August 2008

August 2008 Vol 1 Issue 4

message from The Coo Hello, As always, something or the other is happening at Sathyam Cinemas and we hope you are reading S, that has news, views, interviews and other interesting information about the film industry. This issue has the elusive star Ajit and we thank him for giving us this unique point of view about an actor’s life. And Crazy Mohan will tell you how difficult it is to do comedy. Indeed, laughter is serious business. Then there is H Sridhar, who is the man for bringing the perfect sound to a perfect visual. Your favourite Khusboo, talks about her career and life and Kuselan like all other Rajini film, has generated great fervor and enthusiasm. There is a lot more that you will read about in this issue. So do come in as usual; enjoy your favourite film and do not forget to pick up this exciting issue. Regards

Cover Story

8

aJIt

life on His own terms

Tan Ngaronga COO

Content Manager: Chitra Mahesh Design: PealiDezine Printed by: Canara Printers Cover Photographer: G. Venket Ram

For InFormatIon and door delIvery: Call: 4224 4224 onlIne: www.sathyamcinemas.com sms: 98414 45255 sneak peek 12

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Innovations 24

gaming 20

Impressions 16

Cinemascope 4

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Copyright Notice: S Magazine has made all reasonable efforts to ensure that information provided is accurate at the time of inclusion, however it accepts no liability for any inaccuracies, errors or omissions in this publication. S Magazine will not be liable for any loss or damage of any kind, including direct, indirect, special and consequential loss or damage of any kind, arising from the use of this information obtained either directly or indirectly from this magazine. We will use your contact details (your name, job title, telephone and fax number and your e-mail and postal addresses) to provide any services requested by you and also to inform you about important changes to the magazine. These details will be used by us and by businesses within Sathyam Cinemas to provide you with information about other services and products for the same purpose. Copyright © Sathyam Cinemas. All rights reserved through out the world. Reproduction in any manner including design, text, graphics and content is prohibited. All disputes are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of competent courts and forums in Chennai only. Sathyam Cinemas: 25, Mamatha Complex, 5th Floor, Whites Road, Royapettah, Chennai 14.

CINEMASCOPE

Through the

SPECTRUM “These are the things that make me”. Khusboo talks about some of the most important things in her life.

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he radiates an air of energy and good cheer. And that invariably translates into almost everything she takes up. She is indeed someone who has seen a great deal, acted out almost all kinds of roles and been a trendsetter of sorts with several people trying to emulate her and be something like her. She is not only a consummate actor, but is also someone who has charted her own destiny. And in that she remains fearless and upbeat; an optimist for whom, never say die is an axiom, a motto and a way of life! Khusboo it is, in all her elements. So how is life treating you right now? Life is beautiful. I am going through the best phase in my life; the kids are growing up, I am happily married and my husband is doing very well especially in the career that he has taken up now (acting). Professionally too, things are going well. I am doing what I want and I am not bound by anything. I don’t have to run around trees or worry about survival. You are one artist who seems to have gone through the spectrum of most things associated with show bizz? I have a very positive mental attitude, a positive frame of mind. I am not the kind who will brood over anything. If there is a problem, I will say let’s find a solution to the problem. Let’s move on. This kind of an attitude works for me. How about your transition to the small screen? My transition to television has been very comfortable. I have been acting since childhood and when I planned to get married, I wanted to quit everything and sit at home. But it was Sundar

4 Sathyam August 2008

who felt that I am an actress and that I would not be able to sit around doing nothing. That is when I took to television, where I felt I could take things at my own pace.

I do not need to run around trees or worry about survival.

Would you say television has given you more popularity than films? In a way I think it has. When I started doing television eight years ago, people said I was taking two steps back. But that has not been the case. With its broad mass appeal, I find there is so much reaching out and recognition. Even today’s generation of kids, mine included, know more about me as a TV personality than the films, the temples or the idlis being named after me. So films vs. television which is the harder one? It’s a tough job, especially when you are anchoring a show. Or for that matter being a judge too. It is tougher than portraying a character on screen. Because that is part of fiction and you are only following the director’s instructions. But on television, there are chances of things going wrong. People look at you differently. Especially when you are a judge. How did your forays into films really begin? I knew Hemaji well. I would often go to her place and mummy (Jaya Chakravarthy) would ask me if I would like to work in films. I said I would, if I could eat ice cream every day. I was introduced to Ravi Chopra, who was doing The Burning Train and then onto Naseeb. One led to the other; Desh Premi, Lawaris, as the young Zeenat Aman. The film that really fetched me a lot of attention is Dard Ka Rishta with Dutt Sab. I had a break between the ages of 11 to 14. After

“I believe in honesty. I hate it if anyone lies.”

CINEMASCOPE that, I was contacted by D Rama Naidu, who was looking for a heroine for Venky. That is how I came to the South. Is that a decision you are happy about? At that time, I did not feel anything. It was only work. But today if you ask me to live anywhere else, I won’t. I am happy I made this move. Chennai is such a beautiful place to live in.

I need a role with substance. Otherwise what is the point?

