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Fearless foray
MALATHI RANGARAJAN
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U.S.-based filmmaker Arun Vaidyanathan is busy shooting his first full-length feature ‘Achamundu Achamundu,’ in New Jersey.
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Where East and West meld: (Left) Director Arun Vaidyanathan and (right) ‘Achamundu Achamundu.’
The narrative skill of the East will meld with the technical expertise of the West in U.S.-based Arun Vaidyanathan’s first feature film, ‘Achamundu Achamundu’ that has Prasanna and Sneha in the lead. Five producers are coming togeth
er for the project. “When Iranian, Korean and Palestinian films make the world sit up and take note of their ingenious story telling pattern, why not Tamil,” the producer-writer-director queries. Sure! Why not?
The man is a picture of confidence when he says, “Believe me, we are capable story tellers, only the other elements pose problems.”
From Sirgazhi to New Jersey has been quite an eventful journey for Vaidyanathan. The young filmmaker, who studied software in Chennai and freelanced for a couple of satellite channels before setting off to the U.S., is now focussed on making ‘Achamundu Achamundu’ a success.
An avid student of cinema, once in the U.S., Vaidyanathan enrolled himself at the New York Film Academy. Soon short films became his forte — he has made eight so far. Most of them have won awards at various international fests and are popular on Trigger Street, an online short film community for independent movie makers, co-founded by actor Kevin Spacey.
The ‘Achamundu …’ team
The entire film is being canned in the U.S. in 26 days. Prasanna left for the shoot first and from what you gather the hero is having a whale of a time despite hectic rehearsal and shooting schedules! Sneha has also joined him at NJ where work is going on in full swing.
Prasanna plays a software professional in ‘Achamundu …’ “He looks every inch a software guy! If you think we chose him after his recent success trail, you are wrong. We decided on the cast long before ‘Anjaadhe,’” says V. The maker finds Prasanna very knowledgeable about scripts, “and he could give us 45 days at a stretch for rehearsals and shoot,” he adds.
Why Sneha? “We are going in for live sound and we wanted a heroine who can speak the language. Sneha’s the best bet,” he says. V sent her the script and the actor got back to him in just about an hour and a half. “‘I’ll do it,’ she said, and sounded quite excited,” he recalls.
Emmy Award winner John Shea who was seen in films such as ‘Hussy’ and ‘Honey I Blew Up the Kid’ is also part of the cast. “A director’s delight,” is how V describes him
Generally you have our makers abroad come over to India for their post production work. “No. Only sound mixing will be done in Chennai. The rest will be in the U.S. as most of my technicians are from here,” says V. Chris Freilich is the cinematographer of ‘Achamundu …’ The DP has wielded the camera for the Naomi Campbell-Sushmita Sen-Suresh Oberoi-starrer, ‘Karma, Confessions and Holi,’ ‘Chasing the White Dragon’ and a couple of V’s short films, including ‘Stinking Cigar.’ Incidentally, for the first time the RED camera will be used for a Tamil film.
Karthik Raja is the composer of ‘Achamundu …’ “I’m an ardent admirer of Karthik’s composing skills,” is V’s refrain. Two songs to be shot as montages have been recorded.
The story? “It’s a thriller, a linear narrative on a global issue. People all over the world can relate to it,” he says. Sounds intriguing, interesting too!
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Friday Review
Bangalore
Chennai and Tamil Nadu
Delhi
Hyderabad
Thiruvananthapuram
|
