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4Cover Story

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Innovations 2 magic Hat 16 Cinemascope 18 Impressions 20

First Cut 8

kamal HaasanColossus of a different kind

July 2008 Vol 1 Issue 3

Hello,

Wow! June certainly has been a cracker. Dasavathaaram exploded onto the screens at cinemas all around the country, making headlines and breaking records; it certainly has been a busy month for us. We were lucky enough to speak to Kamal Haasan during the release of Dasavathaaram and we thank him for taking time out to be our cover story for this edition. Apart from our cover story there is plenty more in this month’s “S”. There are articles with Ravi Varman and Nalini Sriram giving their perspectives on their contributions to the industry and we thank them both for this. We have received a very positive response to “S” so far and thank you all for taking the time to pick it up and read through it.

Regards

message from The Coo

Content Manager: Chitra MaheshDesign: PealiDezinePrinted by: Canara PrintersCover Photographer: Jatin Kampani

Tan NgarongaCOO

InnovatIons

Demystifying the spectaculars of the big screen

Impressed with the spectacular, almost-impossible-to-do scenes in today’s Hollywood and Bollywood films? Here is a take on what happens behind the scenes.

From the spaceships in Star Wars to the colour saturated futuristic cities in Speed-Racer; from the dinosaurs in Jurassic Park to the battle scenes in The Chronicles of Narnia 2: Prince Caspian, visual effects make the imaginary world look real.

Visual effects help enhance the look of a movie or create an entirely new scene and or situation. While these effects are very obvious in science fiction and action films, it is interesting how they are also used in other normal movies too. Don’t be surprised to know that almost every Hollywood movie produced today contains visual effects of some sort or the other.

According to Wikipedia, Visual effects (commonly shortened to Visual F/X or VFX) refer to the various processes by which visual imagery is created and/or manipulated outside the context of a traditional shoot. Visual effects often involve the integration of the shot footage and computer generated imagery in order to create environments or scenarios, which look realistic, but would be dangerous, costly, or simply impossible to capture on film. They have become increasingly common in big-budget films, and have also recently become accessible to the amateur filmmaker with the introduction of affordable animation and compositing software. A special effects team usually consists of artists, technicians, producers and managers who work together to create the required scenes.

While most of these effects were coming out of workstations in the United States, it is now being done in Chennai with Hollywood experts coming here and doing their work. Big players like Image Works/Sony Pictures have put Chennai on the world map for visual effects creation. Many of the eye-popping special effects in The Golden Compass including all the animal-demons that scurry in and out of scenes were done by a team of nearly 150 artists working at the Mumbai studios of animation and Special Effects (or “FX”) specialists, Rhythm & Hues.

Joe Gareri, GM, Imageworks, India and Krishnakant Mishra, Creative Supervisor are here in India taking care of visual effects for blockbusters like Hancock and Spiderman. “Deciding on the shots which need special effects is the integral part of the whole process” says Joe. He has been in Chennai since February this year to communicate better with the facilitator and

coordinate with the head in LA. “Visual effects could be of any kind, adding a

scene, enhancing explosions or adding smoke–actually just about anything.” says Krishnakant. For instance, with Hancock, the team worked on enhancing every scene that the director wanted them to. ‘’Sometimes it could just be removing spots on the face or small cosmetic changes. Our job is to ensure that damages, scratches and dirt are removed and to make whole thing appear seamless’’ adds Krishnakant.

Joe–“Usually we get the concept-brief from the director and we give our inputs after that. We will then give an idea of what will work and what will not. And then there are films

that have been completely shot against a blue screen (Sky Captain, Speed Racer) where we recreate everything apart from the characters. It is extremely exciting to work in this field. It keeps us energized and challenged”

Clearly a new genre of the outsourcing industry is growing faster than we can imagine. With a large latent talent pool and mushrooming animation schools in Chennai, we just might become a hub for all such visual effects creation. So the next time you watch a mind-blowing scene on screen, the digital effects of that scene could be coming from behind the screen, literally. ■

Deciding on the shots which need special effects is the integral part of the whole process

3Sathyam July 2008

A scene from the movie I am Legend

Joe Gareri, GM, Imageworks, India

Krishnakant Mishra, Creative Supervisor, Imageworks, India

Dressed casually in khaki trousers and a beige shirt, Kamal Haasan is an extremely pleased man. The magnum opus, Dasavathaaram, has broken

records at the box office and shows are still going houseful; not just in the A centres, but in the B, C and well, E too! This is perhaps one of those rare occasions, when a Tamil film has people leaving theatres vowing to see it again and again. The diehards love it; the cerebral ones choose to see things in it that satisfies their thought processes; and the rest go to see what the fuss is all about! Bottom line? Everyone has and is seeing the film that has made actor/director Kamal Haasan even more of a superstar than he already is.

It is always easy to talk about a film in retrospect–especially when things do not go well. But here everything has gone more than just well–and the man is pleased as Punch! “This is the biggest hit of my entire career,” he says as he talks to S one morning, a week after the film’s release.

He faces the questions with a serenity that comes from utter confidence about himself and his craft. There may have been flaws or even shortcomings, but then once an idea takes shape and materializes into something people love, then the job is done.