What does the film industry really mean to you? It is my family. I am still in touch with all the costars I have worked and with all the directors too. I share a fantastic rapport with almost all of them. Then there is my guru, SP Muthuraman Sir, who I revere so much. I think I have worked with most of the directors in the industry, except may be Balu Mahendra and Mahendran Sir. As for the younger ones, I’ve done one for Perarasu. And then of course, today only if the character interests me I will take it on. So what kind of a role would really excite you then? A role with substance - otherwise what is the point? I should have an equally important part to play. Fearless and outspoken. That seems to go with you all the time? Well, I have been a very fearless person. I care a damn what others think or feel. I’ve lived my life the way I want to and it is an open book. I earn Khusboo and her husband Sundar C with their daughter

my money; I feed myself; and I am self made. I do not give anyone the right to tell me how I should live or do things. Except my brothers, my mom, my immediate family and close friends. Your favourite films? The one film that I can see again and again is Mounaragam. Then Gokulathil Seethai, primarily for Karthik’s mind boggling work. Kala Pani, Michael Madana Kamarajan, Vetrivizha, My Dear Marthandan (where I get a very glamorous look) Chinna Thambi, Nattamai and recently my Malayalam film, Kaioppu and then of course, Periyar. Abiding mottos? I believe in honesty. I hate it if anyone lies. If I am wrong, have no problems accepting it. But if I am not, then I will fight tooth and nail to prove that I am right. I won’t go without a fight. And so she continues. With her beliefs and work tradition. And with that serene sense of simplicity of thoughts, is there any wonder why she remains such a popular and well-liked artist? ■

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cover story

An actor who believes in destiny. Ajit dwells on life and things that go around.

Ajit

Life on his own terms

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here are some who defy categorization. They really cannot be slotted into anything that would seem familiar or common. They stand apart for a certain something that only those who can see it will realize and recognize. And in that sense, the man is very different from the actor; the artist very different from the art! That is when you realize that Ajit is not something quantifiable. There is so much more to him than what most see. The most recognizable part of him is of course, his place in films. But beyond that is his passion for photography, aero modeling, racing (a little more obvious than the other interests), reading and then of course, his family with all the members intact! And then if you persist and go even beyond all this, you discover a philosophical side not many would either know or perhaps not care enough to know! But it is there and this aspect is the underlying, subtle foundation upon which he is building all that he does. Pretty much a man of few words, but mostly what he says has a wealth of meaning. Presenting Ajit unadulterated! What is Ajit the person up to these days? (Smiles). Spending a lot of time with family, working on finishing my present project. For now that is it. And then I also indulge in my hobbies, particularly aero

A still from his upcoming movie Aegan

Keep life simple. Ambition is not a bad thing but one also needs to find a good balance.

modeling and photography. I would say I have been utilizing my time very productively. What fascinates you about aero modeling? I have been really interested in this and I have been doing this for the last couple of years. We make aircrafts. Proper scaled down versions of the actual flying machines and now I am experimenting with helicopters. We are a group of us who love doing this and we import the kits from the United States and Singapore. I find that this activity is getting very popular and a lot of people are taking to it in the last few years. This interest of mine, sometimes takes up a lot of my time. So as a person with so many interests, how much emphasis would you place on acting? Acting is my profession! It has given me a lot to be able to do other things as well. I mean if I have the luxury of indulging in my hobbies and have the privilege of pursuing my other interests, it is because of what the industry has given me. And here I am also talking about the lifestyle and everything that comes with it. Yet, it stops with that. It is my career and I don’t take it home. I like to see a life beyond a career. Besides, I also think the word career is a misunderstood word. I see a lot of peoples lives going haywire because of this word. We all need to segregate or keep things in perspective. Have a timetable of sorts. When you take on a film, what is the motivating factor? Compatibility? With the director, the producer and I guess, most people associated actively with the

Sathyam August 2008 9

cover story project. I would think this is the primary factor. Then the other things come in like the script production and other relevant factors. But compatibility is a must. How you would place Billa the film, in your career graph? (He thinks long before he answers). I can honestly say that the last few years have been like a roller coaster ride for me in terms of success and failures. And whenever times were not so good, I would tell myself that this too shall pass. And it is this motto that kept me going and remain sane. So when there is success as with a film like Billa, I continue with the same motto. I find that this really keeps my equanimity. When you took up Billa, did you think it would become a much talked about film? I don’t want to sound clichéd, but I thought Billa was worth the risk so I gave it my everything. While I wouldn’t say there was an undue amount of preparation for the role, I also had a vision about how it should pan out. I was clear about the team, especially the technical part of it, and was also clear along with the others that we were only remaking a classic of that era. Something like old wine in a new bottle, so to say. We were very conscious of this aspect. There was no intention of reinventing or inventing something else. It was meant to be a commercial venture, where everyone concerned would laugh all their way to the bank. And just as clear we were about the people in the business laughing their way to the bank, the people too should get their money’s worth. That it should be a win-win situation. The style component was needed as everyone knows the story and we really had to do a stylized version of a much loved action film. What in life are the most important things to you? (Again thinks really hard before he answers). It is very important that one believes in oneself. What I see happening today is that people are losing their individuality. It is important to believe in yourself and have the courage of conviction in whatever you do. Because most times, we are doing things to please others or trying to live up to someone else’s expectations. And in the process the individuality is completely lost.

“We all need to

segregate or keep things in perspective. Have a timetable of sorts.

”

Is that not a double edged sword? Could it not be called being selfish? Well, I truly believe that one must believe in oneself and do what each one thinks is right. I really don’t know if that is being selfish. A still from Kireedom

10 Sathyam August 2008

“Life is not just about

careers. It is also about other things.

”

“I don’t want to sound

clichéd but I thought Billa was worth the risk. So I gave it my all.

”

issues. I have been truly lucky there. And then it is invariably an attitude of saying, I will cross the bridge when I come to it.

Do the actor and the person ever merge? If so, how often does that happen? (Laughs). More like Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. I have learnt to separate and switch off. I have always been asked this question about how I would rate myself as an actor. And I always say that on a scale of ten, I would give myself about four. And I am trying to be honest here. I know I have a lot of shortfalls, limitations as an actor. But I only try and give it my best shot.

