Colour-coded

Cinematographer Omprakash describes the toil that has gone into the making of the soon-to-be-released Vaagai Sooda Vaa. Malathi Rangarajan listens in.

Vaagai Sooda Vaa

A small film, a new director, a hitherto unheard of production house and a little known hero — not an alluring proposition for a cinematographer with considerable experience! But Omprakash took it up, and the film — Kalavaani — was a hit. It was while working with director Vijay for his ad films that Omprakash got to know Sargunam, his assistant, and director of Kalavaani . “Sargunam would discuss stories he had in mind and I found them quite impressive,” smiles Omprakash. Later when Omprakash was shooting for Nagarjuna's Krishnarjuna in Hyderabad, Sargunam called him up to tell him about the plot of Kalavaani . “I liked the line and got on board.”

The team now returns with the period film, Vaagai Sooda Vaa , which releases on September 30. “In the case of VSV , we've been very careful to present an authentic milieu because it is set in the 1960s — a period many are still familiar with. We can't afford anachronisms,” he says. So where did they find a suitable location? “Aruppukottai — the entire film was shot there. We needed a tract of land which didn't have power lines criss-crossing above it,” says Omprakash. A huge set was erected at the spot. “Cheenu, Sabu Cyril's assistant, has done a brilliant job, re-creating a perfect milieu with its settlement of workers at the brick kilns,” he adds.

A village story

VSV is again a village story from Sargunam. “The scope both Kalavaani and VSV have offered me as a camera person is incredible,” he says. “I believe in detailed planning and extensive homework before the shoot. The director and I discuss the suitable colour scheme of the film. The major decision as far as VSV goes is that it will not have even a trace of green in it!”

A rustic canvas without greenery? “Green generally symbolises the opening of doors of knowledge. But we are showcasing a poverty-stricken rural scenario with children who are illiterate. So eschewing green makes sense.”

Sargunam had the script of

VSV ready even before he embarked on

Kalavaani . “Today's filmgoer encourages innovative approaches. And it has given us the confidence to try out fresh subjects,” he says.

Kalavaani was filmed near Thanjavur. The area was a not-much-visited shooting spot till then, because it has only green fields and blue sky. The whiteness of the sunlight could make the figures appear dark. So filmmakers prefer the picturesque hillside of Pollachi, Kambam and Gobichettipalayam. But Omprakash took it up as a challenge and came up with a creditable output. He used more of top angles and hand-held shots to achieve the desired result. “The toil was worth it. When big makers such as Bharatiraaja and K.V. Anand appreciated me, I was thrilled,” he says.

Does he alternate between rural and city-based assignments? After Naanayam it was Kalavaani . Veppam followed and now VSV is next. “It just happened,” smiles Omprakash. Veppam looked predominantly dark. “The texture, tone and colours I use are based on the theme of the film. The lighting is decided by the mood and movement. My camera travels with the story. In Veppam , the subject of murder and prostitution needed such hues to bring out the starkness,” he says.

Sepia tones are part of most of our period films. “But we've steered clear of it. Be it the hues of the costumes or the ambience, we've gone in for a de-glamorised, dry, de-saturated feel,” clarifies Omprakash. The colour, the frames and the lighting will be pointers to the life and livelihood of folks who depend on the soil for their sustenance. Even the blue sky has been avoided in VSV .

“The realistic look is what we've worked for. The audience should feel the heat of the scorching Sun, and the brightness should make them screw up their eyes,” laughs Omprakash.