What brought about Dasavathaaram?It was a sort of a vague; not a very scientific analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of other projects and an assessment of the existing competition, that got things

started. There was also a lot of thought about why some films do well and how even very good ones, simply go down the drain.

Which means there’s something more to it?Yes. There are many factors that make up a film. Just making Dasavathaaram alone would not have been sufficient; a release pattern like this combined with the product is what is making it work so well. This has been considered a very maverick move, an over the top kind of thing and I was talking about it to like–minded people. We all then came together to work on an idea that is very simple really. We just said lets do something like Navarathiri and went about doing it without any pretenses. Our direction was clear–a claim for the market–of Tamil, Telugu and Hindi audiences. So it is something designed and intended for all.

There has been a specific focus on the positioning of the film. Hasn’t there?Yes. Like when companies decide their logos, they take into account their target areas. For instance, ICICI would have a different logo in Saudi Arabia and so would LIC. Likewise, we looked at all three languages. This is also why we have a Naidu, who becomes Pranab, a Bengali in the Hindi version, the Avtar Singh is an Avtar who is understood by all in India and then Bush is an international figure. Tell us more about the concept in the film.Well, the ten characters itself is a global village situation. It has nothing to do with any religious or spiritual connotation. In any case I am anti–

Kamal Haasan

cover story

4 Sathyam July 2008

Colossus of a Different KindSupreme success sits lightly on his shoulders.

If at all anyone can take credit, it is the person who says it is good.

Kamal Haasan in Vasool Raja MBBS

Colossus of a Different KindClockwise: Kamal Haasan in Kalathur Kannamma; Michael Madana Kama Rajan; Anbe Sivam; Aalavandhaan; Hey Ram; Sathya; Salangai Oli; Aboorva Sagodharargal; Dasavathaaram; Unnal Mudiyum Thambi

incarnation, but I am not anti people. If somebody believes in Christianity, Hinduism, Shaivism or Islam, it does not matter to me. I respect each one’s sentiments and mode of worship. To me the ascent of man in itself is a mind-boggling thing. And Darwin’s theory is something I believe to an extent. In fact, if somebody asks me what gothram I am, I always joke and say Darwin gothram. What I do try is to keep fit. For ultimately it is the survival of the fittest. That is what comes into play.

Is that what it seeks to show?The very idea of Dasavathaaram is the evolution for survival. There are no other lofty ideals. I also have precedence, not only in Tamil Nadu, but also in the West with people like Stanley Kubrick thinking along these lines. And another peer I respect very much is Paul Anderson, who made Magnolia. The way he goes about attacking religion and Christianity is intriguing. It is a very tangential attack and deep down you do know what makes a person angry. For that matter I can sense the effects of communism in One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest. It is there in such a low lying but subtle way–you can understand; considering Milos Forman is from one of those countries that has suffered oppression–from fascism to communism. You can understand why he would rebel against any order that suppresses that sense of freedom.

So would you say that we can read between the lines?Oh yes. Enough is written between the lines and deliberately a smaller print is available to be

looked at. In any case people are commenting and there is a paper and explanations doing the rounds on the net–some have taken up arms against it and are for it. Fortunately for me, the majority goes with me. And those who do not, don’t really trouble me. Some have wanted to tear it up. But even that is a point of view.

Are you completely satisfied with the way the film has shaped up?No way. No, indeed. I won’t say it is the greatest film ever made by me. With our limitations, our budgets–it is certainly not completely satisfactory. But in all this the best thing are the returns.

You spoke about the release process. How has that made such a difference?Never before has a Tamil film been released on this scale. We have very successfully countered the piracy market. Only the very lazy, like couch potatoes will watch it on DVD. Anyone who can go out for an idli, a paan or cigarettes can’t miss seeing the film in a theatre. It is available–like bananas. You can say we went bananas with the film.

What do you think is the strength of the film?I think it is the audience. The way they have supported me, it is simply unbelievable. I was worried about the English-speaking crowd–they were cool. But then, ultimately this film has not been made for them. It has been made for everybody. I thought it would go only up to the C centers. But I see that it has gone to the E centre as well. I am seeing people from all over going and watching the film. Especially women, who say it is

cover story

“A synergy between people is so essential to make things work.

”

“A synergy between people is so essential to make things work.

”

“One can think of things but the actual translation

of that is very, very difficult.”

No one person can claim responsibility for a film. It is a democratic process and a great deal of teamwork

6 Sathyam July 2008

Kamal Haasan in Sagalakala Vallavan

like watching an old MGR film. I don’t know what I did right, but I hope I can do it again.