What would you say to the youth of today? Keep life simple. Ambition is not a bad thing, but one also needs to find a good balance. It is not wrong to want to be the best or make it to the highest level. But this is alright provided each one knows that nothing lasts. Mankind does not, certainly! Careers don’t last either. Once this aspect is clearly understood, then you will understand what I am trying to get across. There is this one thing I have read in many books, which I think is so true. No one on his/her death bed ever said, “I wish I had spent more time in the office.” He/she would only say, “I wish I had spent more time with the family.” I want to be a person who on my death bed says, “I have lived my life to the fullest. And I have spent so much time with my family”.

Thinking about inroads into Hindi films? I did play the villain’s role in Asoka. But again, I don’t want to take on more than I can chew. I think life is not just about career. It is also about other things. And on the whole, as long as we know not to bite more than we can chew, life can be simple. It needs to be kept simple. Things that you abide by? There are many. I have learnt a lot from people and there are many positive influences in my life. My family, my wife my brother and so many others! What are the things you will never compromise on? That is kind of difficult to say. Sometimes circumstances dictate your actions. Though so far, I have been lucky that I have not been called upon to compromise on a lot of moral

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

That in a nutshell, sums up the person he is. While he may not rate himself very high as an actor, he does know deep inside that should he take up anything he is likely to be among the best. The confidence is quiet, but firmly in place. And it is this very confidence that allows him to set rules for himself and abide by them. Rules that ensure progress and not stagnation! Is it any wonder then that his show does truly go on? ■

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sneak peek

Singh is Kinng

8th August

Starcast: Akshay Kumar, Katrina Kaif, Neha Dhupia, Javed Jaffrey, Om Puri and Sonu Sood; Director: Anees Bazmee Action Comedy. Happy Singh (Akshay Kumar) is someone an entire village in Punjab is fed up with. And there is Lakhan Singh or Lucky (Sonu Sood) who is the ‘King’ of the Australian underworld. The villagers have to find some way to keep Happy from interfering with their lives and so they decide to send him to Australia, ostensibly to bring the other Lucky back to Punjab. Full of importance, Happy is delighted to go and drags along with him a very cross and reluctant Tony Singh (Om Puri). On the way to this momentous encounter with Lucky, he meets Sonia (Katrina Kaif). He falls in love with her, but then the path to true love is tortuous and things take a turn as Happy runs into a series of misadventures. Several comic events later, Happy finds himself in a situation when he has to play the role of the new ‘Kinng’. Romance, glamour, plenty of laughs and thumping music, marks Singh is Kinng.

Bachna Ae Haseeno

15th August

Starcast: Ranbir Kapoor, Bipasha Basu, Deepika Padukone and Minissha Lamba; Director: Siddharth Raj Anand Romantic Comedy. Girls falling for the wrong guys are common. Despite the warnings them about such guys, they still go ahead and fall in love with the most inappropriate man. Their heart tells them that it is alright and love gets really blind and deaf. When Raj the ultimate dreamboat arrives at the scene, can he help it if girls fall for him like ninepins? And then can anyone blame him for falling for all the pretty ones too? And so three love stories emerge.

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Rock On!

Starcast: Prachi Desai, Farhan Akhtar, Nicolette Bird, Purab Kohli, Luke Kenny and Arjun Rampal; Director: Abhishek Kapoor Musical. Four friends get together and form a great band that the country has not seen in a long while. But while they are so good, they do not seem to be making it to the top. So they go their different ways till fate brings them back together years later, only to complete what they have set out to do earlier. The journey is tough but rewarding bringing a lot of soul searching and introspection.

God Tussi Great Ho

15th August

Starcast: Amitabh Bachchan, Salman Khan, Manisha Koirala, Rukhsar, Sohail Khan, Satish Kaushik, Priyanka Chopra and Anupam Kher; Director: Rumi Jaffrey Romance Comedy. Life is getting tough for Arun Prajapati (Salman Khan) and as he raves and rants at God for making everything so difficult for him, God (Amitabh Bachchan), appears as a man and tells him that he will give him powers to change things, but is Arun up to the task? Can he play God better? Of course, says Arun and with the powers invested in him, he for a while is like a child in a candy shop using his powers for every little whim. One crazy decision after the other, sets off a series of disasters making Arun realize that playing God is just not easy. And getting everything one desires is not the answer to a beautiful life. Alia (Priyanka Chopra) while initially amazed at the new Arun, is soon finding it disillusioning. And when Arun thinks he can make everyone happy by granting them all they want, it is not exactly utopia. When mayhem follows, Arun is a changed man. Some things are really best left to God to handle!

Box Office Toppers: Hindi (April 2008) 1

Jaane Tu.. Ya Jaane Na

Starcast: Imran Khan, Genelia D’Souza, Manjari Fadnis, Naseeruddin Shah, Paresh Rawal, Arbaaz Khaan, Sohail Khan. Director: Abbas Tyrewala

2

Kismat Konnection

Starcast: Shahid Kapur, Vidya Balan, Juhi Chawla, Haidar Ali, Vishal Malhotra. Director: Aziz Mirza

3

Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic

Starcast: Rani Mukherjee, Saif Ali Khan, Amisha Patel, Rishi Kapoor, Cameron Pearson, Akshat Chopra. Director: Kunal Kohli

4

Love Story 2050

Starcast: Harman Baweja, Priyanka Chopra, Boman Irani, Archana Puran Singh. Director: Harry Baweja

Sathyam August 2008 13

sneak peek Phoonk

22nd August

Starcast: Amruta Khanvilkar, Sudeep, Ahsaas Channa, Shrey Bawa, Jyoti Subhash and Ashwini Kalsekar; Director: Ram Gopal Varma Horror. Phoonk is about a confirmed atheist, whose beliefs are shaken when his loved ones are subjected to unspeakable horrors by forces whose very existence his rational mind does not accept. It is also the story of a fanatical devotee, who is forced to turn her back on God in the face of traumatic experiences. Phoonk is a very scary film; not just at the surface level like in Bhoot. Here it the fear seeps right in and plagues the entire belief system. Most would feel vulnerable and soon will start fearing the most innocuous things and objects in the course of daily life. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.

