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Hindustan Times
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
A poet with camera, and his cinema of humanism
Strap: Unscripted, he spun stories on the loom of time, evoking a cinematography that touched your soul. Space elasticised. Nuanced narratives nudged your nerves. Cinematographer-director Shaji Neelakantan Karunakaran, better known as Shaji N Karun from Kerala, breathed his last on April 28 aged 73. Still a second-year cinematography student at the Film & Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune, Shaji, as I knew him, had started his filmmaking career at the age of 20, even before he shot his diploma film at the film institute. Once, while teaching at the FTII as a vising faculty, the well-known Malayalam director Ramu Kariat (best known for Chemmeen, which won the national award for best film in 1965), found in his classroom a student who shared his language and land. Kariat asked the young Shaji to shoot an event at Thrissur. Bollywood star, Dilip Kumar, was visiting the cultural capital of Kerala to inaugurate a function. The year was 1972, the silver jubilee of India's Independence. Fortunately, Shaji had Deepavali holidays and could accept the assignment. After the shoot, he went to Chennai to process the black-and-white (b&w) footage at the AVM Lab, where he met G Aravindan, who was there to process his debut film Uttarayanam. This short story led to a much longer one of a wonderful jugalbandi between Aravindan and Shaji that left behind one of the most enduring cinematographic legacies. A cinematography that, in its unique aesthetic, has warped human ethos in its wefts. This duet worked silently in the noisy filmmaking world. Aravindan didn't even utter the word 'cut' during their entire filmmaking practice. 'He never said 'cut' while I was shooting. We had some internal tuning, a sort of telepathy. He would only touch me on my shoulder from behind and that would be enough,' Shaji told me during a conversation. This silence produced Aravindan's contemplative classic Kanchana Seeta, which had Seeta's character not in flesh and blood but in prakriti (nature) in its sensual organicity, where Seeta is felt in her spirit, not physically seen. Adapting a play by N Sreekanthan Nair, Aravindan transforms its verbal dialogues into eloquent silences, which, Shaji imbues with spiritual depth. Starring the local Rama Chenchu tribals of Andhra Pradesh, without any make-up or ornamentation, Kanchana Seeta, to my mind, remains one of the most austerely adorable cinematographic works our world has produced. When it was shot on location, Shaji had just graduated from the FTII with a gold medal. Along with the play, the film also mixed elements of the poet Valmiki's epic Ramayana. Produced with a budget of only one lakh rupees, Shaji had no high-speed film, nor adequate equipment, but he had his will and vision, which was stubbornly poetic. With no conventional script, Kanchana Seeta took only 17 days to complete shooting. Shot with aplomb by Shaji, Chidambaram (the only film for which Aravindan wrote a 21-page screenplay) evokes memories of Peter Bruegel the Elder or one of our own miniature paintings. Compare the scenes of cows grazing in meadows in both these films. As a cinematographer, Shaji was widely exposed to the traditions of Indian and European paintings, including those of the Renaissance. This eye is evident in even some of the popular films he shot for other filmmakers such as Padmarajan (Koodevide), KG George (Lekhayude Maranam Oru Flashback), MT Vasudevan Nair (Manju), besides several other Malayalam film directors' works, and also Sukhwant Dhadda's Ek Chadar Maili Si, adapting Rajinder Singh Bedi's classic Urdu novella by the same name. When the cinematographer Shaji N Karun took the directorial baton in his hands, a Malayalam film Piravi was born. Piravi, in English, meant birth. Shot by the 21-year-old Sunny Joseph, G Aravindan had composed the music for Piravi, along with Mohan Sitara. Piravi's poignant exploration of time and space like a musical rendering presents to us a face of an old man, Chakyar, immortalised by social reformer/playwright/ actor Premji. This face is turned into water, a boat, a mirror, a geography of Kerala's history and of the world's own at the same time, ensconced in space that viscerally envelopes us like the mysterious muslin. Shaji poured his internal illumination into this cinematographic work that won India over 30 prestigious awards, including the 1989 Cannes festival's Camera d'Or. Awards apart, the film imbues cinematography with a contemplative glow transcending all national boundaries. Metaphorically, the old Chakyar's search for his son is still on, anywhere in the world. It is the archetypal search that still haunts us. This archetype melts genders — father becomes mother and mother, father. The element of love turns universal. Piravi, with the Emergency disappearances as the backdrop, in many ways, became a measuring master stick comparing Shaji's other directorial works, particularly Swaham (1994) and Vanaprastham (1999). Poeticising the emotional texture of sorrow, Swaham, in its womb, carries Piravi's pangs. In Swaham, the son dies in a demonstration protesting against State corruption. However, the search is to find a new form for a familiar Malayalam story, which is announced in a quotation from Kalidasa's Shakuntalam. Like a true artist, Shaji doesn't give up his own muslin for market. Like a weaver, he kept on weaving time on the loom, with space that was left to us to search for a feeling, a sthayi bhava, while meanings keep changing. Shaji owned his quest. He left an emptiness of an absence called death. The streak of light slithers brilliantly through the dark melody of Shaji's oeuvre. Amrit Gangar is a Mumbai-based author, curator and historian. The views expressed are personal
NDTV
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- NDTV
Jaideep Ahlawat NDTV Exclusive: "The Waiting And Rejections Taught Me Everything"