What is your next project all about? As you know, I’m not just looking at something; I’m already in it. We are now working on Marmayogi and this is at an even grander scale. Of course, it is not the same model–this one has its own unique selling point. This is a 6th century spectacle with horses, people and the works. We have Hemaji in it and are trying to convince Amitabhji too. There is a child and we are looking at international technicians for special effects, make up and the rest of it. We have also brought three state of the art cameras that will be used for the film. Your take on the process of filmmaking and success.Sometimes I am very happy that I am in the forefront of fortune. I know there are some not so fortunate, but I strongly believe that cinema is a truly democratic process. There isn’t another way. I also know that some are paid less and some more. And when it comes to me, I am like T Rex, in terms of collecting the meat. It seems unfair yes, but that is the system. And I am not going to look at a gift horse in the mouth. Any film you take, whether it is a Dasavathaaram, Marmayogi, Maruthanayakam; it is a collective effort. It is not like Van Gogh sitting and painting sunflowers; very individualistic. And it is not like Victor Hugo writing Les Miserables either. In such things few are involved in the creative process. But in films, things can go so very drastically wrong with any one scene. The music director could go wrong; so could the dialogues.

Why even Asin could have gone wrong, had she not performed the way she did. Even a Bhaskar, who plays the translator, could have gone wrong. A synergy between so many people is so essential to make things work.

Things that you remember and the efforts taken.I had to work so closely with the stuntman in the Christian Fletcher scenes–I think they match any of the Hollywood films. The car chase looks–fast and furious (he laughs). You actually feel the energy, the sense of danger and speed. The way the process has been designed; it takes more than just one person to get it right. One can think of things, but the actual translation of that is very, very difficult. The challenge is also to do them all without hurting anyone, including me. And to the credit of the stunt director, I emerged without a scratch. Yes, I may have been knocked around a bit here and there–a bit like playing a rough game of football. But apart from that, there were no stitches no hospitalization–it was smooth sailing. The reason I’m saying all this is that there is so much risky stuff going on. And the lesson we learn about films is that, no one person can claim responsibility for it. It is a democratic process and a great deal of teamwork. If at all anyone can take credit, it is the person who says it is good. But even he is not alone for just a few cannot make that difference. Film ultimately is the most democratic art form I have ever seen. ■

NatioNal awardsKalathur Kannamma (1960), Best Child Artist Moondram Pirai (1982), Best ActorNayagan (1987), Best ActorIndian (1996), Best Actor

7Sathyam July 2008

Clockwise: Kamal Haasan in Virumaandi; Moondrampirai; Chachi 420; Indian; Japanil Kalyanaraman; Punnagai Mannan; Kurudhipunal; Devar Magan

Kamal Haasan in Guna (above); Nayagan (below)

The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor Starcast: Brendan Fraser, Maria Bello, Jet Li, John Hannah, Michelle Yeoh and Luke Ford; Director: Rob Cohen

Adventure. Brendan Fraser returns as explorer Rick O’Connell to combat the resurrected Han Emperor (Jet Li) in an epic that races from the catacombs of ancient China high into the frigid Himalayas. Rick is joined in this all-new adventure by son Alex (newcomer Luke Ford), wife Evelyn (Maria Bello) and her brother, Jonathan (John Hannah). And this time, the O’Connells must stop a mummy awoken from a 2,000-year-old curse who threatens to plunge the world into his merciless, unending service.

First Cut

8 Sathyam July 2008

Kuselan Starcast: Rajnikanth, Nayanthara, Pasupathy, Meena, Santhanam, Livingston, Vadivelu and Prabhu;Director: P. Vasu

Drama. A remake of the Malayalam hit Katha Paryumbol, Kuselan is the story of a barber Balan (Pasupathy) who lives with his wife, Sreedevi (Meena) and three children in a village. With a new generation saloon opening next to his shop, Balan is in huge debt struggling to make ends meet. His life then takes a turn when a film crew arrives in his village.

The hero of the film is the reigning superstar Ashok Raj (Rajnikanth) who happens to be Balan’s childhood friend and this news spreads like wild fire in the village. All of a sudden, Balan becomes the cynosure of all eyes in the village and he has the entire village approaching him. All of them want just one thing from him-an introduction to Ashok Raj.

With a strong script by Srinivasan, Kuselan tells an endearing tale of friendship and love.

9Sathyam July 2008

Box Office Toppers: Hindi (April 2008)

Sarkar RajStarcast: Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai, Tanisha Mukerji, Govind Namdeo and Amitabh Bachchan.Director: Ram Gopal Varma

Mere Baap Pehle AapStarcast: Akshaye Khanna, Om Puri, Manoj Joshi, Rajpal Yadav, Archana Puran Singh, Sameer, Paresh Rawal and Genelia D’Souza.Director: Priyadarshan

JannatStarcast: Emran Hashmi, Sonal Chauhan, Sameer Kochhar, Vishal Malhotra and Javed Shaikh. Director: Kunal Deshmukh

1 2 3

Kismat Konnection 18th July ‘08 Starcast: Shahid Kapur, Vidya Balan, Haidar Ali and Vishal Malhotra; Director: Aziz Mirza

Romance. Priya (Vidya Balan) is an idealist, intent on making the world a better, more humane place to live in and is willing to fight a lone battle for it. In college, Raj Malhotra (Shahid Kapur) was numero uno. But four years after winning the Best-Student-of-the-Year trophy from his architectural college, he’s wondering why a brilliant architect like him, with designs to set the Canadian landscape on fire, is still struggling to find that One Big Chance to showcase his mettle.

