‘Watch out for Tamil Films’

An interview with film director Shaji N. Karun, who received the Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres award last week.

Director of award-winning films like Vanasprastham, Shaji N Karun entered hallowed territory last week. He received the Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters), from the French Ministry of Culture. An  interview:

Q Do awards and honours matter to you?

A Tough question. But it’s wonderful to be noticed and honoured internationally. It tells you about the places your work has reached and the different kinds of people whom it has touched.

Q What drives you to make films?

A I’m driven towards stories that explain relationships between people. That’s the greatest story ever told, and also the toughest. What draws men and women to each other? What makes them repel each other? I’m drawn towards areas of personal conflict between people.

Q Are the heydays of Malayalam cinema over?

A Frankly, that has been true for a while. Bollywood and commercialisation of southern cinema are big factors. There was a time when a good film without big names was appreciated. Now, most of the talent moves to the Tamil industry or Bombay.

Q Some of your films were made with French contribution. Do you think while making a film with a global audience in mind, one loses out on local nuances?

A Sometimes, yes. Often, one has to explain things a Malayalee would take for granted. One runs the risk of explaining and not storytelling. In Vanaprashtam, I just stuck to explaining the most crucial details, without which a global audience wouldn’t have grasped the film.

Q What do you make of current cinema in the South?

A Watch out for Tamil films. They are easily some of the most original and vibrant in India, perhaps the world.

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Rahul Jayaram

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