Hijack

Starcast: Shiney Ahuja, Kaveri Jha, K. K. Raina, Esha Deol and Mona Ambegaonkar; Director: Kunal Shivdasani Action Thriller. Vikram Madan (Shiney Ahuja) a ground maintenance engineer at the Chandigarh airport has no time for any social life except for one friend Rajeev, the security chief at the airport. Things go awry when Vikram’s daughter who is traveling with her school teacher for a debate contest to Amritsar from Delhi, becomes the victim of a hijack by a group of six terrorists working for Rasheed (KK Raina). Rasheed is in police custody and his followers force the pilots to land back at Chandigarh. All hostages would be killed say these terrorists, unless Rasheed is released by the Indian Government. Who has planned this hijack? Someone called Abdullah? And who is Abdullah? The onus is on Vikram to sneak into the aircraft, as he is the only one who knows the territory well. He has to save his daughter and all the others in the aircraft and to help him is airhostess Saira (Esha Deol).

Saroja

Starcast: SPB Charan, Premji Amaren, Siva, Kajal Agarwal, Vega, Prakash Raj and Jeyaram; Director: Venkat Prabu Thriller. What happens when four young impoverished men get into an extraordinary situation? Especially when it happens on a very normal average kind of a day? That is what makes up Saroja. Spanning events within 24 hours, the story travels in various paths simultaneously and when all the paths get connected by a single factor - Saroja the character, series of events unfold resulting in a complete thriller.

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Wall-E

Starcast: Fred Willard, Jeff Garlin, Ben Burtt, Sigourney Weaver, John Ratzenberger and Kathy Najimy; Director: Andrew Stanton Animation. It warms the heart and brings the realization that Pixar can accomplish things, no other can. Elegance and intelligence marks their futuristic Wall-E that will appeal to anyone across the board. An adorable good guy is a robot, who has to clean planet Earth. And that is because Earth is full of junk and humans have decided to take off to other spaces and leave robots behind to clean up the mess. And so, Wall-E (Waste Allocation Load Lifter Earth-Class) is left remaining in a bleak and pessimistic set up. Yet he finds happiness even in all this and keeps many things in a storage bin at home and befriends a likeable cockroach. Trouble comes when a ship lands on Earth and leaves robot Eve, who has been sent to find vegetation, and assess whether Earth is inhabitable. When Wall-E and Eve meet, sparks fly literally. But then soon Eve is dispatched back to space and Wall-E stows himself on the space shuttle for his love. Enjoyable for both children and adults, the film has its own messages to deliver and they are done with gentle humor and intelligence. Great artists such as Louis Armstrong are used and the film focuses on the highs and lows of human emotion. It will capture your heart!

Satyam

Starcast: Vishal, Nayantara, Upendra, Sudha Chandran, Kota Srinivasa Rao, Prabhu Nepaul, Ravi Kalle and Premji; Director: A Rajasekar Action. Truth triumphs and let truth always be told. The police forces in India are a much maligned lot. But they have remained silent and to the disbelief of many, also efficient and there are many unsung heroes among them. Unappreciated, some of their good deeds for the country and its citizens, are not acknowledged and now is the time to do it. Beyond the stereotypes and imaginative storytellers in films and fiction, Satyam is a gritty look at the life of a cop sans frills and fancies. The film shows things the way they are; the truth. Truth also is that, it is a very tough life; there is a burning desire for justice and every police officer when he takes that oath to protect his country and fellow men and women, he really means it!

Box Office Toppers: English (May 2008)

The Dark Knight

Starcast: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart, Michael Caine, Magiie Gyllenhaal, Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman. Director: Christopher Nolan

3

2

1

Wanted

Starcast: JJames McAvoy, Morgan Freeman, Angelina Jolie Terence Stamp, Thomas Kretschmann. Director: Timur Bekmambetov

Kung fu Panda

Starcast: Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, Ian McShane, Jackie Chan, Seth Rogen, Lucy Liu, David Cross, Randall Duk Kim. Director: Mark Osborne and John Stevenson

4

Hancock

Starcast: Will Smith, Charlize Theron, Jason Bateman, Jae Head, Eddie Marsan, David Mattey. Director: Peter Berg

Sathyam August 2008 15

Impressions

Laughter is Serious Business Crazy Mohan tells us how it is to make people laugh.