It’s almost as though some negative kismat is constantly following him, because whenever something good is about to happen, it seems doomed to fail. Desperate to fight this kismat Raj meets a quirky oracle, Hasina Bano Jaan (Juhi Chawla) who directs him towards his luck charm.

Suddenly his life gets on the right track and he manages to impress top builder Sanjeev Gill (Om Puri), into giving him a prestigious project.

Does this mean that Raj has unwittingly discovered his lucky charm? Has lady luck finally decided to smile on him? Where will this new found kismat lead Raj? To the height of love or pinnacle of success? Only Kismat Konnection will tell.

The Dark KnightStarcast: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Aaron Eckhart, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Eric Roberts; Director: Christopher Nolan

Adventure. The follow-up to the action hit Batman Begins; The Dark Knight reunites director Christopher Nolan and star Christian Bale, who reprises the role of Batman/Bruce Wayne. In the new film, Batman raises the stakes in his war on crime. With the help of Lieutenant Jim Gordon and District Attorney Harvey Dent, Batman sets out to dismantle the remaining criminal organizations that plague the city streets. The partnership proves to be effective, but they soon find themselves prey to a reign of chaos unleashed by a rising criminal mastermind known to the terrified citizens of Gotham, as The Joker.

The X Files: I Want to BelieveStarcast: David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson and Amanda Peet; Director: Chris Carter

Sci Fi. The supernatural thriller is a stand-alone story in the tradition of some of the show’s most acclaimed and beloved episodes, and takes the always-complicated relationship between Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Anderson) in unexpected directions. Mulder continues his unshakable quest for the truth, and Scully, the passionate, ferociously intelligent physician, remains inextricably tied to Mulder’s pursuits.

First Cut

10 Sathyam July 2008

HancockStarcast: Will Smith, Jason Bateman, Charlize Theron, Daeg Faerch, Lauren Hill and Darrell Foster;Director: Peter Berg

Adventure. There are heroes. There are superheroes. And then there’s Hancock (Will Smith). With great power comes great responsibility–everyone knows that, but Hancock. Edgy, conflicted, sarcastic, and misunderstood, Hancock’s well–intentioned heroics might get the job done and save countless lives, but always seem to leave jaw-dropping damage in their wake. As grateful as they are to have their local hero, the good citizens of Los Angeles are wondering what they ever did to deserve this guy. Hancock isn’t the kind of man who cares what other people think–until the day that he saves the life of PR executive Ray Embrey (Jason Bateman), and the sardonic superhero begins to realize that he may have a vulnerable side after all. Facing that will be Hancock’s greatest challenge yet–and a task that may prove impossible as Ray’s wife, Mary (Charlize Theron), insists that he’s a lost cause.

Love Story 2050 4th July ‘08Starcast: Harman Baweja, Priyanka Chopra, Boman Irani and Archana Puran Singh; Director: Harry Baweja

Romance Sci-Fi. Love Story 2050 is about Karan (Harman Baweja) a young, spirited, sporty boy who lives life off the rules and Sana (Priyanka Chopra), a petite, shy girl who lives life by the rules.

Karan’s uncle, Dr. Yatinder Khanna (Boman Irani), a whacky scientist has been working on a Time Machine for years, which one day finally, works! Sana expresses her wish to travel time, to Mumbai in the year 2050 and what they see in the future is a spectacular city with flying cars, 200 storey buildings, robots and sky rails that have changed the very face of Mumbai and the world!

Karan is now on a quest to find his lady love with the help of QT, a friendly femme robot and BOO, an adorable robotic teddy bear. But soon they find themselves under the threat of the demi God of the future, Dr. Hoshi.

Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na 4th July ‘08Starcast: Imran Khan, Genelia D’Souza, Karan Makhija, Alishka Varde, Pratiek Babbar, Ratna Pathak and Manjari Fadnis;Director: Abbas Tyrewala

Romance. Meet Jai Singh Rathore–‘Rats’ (Imran Khan), the most non-violent Rajput either side of the Aravallis. And meet, if you dare, the violent and passionate Aditi Mahant –‘Meow’ (Genelia D’Souza). Do what you have to, but do NOT pick a fight with her. She screams, abuses and scratches. And if you do get into a scrap, take cover till Jai arrives, as only he can calm our snarling wildcat.

Jai and Aditi are perfect for each other (in an odd, distorted way that is quite impossible to understand). Friends know this. Parents know this. Everybody around knows this. But do Rats and Meow know? Can two people ever, truly, know the secrets of their hearts?

And there, you have it! Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na. Don’t miss the coolest, warmest, hippest, funniest musical-romantic-comedy of the decade.

Kung Fu Panda Starcast: Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, Jackie Chan, Lucy Liu, Ian McShane, David Cross, Seth Rogen and Michael Clarke Duncan; Director: John Stevenson, Mark Osborne

Animation. Enthusiastic, big and a little clumsy, Po is the biggest fan of Kung Fu around and which doesn’t exactly come in handy while working every day in his family’s noodle shop. Unexpectedly chosen to fulfill an ancient prophecy, Po’s dreams become reality when he joins the world of Kung Fu and studies alongside his idols, the legendary Furious Five–Tigress, Crane, Mantis, Viper and Monkey under the leadership of their guru, Master Shifu. But before they know it, the vengeful and treacherous snow leopard Tai Lung is headed their way, and it’s up to Po to defend everyone from the oncoming threat. Can he turn his dreams of becoming a Kung Fu master into reality? Po puts his heart–and his girth–into the task, and the unlikely hero ultimately finds that his greatest weaknesses turn out to be his greatest strengths.

