Catching up with cinematographer-turned-director Chezhiyan at his quaint office in Vadapalani is a liberating experience. Especially when the conversation revolves around Krzysztof Kieslowski, Balu Mahendra and To Let , his directorial début. Not many people know that Chezhiyan emerged as a name to reckon with in Tamil cinema, much before he became a successful cinematographer, when he wrote the column Ulaga Cinema in a popular Tamil magazine between 2005 and 2007.
The column, by his own admission, provided a window of opportunity to aspiring directors, college students and film enthusiasts to learn about the craft and film language from other parts of the world. However, it wasn’t a smooth ride for Chezhiyan, whose fascination for cinema dates back to the time when Internet was slowly making its way into people’s lives, and the accessibility of foreign films remained a challenge.
The director was in college when he travelled from Sivagangai to Madurai to watch Bicycle Thieves . “On my way back, I was unable to come out of its visceral impact. I grew up watching MGR-Sivaji and Rajini-Kamal films. But when you’re exposed to alternate cinema, it becomes a culture shock,” says Chezhiyan. He adds that he was left with a lingering sense of desperation when he watched Pather Panchali on Doordarshan. “The question that popped up before me was: why aren’t we making films like that?” Thus began his tryst with world cinema.
Looking back, Chezhiyan says that his column gave him a vantage point and shaped his cinematic sensibilities. “For example, I was asked to write a column for Valentine’s Day and I wrote about A Short Film About Love. And hence, I began to analyse from within,” he adds. Though Chezhiyan entered the industry to become a director, it was Rudraiah (filmmaker) who advised him to learn cinematography. “He said, ‘Cinema is a visual medium. If you master the art of visual storytelling, you can become a director any day’.” Chezhiyan took his advice seriously and joined PC Sreeram’s school of cinematography, where he was introduced to names like Kieslowski and Bergman among others. This was around the same time when he completed scripting the final draft of To Let. “The initial plan was to write it as a novel. But somehow things didn’t fall in place,” he says, adding that the finished script was about 150 pages long.
A different approach
Chezhiyan opines that nothing gives him more satisfaction than understanding his subject through camera lenses. Quoting Alfonso Cuarón-directed Roma as an example, he explains the marriage between cinematography and direction: “When I work as a cinematographer, I’m basically executing someone else’s idea. However, when I also helm the project, it allows me to enhance the visual quality of the film.” When Chezhiyan sat down at the writing table, the cinematographer in him foreshadowed the director, “My screenplay would have details about shot division, lighting, lenses and so on. More than writing, it’s the execution that gives me a high.” But how does he compose his shots? “I’m concerned about the mood of a scene... whether it’s sadness or happiness. At the same time, I try to convey the crux of the film in a single shot. The case in point being To Let ’s first look poster that features nothing but footprints,” he says. Ask him about The Red Balloon symbolism in the trailer, he immediately lights up: “Many people did not notice it. I have also used Andrei Rublev’ s soundtrack since my protagonist is an assistant director.”
An ode to the masters
Chezhiyan confesses that he draws inspirations from master filmmakers. He explains how the poster of Robert Bresson’s Pickpocket prompted him to come up with a minimalistic design for To Let . “Bresson has been an advocate of minimalism. If you look at the posters of foreign films, the entire core is conveyed through the poster. Which is why I approached Santhosh Narayan (concept artist) to design a minimalistic poster for my film. ” On the surface, To Let is about the travails of a family that is in search of a rented house. Three decades ago, there was a film that dealt with a similar theme and was directed by someone who’s considered an auteur — Balu Mahendra. “ Veedu was one of my biggest influences. Even today, I’m reminded of Ilaiyaraaja’s music, Archana and the old man who narrates the story. In fact, I had written a long article on the film that won appreciation from Balu Mahendra.” Since its inception, Chezhiyan’s intention was to make a film of international standard. He believes that he doesn’t need appropriation from the audience. “I have made this film for myself. Our audiences have been conditioned to celebrate mediocrity. If one has to reform Tamil cinema, it should begin from grass-roots level.”
When Chezhiyan started out, he was clear about one thing: to make a film like Bicycle Thieves . Has the director finally accomplished his desire? “I don’t think I can ever achieve that. It’s a grand dream and I hope to make it in the future,” he smiles.