H

umor is actually a very serious business, as he will tell you. To make people laugh is indeed, no joke. And Crazy Mohan would seem to be truly crazy to go down that path. But he does and is grateful for the ability to make people forget their troubles for the brief while they laugh with abandon. When he watches them laugh he tells himself, “So this is why I am here”. Even as one talks to him, the laughter is kept going non-stop. He might be saying things in a

16 Sathyam August 2008

Sometimes I have waited for over six hours for a joke to come.

light hearted manner but he is far from taking things lightly. Examine all that he says and anyone will discover a deep meaning to it all. He dwells on certain axioms of life that are not only needed for a wholesome life but are also the key to the right attitude in life. And so it is no cliché then that with Mohan around, it is only laugh, and the entire world laughs with him. How do you see the role of comedy in films? Life itself is a huge comedy. So why should it be

any different in films? If you look at films over the years, right from NS Krishnan to Vadivelu and Vivek today, every film that has music, dance and fights also has a comedy track. The film can be of any genre–action, historical or anything! Comedy will be there. And history perhaps remembers the eternal comedian? Yes. I mean if you look at stories of yore in the times of Krishnadeva Rayar, there must have been so many intelligent people in the court. Why do we only remember Tenali Raman? Or for that matter in the time of Akbar, we only tend to remember Birbal. Don’t forget in the guise of making people laugh, these were philosophers too. Comedy is like watching a baby. The feeling is the same; it makes people happy and benign. Do you also think that through comedy messages can be given? Comedy itself is a message in a way, don’t you think? Would you say that comedy is a lasting thing? People always keep telling me that they laughed so much for Panchatantram or Avvai Shanmugi or Michael Madana Kamarajan. But they also say that while they laughed so much watching it, they could not remember much of it later. According to me, if you can forget, it is bliss. Imagine how painful life will be, if one can remember everything? Imagine the reverse of Ghajini?–If the hero remembered everything? Comedy is an essential aspect of daily life. Comment. It is. There is no need to elaborate on this statement. Films only mirror this aspect. Today when a film Producer Vichu, CrazyMohan, A V Bhaskar and Khanthan

Crazy Mohan with Kamal Hassan & Sarath Kumar

Comedy is like watching a baby. The feeling is the same; it makes people feel happy and benign.

is announced, only three things are made known during the puja; the director, the hero and the comedian. Everything else comes later. How do you see a comedian? Comedians actually take themselves very seriously. The amount of respect and regard that is given to comedians in films is not really reflected when it comes to awards. There is no Best Comedian award at the National level. And I still cannot understand how Nagesh or Manorama have still not got the Dadasaheb Phalke award. How is the Mohan-Kamal equation? I am lucky to have Kamal in my life. If he had not been there, I would probably have been forced to write comedy tracks. And that is not something I am interested in. I am a serious writer and I can handle many subjects. With Kamal, I not only handle subjects, but also find a perfect ally for the comic situations and stories. He has this great capacity to shoulder comedy; perhaps in a way no one else can. For a brand hero to take this departure, involves great courage and guts. While he does an Anbe Sivam, a Mahanadi or even an Aalavandhan, he is also able to do an Avvai Shanmugi or a Tenali with equal ease. I am a great fan of Kamal who I think is a combination of Nagesh and Sivaji Ganesan. So you see comedy as a serious business? I will not say it is easy to do serious stuff, but comedy is very difficult to do. Writing it is tough and acting even more so. Telling a joke is also an art. If you do not say it properly, it can simply die on you. How do you come up with jokes after jokes? I am a stage actor. Kamal was one and so were Nagesh, Manorama, Sivaji Ganesan, Sowcar Janaki and so many others. Many of the stalwarts

Sathyam August 2008 17

Impressions think serves as a film with every kind of a comic situation, come others like Apoorva Sahodarargal, Avvai Shanmugi, Tenali, Magalir Mattum, Sathi Leelavathi, Vasool Raja MBBS, Kadala Kadala and a whole host of films with Kamal. With Michael Madana Kamarajan, Kamal and I even rehearsed some portions to test out the comic situations such as the Kamaraj and Tripurasundari meeting. Some others have been Aaha by Suresh Krishna, which also did very well; then there is Arunachalam with Rajni and Chinna Maaplai and

were from stage initially and I think that makes a difference. On stage, nothing is shown everything is told. That telling is crucial and that is what makes or breaks a scene. So as stage artists we are used to narrating and being spontaneous. Do you ever suffer from the writer’s block? I firmly believe in perseverance, tenacity and play the waiting game. Ultimately, apart from talent the writer’s block is always there. I get it all the time. But you have to wait it out and persevere.

“I will not underestimate the audience at any point and I think one must be one step ahead and crack that joke.”

Chinna Vaadhiyaar with Prabhu.

Suddenly the downpour happens. I call it active mediation. Sometimes I have waited for over six hours for a joke to come. Your brand of humor is one of a kind. How would you describe it? Thanks to Kamal, I think I have done some intelligent humor. To me humor must be decent, clean and for the whole family. And every joke must have its own grammar. And then every comic scene must have a story, screenplay and dialogue. I will not underestimate the audience at any point and I think one must be one step ahead and crack that joke. Some of your best projects? Right from Michael Madana Kamarajan, which I

18 Sathyam August 2008

On stage, nothing is shown everything is told. And that telling is crucial.

Are you looking at other kinds of projects? The only other thing is theatre. Diversification is alright in business, but in comedy, “You mind your business or it is none of your business”. I am working on another project for Suresh Krishna that is a back to future like story; in a comic vein naturally! This is a person who is going to continue making people laugh. And he too will laugh, as he strongly believes that laughter is indeed the best medicine. It is the only thing that will anesthetize society against all the problems and turbulence. So keep the laughter going folks! ■

gaming

Suspension of disbelief Video games and the business of interactive entertainment - by Videep Vijay Kumar

