National award-winning film editor B Lenin turns sheepish the minute you congratulate him for bagging the Dronacharya Award. “It’s a huge recognition for people who have excelled in teaching…but I have always felt I am only a learner. It’s always learning first,” he says, on the award given by the Rotary Club of Madras East in association with La Ambience. In an extensive interview, the 69-year-old editor opens up on his film journey thus far and what he’s upto now.
Being the son of celebrated filmmaker Bhimsingh, cinema must have always been part of the plan?
We hail from a village near Tirupati, and I have always been drawn to music and movies. The area in Madras we grew up in — Purasawalkam and Kellys — gave us a wonderful atmosphere; people from all religions lived there. I heard the music of Beethoven and Mozart from the Anglo-Indians living nearby. Actor Chandrababu, who was working in my dad’s films then, took a special interest in me – he used to take me to his house at Bheemanna Mudali Street and kept telling me to watch English films. I was hesitant initially, as I didn’t know the language well. But he encouraged me to observe and learn. That piece of advice has stayed with me till date.
- Lenin’s other name is Lajapathy, inspired by Lala Lajpat Rai, described the ‘Lion of Punjab’
- His father named him Lenin. “People ask me often if I am a communist. I say that I am a humanist.”
- He was born on August 15, 1947, the day independent India was born.
Tell us more about your tryst with cinema in those younger days.
I used to frequent Eros Theatre in Adyar then; Chandrababu used to lend me money to watch English films, especially musicals. I also listened to a lot of records — both Western and Carnatic. Slowly, I started learning languages because of hearing all these songs. I learnt Hindi that way. Even when I speak, I converse in a poetic manner. I won’t say ‘ Aap kahaan jaate hai ’ (‘Where are you going?’); I’d rather say ‘ Jaate kahaan aap… ’. Slowly, films and songs were forming a big part of my life. I discontinued my PUC at New College and went off to Mumbai’s Shantaram Studios.
Once you came back to Madras, you jumped straight into films made here?
Back in Bombay, I was watching a lot of classic-style cinema, especially works of Satyajit Ray. When I came back to Madras, I almost scoffed at the films made here. I even remarked about my father’s films, commenting on the group dance performances in it. My dad was a pious, quiet man…he would just smile at me. A photograph of him with that trademark smile still adorns my editing studio. Years later, when I started editing group-dance sequences in films, I would look at that picture and wonder what appa would have said.
But why editing?
I was happier being just an assistant director. But slowly, I learnt that editing was not just about cutting and joining. It was a work of the mind.
How did you land Mahendran’s Uthiripookkal, the film that catapulted you to fame?
In the films I’d watched in Bombay’s film society, there was a ‘sustain’. Here in Madras, they called it ‘lag’ and that confused me. It was at that time Mahendran approached me with the storyline of Uthiripookkal. I jumped at it because I knew I could use the ‘sustain’ technique in it. Thankfully, the audience loved it. Slowly, other directors, including Mani Ratnam and Shankar, came to me with their projects.
As an editor, you have to be ruthless. Did that result in any arguments with your directors?
There weren’t any major fights because I didn’t consider myself just the editor. I was also involved in storytelling and background music.
How did the the ‘B Lenin-VT Vijayan’ combination become a regular fixture?
He (Vijayan) joined me as an assistant, and soon, we were working together. At one point, I took up a lot of non-violent films and gave him (Vijayan) the ones that had violence.
What would you consider your most satisfying work?
When I wish I could’ve spent more time on a film, I consider it satisfying. Malayalam filmmaker Padmarajan’s Moonnam Pakkam was one.
You’ve dabbled in direction, acting and editing. What do you like the most?
Personally, I love music. Even while editing, I keep thinking about the music involved in the sequences.
Tell us about your current projects…
As editor, my last work was Ishti, a Sanskrit movie. As director, I am working on several documentaries; one on the Karaikudi style of cooking and one on horse-carts in Palani. I’m also doing a documentary based on Clarinda , a historical novel by Madhaviah. I am also teaching the students at BOFTA.
