If there’s a director whose scripts are tailormade to suit the stars, it’s KS Ravikumar. Behind some of the biggest blockbusters in the country including Narasimha, Muthu, Bhamane Sathya Bhamane, Sneham Kosam and Dasavatharam , his ability to weave an actor’s persona into the script has ensured him a strong footing in the film industry across Telugu, Tamil and Hindi languages. That he spends enough time to understand the public image of his protagonists and the key elements that made them a star, has ensured his success. At the brink of a festive release of the Balakrishna-Nayanthara starrer Jai Simha , he says, “Pleasing only the fans can’t make hit films, the general audiences need to appreciate it too.”
Jai Simha is his straight Telugu film after a 15 year hiatus. Ravikumar is a director who understands the commercial space, the changes it undergoes and doesn’t mind classifying his films as mass, class or youth appealing. He’s aware of what works for him, “My strengths are the sentiment and comedy aspects and I avoid stating/ showcasing the obvious.”
Has he noticed any notable changes in Telugu films over the years? “Not much. It’s sequences surrounding our traditions have reduced drastically. In fact, not only in Telugu or my recent Hindi film ( Policegiri -a remake of the Tamil film Saamy ), it’s the technical aspect of filmmaking that has undergone a stark change. There’s not a single film without DI and CG. Keeping abreast with technological advancements and understanding changing audience tastes are key aspects.”
A still from ‘Jai Simha’
Balakrishna is the only actor they considered for the film after writing the script. “I know his age and image. The film deals with love significantly, but it’s mature. Every segment in the film caters to a particular audience, the massy dialogues are for the fans, the comedy and emotional episodes would work with everyone.” The trick in making mass films work is to portray problems that the public is facing. “You can’t have many imaginary dance sequences and keep showing the hero as the saviour of the downtrodden.” What makes him tick with stars in multiple languages? “When you’re working with stars, you shouldn’t have ego. They know about me and it’s important to let go of certain things when necessary. Working with stars becomes easier then.” He had last worked with Nayanthara in Ghatikudu . On reuniting with her in Jai Simha , he mentions, “She’s a very dedicated girl. That ( Ghatikudu ) was a time when I had to suggest changes and have two-three takes for a scene. The maturity in performance and that she knows what works for a shot and what doesn’t, has helped in Jai Simha .”
For this director, the joy in the process of filmmaking and finding out the result in theatres haven’t undergone much change though. “No matter how many films you make, you end up being nervous before a release. The producer just asked me to relax and leave for Chennai at peace, things will work.”
KS Ravikumar
Meanwhile, KS Ravikumar is known to make special appearances in most of his directorials, he’s now making immense progress as an actor in supporting roles, Nava Manmadhudu and Remo being the most recent outings. Yet, direction remains his first love. “I enjoy acting, but not as much as being a director. I only give my dates to projects when I’m free. When I am on the set of any film as an actor, even if I feel there’s something going wrong, I don’t point things out. At best, I mould my dialogues and body-language. I give friendly advise but won’t disturb a director’s vision. I’ll just say that I would have interpreted this scene in a different way.”
He certainly wants to do more films bereft of the star image or the commercial pressures, but insists, “I have a long-sustaining team to maintain from the costumes to the makeup to the assistant directors. I pay them in lakhs, I can’t do that in thousands now. I need to work with newer technicians for a smaller film. I have a plan in mind, let’s see how it goes!”