11Sathyam July 2008

Box Office Toppers: English (May 2008)

The Forbidden KingdomStarcast: Jet Li, Jackie Chan, Michael Angarano, Collin Chou, Crystal Liu Yi Fei and Li Bing Bing. Director: Rob Minkoff

The HappeningStarcast: Mark Wahlberg, Zooey Deschanel, John Leguizamo, Spencer Breslin, Ashlyn Sanchez and Betty Buckley. Director: M Night Shyamalan

The Chronicles of Narnia:Prince CaspianStarcast: Georgie Henley, Skandar Keynes, William Moseley, Anna Popplewell, Liam Neeson and Ben Barnes. Director: Andrew Adamson

Indiana JonesStarcast: Harrison Ford, Cate Blanchett, Karen Allen, Ray Winstone, JohnHurt, Jim Broadbent and Shia LaBeouf.Director: Steven Spielberg

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red carpet


The most awaited film of the year strode into Sathyam Cinemas in style! The premiere of the Steven Spielberg spectacle, starring Harrison Ford as

Dr. Henry “Indiana” Jones, at Sathyam, witnessed a huge turn out on the eve of its India release. Stars, musicians, veejays and the press arrived right on time to catch the unforgettable archaeologist in action for the fourth time. Joining Ford on the big screen this time were newcomer Shia LaBeouf, Cate Blanchett and Karen Allen.

Guests at the premiere included director Priyadarshan with his wife Lissy, actors Arya, Vincent, Sona, Shiva and music director Yuvan Shankar Raaja.

IndIana Jones

Rahasiya smiles pretty

Director Priyadarshan, his wife Lissy and their kids

Dark knights-Paloma & Cary

Aswin Sekar and his sister with Paloma

Arya walks in for the premiereDynamic duo-Shiva and Yuvan Shankar Raaja

Fashion in film-Chaitanya Rao, Tina and Vincent Ashokan

13Sathyam July 2008

Jeyam KondaanGuests at the audio launch of Jeyam Kondaan

Kamal Haasan at the audio launch

of Jeyam Kondaan

The audio cassette of the film being handed over to Kamal Haasan and Sharath Kumar

Vinay addresses the media

The audio release of the much awaited Jeyam Kondaan took place at Santham, Sathyam Cinemas early last month. The first copy of the album was handed over to Kamal Haasan and Sharath Kumar.

The stars of film, Vinay, Bhavna and debutante Lekha Washington were also present at the release. The movie promises to be a complete entertainer, with the story and screenplay written by R. Kannan. The music is by Vidyasagar and all the songs are structured with a direction to suit the romantic theme of the movie.


red carpet

subramanIapuramComplimenting the theme of the offbeat, retro Subramaniapuram, was its audio release at Sathyam Cinemas. The event organised by Think Music brought together some of the biggest names in the industry. The guests who received the first copy of the album included Gautham Menon, Vetrimaran, Chimbudevan, Ameer, Karu Palaniappan, Rama Narayanan and Sasikumar.

Making his debut as music director with this film is the popular TV anchor James Vasanthan.

Jai & Swathi with their movie audio CD

Guests & the cheerful Subramaniapuram team

magic hat

A glimpse into the children’s play lounge at Sathyam Cinemas

Cradles& Crayons!


Conceived especially for those with children, who don’t quite know where to leave them, when they want to catch the latest flick in town, this play lounge

is the answer.Located on the first floor at Sathyam Cinemas,

Magic Hat is the perfect place where children are cared for in a professionally supervised play area.

The play lounge offers different kinds of activities for children of all age groups.

Little kids can toy around with play stations filled with interactive games, books and a mini theater that shows them their cartoons while the cozy sleeping nook for babes in arms, allows them to dream their happy dreams.

Colourful wooden and plastic toys are chosen with care so that there are no rough edges to take away from their usage. Books, CDs and other games are spread out for children to choose what they want to occupy themselves with.

Little Kavitha says with absolute glee, “I love being at Magic Hat. There is plenty to play with and lots of yummy treats like popcorn, cookies, chips and sandwiches.”

Complete with padded walls and wooden flooring, the efficient staff of about 12, ensure that the play area is a place of joy. This makes parents really confident of leaving their children with the friendly, professionally trained staff who can handle any kind of situation or emergency, should it arise. “To me Magic Hat is all about having a good time–and I can be assured that my kids are in good, safe hands!”–says Vinitha, who drops her kids off at Magic Hat quite frequently.

Apart from the parents who come to watch movies here, children on their own love playing

here and often drag their parents to a movie just so they can spend time at Magic Hat.