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veryone at some point in their lives has played a video game. Be it Solitaire on a PC, picking up soft toys using mechanical arms at the local arcade, Mario on the Nintendo or Snake on an old Nokia cellphone. Underneath it all, every single person is a gamer. It is human nature to seek entertainment, and gaming provides the best kind of entertainment, the interactive kind. How many times during a movie do you wish that you were in control of the narrative or the actors’ actions? How many times during this year’s Wimbledon final did you wish you wielded puppeteer-like power over Roger Federer? A video game offers, no, guarantees participation and almost god-like ability to control events, characters and situations, provided you are willing to immerse yourself in it. When the premise of a video game, like art or fiction, is accepted to be true, this suspension of disbelief increases quality of entertainment derived from the experience infinitely. Global Juggernaut It is hard to believe that the business of video games, which was considered a curiosity in the mid-to-late seventies, has evolved into the juggernaut it is today. In the year 2007, the video game industry made revenues in excess of $10 billion in the United States alone, easily surpassing Hollywood. In fact, the largest media release record in history was set earlier this year by the video game Grand Theft Auto IV, which grossed $500 million in its first week. On a global scale, the gaming industry is at an advanced state of evolution, and in India, we’re really not that far behind. Gaming has finally been accepted by the masses as a form of entertainmentprimarily because of the large mobile install-base and casual gaming portals like zapak.com. Zapak were the first to truly identify the demand for casual games and exploit this demand effectively. The gaming industry as a whole has acknowledged the casual gamer’s role in the equation and the fact that the growth of the industry depends on him/ her. Microsoft (with the Xbox 360) and Sony (Playstation) have also made their mark in India, catering to an audience that is less casual. In fact, Sony has also branched out into casual gaming space by launching Singstar Bollywood, which is a karaoke game for the Playstation 2, and is also actively promoting the PSP hand-held platform, which is great for gaming on the go.

LucasArts’ Outlaw was the first FPS with a sniper weapon

In fact, Sony has also branched out into casual gaming space by launching Singstar Bollywood, which is a karaoke game for the Playstation 2

Breaking the stereotype Mention the term ‘hardcore gamer’ to anyone and a picture instantly pops into mind: a dimly lit basement filled with adolescent males staring anxiously at computer screens, fidgeting away at mice and keyboards, yelling instructions which could easily be misinterpreted by the uninformed as profanityfilled insults directed at peers. Such stereotyping is understandable, because the term ‘hardcore gamer’ itself is ambiguous, and is often used to describe a compulsive and competitive gamer even if they’re not necessarily the same. Its like saying that a movie buff and a ‘hardcore’ Kamal Haasan fan who has watched Dasavathaaram ten times, are the same. Sounds silly, doesn’t it?

Gaming at Sathyam Cinemas - BLUR Chennai is no different from the rest of India-it is home to millions in search of entertainment. More importantly, it is home to gamers and potential gamers who are yet to experience their moment of gaming epiphany. At BLUR, the upcoming 15,000 square foot gaming experience centre at Sathyam Cinemas, there will be something for everyonefrom casual gaming to multiplayer gaming on all possible platforms. BLUR will aim to complete the circle of entertainment at the Sathyam Cinemas complex-passive entertainment through movies, and interactive entertainment through video gaming. People come to Sathyam Cinemas in search of a truly international filmwatching experience. Therefore, it would be fitting if Sathyam Cinemas were also to deliver one of the best video gaming experiences in the country. ■

Mario’s original name was ‘Jumpman’

Sathyam August 2008 21

red carpet

Deepika Pallickal

Awesome say Cary, Paloma, Darshana, Vijay and Nikil

The Dark knight Christopher Nolan’s epic sequel to Batman Begins featuring Heath Ledger in his finest performance as Batman’s nemesis, The Joker was sure to attract the city’s who’s who. At the premiere were the bigwigs from Kollywood including Vivek, Khushboo, Suhasini, Simbhu, Yuvan Shankar Raaja, Arya, Dhanush, Vishnu Vardhan, Nirav Shah and Namitha. The premiere of The Dark Knight took place at Serene, Sathyam Cinemas on the 17th of July at 10:00 p.m. A lovely couple Dhanush & Aishwarya

Vivek has the last laugh

Jeeva and Arya at The Dark Knight premiere

Ready to roll Yuvan Shankar Raaja, Nirav Shah and Vishnu Vardhan

Partheepan and his daughter, Keerthana Abbas has his say on The Dark Knight

Suhasini is all smiles

Khusboo with her friends

Y. G. Mahendran makes his entry

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Ramanarayanan, K Balachander, A R Rahman’s Mother, A R Rahman & Shanthanu

Blazze at the audio launch

SAKKARAKATTI The audio launch of Sakkarakatti saw a packed auditorium on the eve of its release. At the forefront of the launch festivities, stood maestro A R Rahman who is the music director for this fresh new film that is launching director K Bhagyaraaj’s son, Shanthanu. Several other stalwarts from the film fraternity including directors Bharathiraja, Amir, K S Ravikumar, Vikraman and actors Jeyam Ravi and Sibiraj were present to show their support and motivate the young hero.

A R Rahman addressing the crowd

Bharathiraja, K Balachander, A R Rahman, K S Ravikumar and Amir

Sathyam August 2008 23

Innovations

The Sound of

Magic

There is certain color to sound. See it; feel it; and hear it through H Sridhar

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ound for feature films is as important as cinematography. An audio-visual medium, a film is incomplete without a good marriage between the audio and the video. They are like a good pair and if either one fails to deliver or falls short of expectations the communication is incomplete and the result is disappointing. And this is what H Sridhar seeks to achieve through his work. A four time National Award Winner (Mahanadi, Lagaan, Kannathil Muthamittal and Dil Se) he is always in great demand for the way he fashions out sound for any film! And he strongly believes that the way sound pans out, is the way magic is created on screen. When things are in sync The way things are done today, dialogues are recorded on location (sync) or lines are recorded separately and dubbed. Also called Dialogue Replacement or ADR (Automatic Dialogue Replacement). And these have to be blended with the visuals, just like you do with a good cup of coffee. That is why it is important to come up with a sound design for a film. The sound engineer is responsible for all the sounds depending on what the visuals are. On effects and sound engineering Sound effects are just a component of sound that a sound engineer handles. The effect sounds