New Delhi: Slow and steady wins the race, the saying particularly holds true for Jaideep Ahlawat. The FTII (Film & Television Institute of India) graduate has had a tumultuous ride to the top, but one imbued with learnings, rejections, and the eternal wait for that one moment. Ahlawat had a cameo role in the 2008 film Narmeen, before marking his debut in the 2010 movie Khatta Meetha. Since then it has been a labyrinth of roles in commercial cinema such as Commando: A One Man Army (2013), Gabbar Is Back (2015), and Vishwaroopam II (2018). His claim to fame came with his impressive performance in Raazi (2018), and then finally the moment to shine with the cop drama series Paatal Lok in 2020. As Ahlawat himself agrees with. In an exclusive conversation with NDTV, the Jewel Thief star trudges down the memory lane a bit to unearth where he was, and where he has reached today. He gets candid about lessons learnt and how it feels to be chiming to the tunes of, "It's Jaideep Ahlawat's world, and we are just living in it." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Netflix India (@netflix_in) Precisely where the conversation begins: "I Try Not To Take The Praise Or Pressure Too Seriously" There are always one or two actors in every generation, who you can only grow to appreciate and applaud. Jaideep Ahlawat is one of those actor who has steadfastly gone up that ladder with every role. Be it an Intelligence Agent in Raazi, a cop in Paatal Lok, or a Math teacher in Jaane Jaan, versatility has always peaked in his filmography. With a success rate like that, it is easy to get swayed by the adulation. Jaideep Ahlawat expresses deep gratitude but stays rooted in humbleness as he reacts to it. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jaideep Ahlawat (@jaideepahlawat) He says, "It still feels surreal to hear people say such nice things. Sab janta ka pyaar, sammaan hai and I am grateful for the same. But I try not to take the praise or the pressure too seriously. What keeps me grounded is the work. There's always a new scene to prepare, a new character to understand, and that constant chase keeps your feet on the ground." Jaideep Ahlawat On The Tough Road To Success: "The Waiting Taught Me Everything" For any struggling actor, what seems like a perpetual feeling of hopelessness is the waiting. The waiting to be discovered, to be witnessed, to be able to do the work and hone the craft, that the talent set out to. Most often actors who reach the pinnacle of success, often want to give an advice to their younger selves. Jaideep Ahlawat is no different. X/FTII The actor chuckles, as he adds, "If I could speak to my younger self at FTII, I'd probably say, ' Bhai, relax kar thoda. Don't overthink.' That phase, with all its uncertainty and chaos, shaped me. I don't think I would change a thing, even the rejections, and the waiting, they all taught me something. Dekho, safalta ka mazaa sangharsh ke baad hi aata hai." And indeed, the waiting bore fruit. Jaideep Ahlawat On What Will Make The Audience See Yet Another Side Of Him In Jewel Thief If his smooth dance moves in Jaadu from Jewel Thief was not enough to get the internet swooning to the chants of "It's Jaideep Ahlawat's world, and we are just living in it", then Ahlawat dissects his character as a Mafia boss further. Not only does he talk about the exciting layers in his character as an actor, but he offers the opposite perspective on what's in for the viewer. That's always a good place to be, to judge the kind of scripts one is falling for. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Netflix India (@netflix_in) Jaideep says, "There's flair, flamboyance, and a bit of mischief. It's stylised but also has layers. As a viewer, I think what excited me most is how unpredictable he is. I've played intense, grounded characters before but this guy walks into a room and owns it with his vibe. That was fun to explore." Ahlawat has often been asked about his natural pull towards intense characters, while the stereotype can get a little bothersome, he flips the coin right when the audience asks for it. "Maybe One Day Someone Will Write A Mad, Bizarre Comedy And Think Of Me" Speaking of switching genres, how does a world where Jaideep Ahlawat tickles our funny bones, sound? It sounds fantastic to the actor who lights up when asked about comedy films, and picturing him in it. He agrees with the belief that it is one of the toughest genres out there to crack, but a challenge is always welcome. The actor responds, "You're absolutely right, comedy is tough. But yes, I would love to do it. I mean it's a genre I have always admired. Maybe one day someone will write a mad, bizarre comedy and think of me. Fingers crossed!" Do Back-to-Back Successes Make Jaideep Ahlawat Feel The Pressure Of It All? Pressure is something that never goes away from the chaotic lives of actors. Success brings in as much pressure as failures, but that is also what keeps one going. While the critics churn out words and social media is abuzz with opinions on what's worth watching or not, Jaideep Ahlawat follows a rather calming technique to cut out the noise and have his eyes on the prize. "I see it as excitement and not fear. Because I'll tell you, the moment I start thinking about expectations more than the role in hand, I will lose the essence," Ahlawat adds. He elaborates, "The pressure is always there. So I remind myself, to just be honest with the character. The rest is noise." " Paatal Lok Changed A Lot For Me And How People Saw Me As An Actor" Not only for Jaideep Ahlawat but for his audience, it will always be Hathi Ram Chaudhary from Paatal Lok which showcased the actor and his craft in all his glory. Ever grateful for the same, the actor says, "I love all my characters dearly but if I had to pick one project it would be Paatal Lok, Hathi Ram changed a lot for me and how people saw me as an actor." View this post on Instagram A post shared by IMDb India (@imdb_in) As disillusioned yet fiercely determined his character was in Paatal Lok, it established Jaideep Ahlawat as the actor who can mould himself to any character, with finesse. All eyes are now on Jewel Thief - The Heist Begins, another moment waiting to be unravelled, where the audience watch Jaideep Ahlawat's Jaadu Sa Hunar.