Says Helen, a trained Special Children Educator, who looks after Magic Hat, “The staff is also trained in handling young infants. We work in two shifts including the night shift when parents come to watch the night shows and they are fully capable of handling all sorts of emergencies. No child is likely to get hurt here with its special flooring and walls, with all electrical sockets being out of reach of children regardless of their age. Besides, our facility maintains the highest standards of cleanliness.”

Magic Hat does not stop with just caring for children whose parents come to watch movies. The place can be hired for birthday parties and other occasions for upto three hours where games, gifts and delectable eats can be organized. Theme parties, story telling sessions and workshops are also very popular here and the party games are organized based on the theme parents choose for their children.

Ask the kids and here’s what they have to say, “We love to come here not just for a party, but simply to have fun–any time, any day and for any occasion!” For more information on Magic Hat contact 6566 6777. ■

“To me Magic Hat is all about having a good time–and I can be assured that my kids are in good, safe hands!”– says Vinitha.

17Sathyam July 2008

Anyone who is familiar with the film industry will know that one of the most striking aspects of a film are its costumes and clothes worn by the stars!

Clothes and the way they look get accentuated especially in the song and dance extravaganzas of Indian films; and apart from making stars look different, glamorous and riveting; this is one department that is constantly gaining ground. Today, costume designers are creating waves–and the best designers are being roped in to create new looks in films that seek to address a large population.

A chance favour for someone who asked for help in films put Nalini Sriram on the path of costuming and designing for films. Today she has covered the span of stars from Suriya, Vijay (Pokkiri), Trisha, Manisha Koirala (Baba) and a host of others; her work has been talked about–set

trends, and also led to the emphasis of having a good designer to create the right look in a film.

Even Hollywood, that hardly laid any emphasis on costumes at one time, woke up to the unprecedented credential of a costume designer. Cecil B. DeMille (Cleopatra, Sunset Boulevard, The Golden Bed, The Volga Boatman, The Greatest Show on Earth and The Ten Commandments) was one of the first to realize that audiences want extreme couture and would pay to see their fantasies. He helped film costumes to gain greater artistic stature and it was then a foregone conclusion that costume designing would become a major component of the film industry.

Talk to Nalini and you get a picture of how hectic and challenging this aspect of filmmaking can be. She is working on big projects including Villu, Silambattam, Vaaranam Aayiram and Ayan, each with very interesting possibilities for costumes.

CINEMASCOPE

Fashion designer Nalini Sriram shares her trysts with couture culture in the Tamil film industry

Couture Cult

Emphasis is on the visual appeal and everything matters


Surya & Tamanna in Ayan

Trisha in Kuruvi

“The scripts and the situations are very challenging. The process of working for each film has to be necessarily different, it depends on how each director and the cameraman ideates with me. We might want to break the mould with the main character, turn somebody around in the way they look or take that step to completely deglamorize some key character. It all depends on the story, and of course all this is subject to the assumption that people do notice that the heroine is not wearing bright red for a crying scene. All we try to do is show through the clothes the nature of the situation cinematically. Costumes make that visual impact.”

Nalini has seen, in the course of her career, how the field has matured and come such a long way from where it was. “People want to look different–travel that distance to have that makeover.”

When it comes to the style component, the industry is making headway no doubt, “We might still be behind Bollywood, but nonetheless now have a new generation of heroes and heroines who are looking at such things. Emphasis is on the visual appeal, and everything matters–you see every little pore or twitch magnified on screen and if one is wearing the wrong kind of clothes, it shows, is talked about and criticized.” The challenge lies in making each project fresh, meaningful and distinct.

Nalini feels that these are the things that keep all of them on their toes “We are constantly

looking at what we can do and how we can improve on what we have. Besides, audiences are primarily getting younger; we have to look at that aspect too.”

What the audience watches, then, becomes the yardstick for the code of dressing. “What we use for stars is not inexpensive–a man who plays Pokkiri, does not wear cheap stuff–we get a good brand, we beat it and then get the look of something scruffy. When a movie becomes a hit, fans find less expensive ways of duplicating it. For instance, in Pokkiri, Vijay wore double shirts and so a lot of his fans started the trend in real life too. Like the Chandramukhi saris; people go to stores and ask for things like rings, bracelets, belts and accessories worn by popular stars. Take the pavadai davani, from Kandukondien Kandukondien or now in Yaara Di Nee Mohini; or Trisha’s ensemble of a software professional in Selvaraghavan’s next film.”

“I personally prefer to work with natural fabrics–cottons, linen, chiffons, and georgette. My instinct is to stay with the classic and not the kitsch.

Ultimately of course, it is the vision of the director and my job is to see that it materializes.”