24 Sathyam August 2008

Persevere, work hard, constantly raise the bar for yourself and be passionate about what you do.

consists of elements such as dialogue, effects, ambience sounds and the music. Out of these two, the dialogue and the effects sounds are the elements that really represent what goes into the scene and music is used to conjure emotions. The human brain is a fabulous device; it can actually put pictures to things that it hears. The importance of sound design Any Hollywood film and today very specifically in many Indian films too (Lagaan, Dil Chahta Hai, Pukar) design in sound is imperative. A sound designer takes on the role of designing the sound for the film if you look at Satya, the entire film is about the underworld, which has been shot very candidly with the camera playing the role of a roving eye. That was also the time when sound design was being talked about and set into motion. The way the sound is designed sends signals to the audience. One can play with silences and use it to great effect or introduce sounds to enhance the visual. The design component further defines characters and the story telling. Satya is a classic example. Or take ambience sounds put into a scene in Kannathil Muthamittal. In the climax rain is the motif and the metaphor. The child cries, the mother cries and so does nature. All these sensations come in so surreptitiously, that you actually feel the rain and the sorrow. It is a multi sensory experience.

NATIONAL AWARDS Mahanadi Lagaan Kannathil Muthamittal Dil Se

Mani Ratnam is the kind who will not let you put in any sound just because it has to be there.

A good sound design is like a well made dish Like the way all ingredients are blended to achieve a signature dish, merging all elements of sounds beautifully allows the audience to feel the exact emotions the director wants to convey. Especially when one watches it in the RDX format everything gets translated just the way the director intends. And just like the chef who makes something out of a whole bunch of things to make that very special dish the sound engineer brings together the dialogues, the sounds, effects and music to satisfy the demands of a good film. Making it all so very special I let any film I take on get under my skin. I try to work on every department of sound I can put my hands on. For instance for Dasavathaaram, we took fourteen days to decide on the characters and the tonality of their voices right till the end. Or even the tsunami treatment where the sound had to be done carefully without it being too loud and noisy. And in Lagaan the way the climax scene was done. We decided to go with only music instead of having crowd sounds to raise it an effective level of expectation. The inspiration I guess was Chariots of Fire. The color of sound There is a certain color of the sound for each film. The whole design does not work if the film

does not signify that. All the films I have done are significant to me. I would say Mahanadi is a kind of a landmark, as those days sound engineering was still very nascent. We didn’t have multi channel sounds and the film had a host of emotions it was seeking to convey. All of Mani Ratnam’s films have been challenges. He is the kind who will not let you put in any sound just because it has to be there. For instance in Dil Se, when the two of them meet at the radio station. It has the studio door opening and closing; the light plays its part and you can hear them whispering, but also the strains of some music inside the studio and there are a whole lot of things that one needed to take into consideration while doing this scene. I would also say Jodhaa Akbar was challenging too to bring in the regality of that era. It is all about transparency The success of a film depends on how the various elements - sound, visuals, balance, length become transparent in their intent. If there is the show off aspect then you would probably notice the flashy camera work or loudness or cacophonic background scores taking away from the intrinsic film narration.

The success of a film depends on how the various elements - sound, visuals, balance, length become transparent in their intent.

Awards are confidence boosters Four National Awards for Mahanadi, Lagaan, Kannathil Muthamittal, Dil Se: and then there are the State awards, Filmfare, IIFA, the list is long. I am glad awards are being given for sound design. Awards are confidence boosters. Movies and me I cannot see myself not doing movies. I promise myself that the day I consider this as just a job I will be responsible enough to the chair I sit on. For that way, I can do a great deal of wrong. I will quit. But till that day I keep myself excited with every project I take on. Words of wisdom Persevere, work hard, constantly raise the bar for yourself and be passionate about what you do. ■

Sathyam August 2008 25

first person Leaves Out of My Book

Direction and Movies. It’s a Tough Job

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y first co star was Prathap Pothen. It was my first film and I remember him having such a great sense of humor. Besides, we also had a lot in common as both of us were actually more interested in direction than acting. And so between shots, instead of rehearsing our dialogues we would talk incessantly about World Cinema. Prathap and I went on to do three more films in the following year itself. And each time he would be unhappy with the way the new director would be handling the project. Frustrated and irritated one day after a complicated shot, he cursed the director. And said, “He can’t even direct his little son to the bathroom, how is he directing a movie?” I laughed so much, visualizing a 55 year old man literally directing his two year son to the bathroom! Years later, when I had a child and was bringing him up, I realized that directing a one year old to the bathroom is equally tough! So what makes directing movies so tough? From what I can gather, I don’t think it was too difficult for directors such as Satyajit Ray, Kiewlowski and Bharathiraja. They did not look into their imagination or any other film to set their stories in. They simply looked around them and at life; things that provided the right ambience to fill their frames. The people they met everyday turned into characters and they managed to convert simple everyday life into art. All of us have a story in our lives. Sometimes many stories! But most of us usually do not make great fiction out of our lives. And this strikes you when you read for instance the book, The God of Small Things

26 Sathyam August 2008

by Suhasini Mani Ratnam

Look at life and people around and you can get a good subject for a film.