And this is the attitude that makes filmmakers want to work with her–she is committed, hard working and has good synergy with the filmmaker and the cameraman. Not one to talk about her achievements, she signs off and makes her way back to the sets–and the show goes on. ■

19Sathyam July 2008

Cecil B. DeMille was

one of the first to realize that

audiences want extreme couture and would pay to see their fantasies

Silambarasan in Silambattam Vijay in Villu Vijay in Kuruvi

A still from the movie The Greatest Show on Earth

That certainly seems to be the case with Ravi Varman, who continues to work even after the grueling schedule of Dasavathaaram is complete and ready for applause and

appreciation. All it took was one incident many years ago, when a young lad from a village near Thanjavur wanted to preserve his mother’s memory through an out of focus photograph. When that seemed near impossible, he took to a path and hasn’t looked back since. Ravi Varman, cinematographer, now director and soon to turn actor, is the man behind some of the most wondrous images in films such as Vettaiyadu Vilayadu, Anniyan and Dasavathaaram, (which he says has been a tremendous but difficult learning experience) among others, placing him at a level that even he does not seem to be conscious of. He is working on his first venture, Moscowin Kaveri, but is right now traveling the path near Pollachi in preparation for a shoot for Prabhu Deva’s directorial venture. There really is no rest in between projects and “even I don’t want that. I must be working and that’s when I’m the happiest,” he says.

A quick recount of how you came to this field.I’m basically from family of farmers; my village,

Poyyoundarkudikkadu is near Thanjavur. After my mother died, I wanted something in her memory. I tried in vain; using a group photograph with her, taken by a small time photographer with an auto flash camera. But I simply couldn’t get a clearer image. That’s when the passion for photography began. My first still camera was a Zenith. From then till now, I have found that only hard work combined with intelligence brings victory in this field.

How has the journey been?I’ve only learnt more and more. I don’t really have many preconceived notions about anything; I take each day, each step as it comes along. I’ve worked with some of the best actors and directors and each one of them has contributed greatly to this learning process. But I have to say that Kamal Sir has been an inspiration for all times. I sometimes fear his talent and intelligence.

Which would you say have been landmark films in your life so far?I can only talk about the ones I have done, and I really can’t say which has been more important. Right from Rajiv Kumar’s film Santham that I did many years ago where I learnt so much

ImpressIons


Ravi Varman tells us why turning points in life are the stuff dreams are made of.

Living the Dream

I don’t have many

preconceived notions about

anything; I take each day, each step as it comes along.

A still from DasavathaaramA still from Anniyan

“The only thing is hard

work. There is nothing else.”


about lighting and the use of natural light, to Dasavathaaram–which has been like going to college for close to two years–each one has taught me something more.

Shooting Dasavathaaram must have been difficult…Difficult, yes. But also very fulfilling. Don’t forget, one is working with a person who thinks ten steps ahead. It has been extremely laborious and one never quite knew how each shot would turn out even after elaborate preparations. But this is probably one of those few occasions when I feel things have turned out the way I wanted it to and I don’t feel that any part could have been done differently.

When has it been the most challenging–when

you have had to follow the laid down principles of cinematography or when you have worked instinctively?

The thing is, even with intense preparation shoots don’t always go the way you thought it out. In that sense, I think instincts work better. For instance in Vettaiyadu Vilayadu, Gautam Menon gave me complete freedom and liberty to work things out the way I thought would work best. It was not easy by any means, but I remember one particular scene when Kamal has to unearth a body for investigation. The process had to show different times of the day. The sequence was based pretty much on instincts–tough to do, but it was done seamlessly. But in the process of working it out, I am also conscious that I do not break the vision the actor or the director may have for the entire look and feel of the film.

What would you say is the mantra for your success? Any pointers for aspiring camera persons?The only thing is hard work. There is nothing else. You go about your work regardless of the world. Don’t look at what others are doing. Do not talk about others and what they could be doing. We are all here for a short time. And we must make the best use of this life and be useful!

And this is the attitude that defines Ravi Varman, the artist, whose life is not determined by the number of films he does, has on hand, or will do in the future! All he wants is for his work to speak volumes–for him, for the industry and for the cause of excellent cinema! ■

Kamal Haasan in Vettaiyadu Vilayadu

The thing is even with intense

preparation, shoots don’t always go

the way you thought it

out. In that sense, I think

instincts work better.

ImpressIons

Ravi Varman’s Moscowin Kaveri

trivia

For Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, 100,000 people lined the streets of Wellington, New Zealand, for

the world premiere. That’s roughly a quarter of the city’s population. And then the amount of money that New Line reclaimed in tax breaks, was ten times more than the entire annual budget of the New Zealand Film Commission, which funds local film-making. One more thing. The final reel of the film was completed only five days before the world premiere. It was only then that Peter Jackson saw the completed version of the film for the first time.

The Lord of the Rings trilogy went on to become the most nominated film series in Academy Award® history with 30 nominations surpassing both the Godfather trilogy (28 nominations) and the Star Wars franchise (21 nominations). l

When it comes to Bond, James Bond, Casino

Royale is the first one to have a direct sequel Quantum of Solace to be released later this year. It is also the first official Bond film to start without the famous gun barrel introduction. It comes much later.

The emphasis on Bond’s legendary drink, ‘vodka martini, shaken, not stirred’ features in Casino Royale. And what really goes into this drink? Three measures of Gordon’s, one of vodka, a half a measure of Kina Lillet, shaken over ice with a thin slice of lemon! l

No less an artist than Victoria Beckham was offered a cameo in Sex and the City. But she turned it down thanks to the clashing schedules of the Spice Girls tour rehearsals.