by Arundhati Roy. It hits you and you think, “My goodness. This is like the village I grew up! And this could have been my complicated childhood and all the weird relatives!” The thing is she went ahead and recorded all this in a book and also wins The Booker, while I continue to direct my now grown son to the bathroom! So what I want to say to prospective movie makers is that, record everything that is happening around you. I have a good memory and I keep everything in my mind. But Mani, my husband, has a small black notebook. Whenever he comes across something that strikes him, he writes two lines down in that book. Jan ’93–Unprecedented riots broke out in Bombay. The Effect–Mass Exodus–A Study. These lines went to become Bombay released in August 1994! Jan ’94–Two people meet at a railway station. They are going in different ways. They are falling in love. They part. Their desperate search for each other. This became Dil Se in 1995. Aug ’89–An engineer goes to Kashmir with his wife on an assignment. He is abducted by terrorists’. Wife’s 14 day ordeal or Vanavasam. Roja is the result, released in February 1992. Look at life and people around and you can get a good subject for a film. One does not have to necessarily take it from films already seen. Or even our favourite films! Look at J K Rowling. She had her dreams and continues to dream. And she converts these dreams into breathtaking fiction. The mind can be a goldmine and all you need to do is to either dream like Rowling or be like Satyajit Ray, Bharthiraja or Mani Ratnam and see life around. A great movie could just be round the corner! See you soon. ■

trivia

T

he green dress worn by Keira Knightley in Atonement has been named “The best of all time” by InStyle magazine, exceeding some classics as Audrey Hepburn’s little black dress in Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961), Marilyn Monroe’s white dress in The Seven Year Itch (1955) or Vivien Leigh’s red dress from Gone With The Wind (1939). l

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anted was originally a comic book by Top Cow Productions written by Mark Millar. The film at the end displays a nameplate on one of the cubicle walls of an office that reads J.G Millar, which is a composite of writer Mark Millar and artist J.G. Jones. l

a personal portable infrared homing surface-to-air missile developed in the United States and is used by all the U.S. Armed Services). l

I

n The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, the Tomb with its Terracotta warriors, is inspired by the real-life tomb of the first emperor of the Qin Dynasty. The mausoleum is in Xi’an, China. l

I C

harlie Wilson’s War is inspired by real life situations. Charlie Wilson in an interview said that he still has the Stinger as one of his most prized possessions kept in “A very honored spot in his home”. (The FIM-92 Stinger is

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weeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street is the sixth Johnny Depp-Tim Burton collaboration. They had earlier made Edward Scissorhands (1990), Ed Wood (1994), Sleepy Hollow (1999), Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005), and Corpse Bride (2005) together. l

n Dasavathaaram the tsunami VFX was shot at a 50,000 square foot area of land in which a hundred feet wall was created near Muttukadu. Six machines, which generated 20-foot-high waves, were imported from the United States at a cost of Rs. 3.5 crores for this purpose alone. l

crossword

At Sathyam Cinemas

2

1

3 4

5 6

7

8

10

9 11

12 13

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Across 1. Tamil actor, whose Telugu screen name is ‘Murali’. 2. The 1950s term for what is now called the screenplay. 6. After her first 5 films, about this versatile actress it was commented “Success was her only failure”. 9. Owns ‘Tastebuds’, a restaurant in Dubai. Clue: Mallu superstar. 11. The last Rajinikanth movie before ‘Chandramukhi’ to have a female name as the title. 13. The only Tamil movie starring Rajinikant & Aamir Khan. 14. Recently recognized actress, whose real name is Revathy and Malayalam debut was ‘Alice in wonderland’. Down 1. P U Chinappa starrer, based on the life of Rasputin. 2. Sadaf Mohammed Syed, better known to us as... 3. 1952 film in which N.S. Krishnan surreptitiously plugged the DMK with a song titled ‘Theena Moona Kaana’. 4. Celeb kid, owns the smoothie bar chain “Squashed”. 5. His directorial debut was ‘Chachi 420’. 7. Chairman and managing director of the company Talent Maximus. 8. How do we better know Amar Choudhry? 10. It was ‘Jalakanta’ in Telugu. What was it in Tamil? 12. A Kollywood actor with a Sindhi mother and Malayalee father, who was born in Andhra Pradesh but brought up in Tamil Nadu.

Earlier known as Subham the newly renovated screen Seasons, is embellished with wall panels that are changed every three months to reflect the current season.

All the food products are made in an in-house bakery touched with the culinary expertise of the French chef Mickaël Besse. The Blueberry muffins are made with blueberries imported from Belgium.

Answer to last months crossword

Sathyam August 2008 29

catch the action winners! Srikanth Seshagiri “If it was not interesting I do not think I would have entered the contest in the first place. The movie was simply fantastic and I enjoyed both; the film and the contest”.

KUNG FU PANDA Contest The thoroughly enjoyable Kung Fu Panda apart from being good viewing was also the subject of an exciting contest at Sathyam Cinemas. All the characters in the film are like friends for those who see them on screen and this brought many young and the old to the theatres. The young ones joined in the fun and the frolic by being a part of the contest that went on to ensure that these characters stayed with their viewers. From July 10 to 16, www.sathyamcinemas.com provided those interested an opportunity to participate in a Quiz-Fu Panda. It was an interactive visual quiz that gave viewers three attempts to drag the image of the character, whose name was asked. If they answered correctly, they got a chance to win a prize; but had they failed to do so, it only meant that they would know the characters. Anyone answering all eight questions about the characters correctly was chosen for a lucky draw that would fetch prizes.

30 Sathyam August 2008

neha prashad “I liked the movie so much. Which is why I thought I could enter this contest. The contest was also very interesting”.

vignesh

‘’I saw the announcement about the contest in an ad in The Hindu. Then I logged on to the website and participated in the contest. It was very interesting and so was the movie”.