Sex and the City was released ten years after the series was first aired and four years after it ended. H. Stern, the renowned Brazilian company, loaned more than 300 pieces of jewellery for the shoot of the film. l

When Ben Hur got made completely, MGM was

afraid small-time local Italian producers would use the sets as backgrounds for their own low-budget epics–they then simply destroyed all sets to ensure that they would never be used again.

Other than being an epic film, in Ben Hur the chariot race alone had a 263-to-1 cutting ratio (263 feet of film for every one foot kept). This is probably the highest for any 65mm sequence ever filmed.

Ben Hur happens to be one of only two MGM films, where the trademark Leo the Lion does not roar at opening credits. For religious reasons is why it did not. The other is The Next Voice You Hear (1950), which also has a religious theme. l

As there is much talk about the film, Hancock,

it turns out that what is Sony Pictures gain, was Warner Bros’s loss. They passed up on a chance to make the film and Sony stepped in. The rest is history. l It took 44 days to shoot

The Happening. It began on August 6, 2007, exactly nine years since the start of The Sixth Sense. And the film happens to be M Night Shyamalan’s first one, to have an A rating. l

At SAthyAm CinemAS

Ramesh Sippy’s Sholay starring Dharmendra, Amitabh Bachchan, Hema Malini, Sanjeev Kumar, Jaya Bhaduri and Amjad Khan as the timeless villain, Gabbar Singh was the longest running film (15 months).

K. S. Ravikumar’s Dasavathaaram starring Kamal Haasan, Asin Thottumkal, Mallika Sherawat, Jayaprada and Napolean had the biggest box office collections in the opening week.

25Sathyam July 2008

ACROSS

1. Bike TN-04 H-1386 is a key character in this movie3. First Tamil film with an English title7. Mani Ratnam’s only Malyalam film8. Venkat Prabhu’s screen name10. Yogeswaram Veerasingam, better known as?11. Krishna, Munna, Bob Galy, Kumar and Juju better

known as?12. We know Gopi Shantha or Pallathur Paapa better as?13. First Tamil film on a Shakespeare play14. A single man avenging the destruction of his village15. He discovered A.R. Rahman

DOWN

2. Vijay, Vikram, Dharani & Surya are alumni of?4. NIT Trichy alumus, now a director5. Penned Michael Madan Kamarajan6. Aadu Puli Aattam’s hero was?9. OST of veedu, recorded before the movie was shot

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DiD U know?

Shankar’s Sivaji starring Rajinikanth, Shriya Saran, Suman, Vivek and Raghuvaran was the highest grossing film of all time.

crossworD

A lot of us might not remember the story or the name of an interesting film 15 years ago–but we are unlikely to forget the actors. A Hindi film about two sons

fighting and claiming the love and affection of their mother is always remembered as an Amitabh Bachchan, a Shashi Kapoor or a Nirupa Roy film and not always as Deewar!

All James Bond films are recalled as a Sean Connery or a Roger Moore film. And this happens despite the actor putting in only one fifth of the work. Who remembers the director or the producer of Ben Hur? The only name that rings a bell is Charleston Heston or may be the Chariot!

What makes actors so special? I have always asked this question and I have heard several explanations–but nothing really justifies the larger than life image of film actors.

I started my life as a film technician. I have always thought actors were props or puppets in the director’s hand. But gradually and bitterly I might add; I realised that they pretty much determine the success of a film. A Kamal Haasan, a Rajinikanth or an Amitabh Bachchan might not actually write a particular scene–but they are the face of the scene! In truth the soul of the scene is created by the writer and steered by the director.

What does it take to be an actor? If you want to be an actor, do not watch Shahrukh Khan or Ajit on screen and try to imitate them. Instead, buy a full sized mirror–walk in front of it–talk, laugh, cry and dance for about 10 days. At the end of 10 days, look at yourself in the mirror. Do you still like what you see? If the mirror image is unappealing and hopeless, drop all acting ambitions and go back to college or to office but if the image in the mirror is still interesting and exciting, enrol in acting, dancing or diction classes.

An aspiring actor needs to constantly talk to himself/herself to get over inhibitions. If you can listen to yourself, you have the potential to take directions from the film maker.

And then of course grooming is important.

Despite what is said about looks not being important, it is! When it comes to the camera, the way you look matters a great deal. The actor does not have to be the most handsome man or Miss Universe–but there has to be a certain extra ‘something’–that makes the person unique.

Take any successful actor or actress and you will notice that spark about them!

Great directors and actors have always made great films together, not to mention some truly memorable fights. I remember how the Actors Guild reacted badly to the press statement made by Alfred Hitchcock when he said “Actors should be treated like cattle.” The furious actors demanded an apology. And he gave a statement the next day saying “I apologise for having said that actors should be treated like cattle. I was wrong and I would like to correct my statement. Actors ARE Cattle!”

But then for the audience, the ACTOR is KING. And that is the truth!

So till next time, Cheers. ■

And he (Alfred Hitchcock) gave a statement the next day saying “I apologise for having said that Actors should be treated like cattle. I was wrong and I would like to correct my statement. Actors ARE Cattle!”

Films and Actors are Synonymous

first person

Leaves Out of My Book

by Suhasini Mani Ratnam
