Shooting a Hollywood film in Munnar





July 30, 2008

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001BN ... PDKIKX0DER












Santosh Sivan has become truly an international filmmaker. His eighth directorial venture, Before the Rains, a Hollywood film made in Kerala [Images] has made it to a number of international film festivals namely Edinburgh, Toronto, Pusan and Palm Springs.

His film also won the Best Film Award, the Kodak Crystal Vision Award for Best Cinematography and the Best Music Director award (for Mark Killian) at the Houston film festival.

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Now, the latest feather in his cap is a feature on the film which appeared in the prestigious American Cinematographer magazine (this is the second time that the magazine has done a feature on him, the first being when he made The Terrorist).

In this exclusive interview, Santosh Sivan tells Shobha Warrier why it is a big deal to be featured in the magazine.

This is the second time that we have a feature on you in the American Cinematographer. How does it feel?

A still from Before the RainsIt is interesting because the magazine is perhaps the only one of its kind that discusses the visual language of a film. Though a Hollywood film, Before the Rains was shot completely in Munnar, Kerala.

The magazine is always on the lookout for innovative techniques, purity and the "non-Hollywood" in films. The visual texture of Before the Rains has true Indian sensibilities and that has always attracted the magazine. As I am from Kerala, the sensibilities are a reflection of the Kerala folk and visual arts. All the visual influences are from the grandmother's tales to Raja Ravi Varma's [Images] paintings.

The article has praised the way you blended the theme of the film and the visual design. You said in the article that you were influenced by Satyajit Ray in doing so. The story of Before the Rains happens in Munnar. How did you incorporate the landscape and the theme and the characters in the film?

The film is a drama about different cultures interacting, and the different cultures are always curious about one another. It's a timeless phenomenon; this fatal attraction. The premise for the story is the late 1930's when in a remote part of India, a planter (Linus Roache) aided by his worker and friend (Rahul Bose) builds a road in the hills for spice trade. So, the story is about the clash in two cultures, and also as an intrusion into nature.

Can you elaborate on how the concept of contrast extended to lighting?

Well it's interesting if you were to witness a Kathakali performance, or any such art form. In its pure form, it is almost a performance to God, hence they light a lamp and perform in that glow. It is highly dramatic and I have been fascinated by it. I did use those observations while filming Vaanaprastham and also Perumthachan.

How challenging was it to light the rainy and misty exteriors of Munnar?

A still from Before the RainsOf course, Munnar has retained its eco-balance, thanks to the Tata Tea [Get Quote] estates and the government. I filmed Munnar during times of transition -- when night turns to day and when seasons change. These are fleeting, but beautiful moments. We decided not to disturb the visuals by manipulating the colour correction to underline a period.

You said you lit the interiors so that they looked like the Ravi Varma paintings. Why? You had even picturised a song like his paintings in the film Ananthabhadram.

Raja Ravi Varma paintings are one of the early visual influences in my life. To most Keralites, the paintings remind them of home. I often see these paintings adorn the homes of many Keralites in the US, Dubai and the UK. Raja Ravi Varma paintings have a fusion of Indianness and influences of the renaissance.

You said the most challenging part of the film was the construction of a road. Why was this?

Well, its really difficult trying to build a road through a forest. Fortunately we found an abandoned one.

A still from TahaanThough the film was set in the 1930s, you didn't give it a period look. Why?

The tea estates in Munnar haven't changed that much in the last 75 years. Hence we used costumes and art direction to bring out the period.

When will the film be released in India?

I think by the end of the year although it has been released in the US and UK.

What is your next project?

My next project is Tahaan. It is a Hindi film shot in Kashmir, about a little boy (Purav) and his donkey. Anupam Kher [Images], Rahul Bose [Images], Victor Banerjee, Rahul Khanna and Sarika [Images] are also starring in the film. It is already complete and will release during September or October.


** He has not lived upto his name working with FLOSSY FILM MAKERS

Before The Rains:
It's playing in Ottawa this week. May be in other cities too.

Bytowne
325 Rideau, Ottawa, Ottawa

Aug 22-28, 2008
Sat: 6:55
Sun: 8:40
Mon: 4:30
Tue, Wed: 7:00
Thu: 4:45
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Next week ??
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BTW, Amal is playing too starting Wed.
Bytowne
325 Rideau, Ottawa, Ottawa
Wed: 4:45
Thu: 6:55

i.e. Wed Thurs one can watch both films in one outing.
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Original lang. Malay / English
Country India / U.S.A. / United Kingdom
Genre Drama
Rating PG
Parents Violence, sexual content
Length 1:38
Director Santosh Sivan
Writer Cathy Rabin
Dan Verete
Company Roadside Attractions

Starring
Leopold Benedict
Rahul Bose
Nandita Das
Jennifer Ehle
Indrajit
Lal Paul

When a married British colonialist (Linus Roache) is caught having an affair with his beautiful housemaid (Nandita Das), he convinces his trusted farmhand (Rahul Bose) - a member of the housemaid's tribe - to help find a solution to the potentially deadly situation.

Before The Rains:
Saw it today. It's an excellent film. Not to be missed.
Plot keeps on getting tighter. No letting down right from start and until the very end.
It was just a second show today (first was Yesterday), but word had already spread of excellent film and hence theatre was basically full (700-900 seater). Before the show, every one was calling it 'an excellent film'. Must have been from reviews, word of mouth etc ??
Cinematography is excellent but that's only a small part of the film's excellence.

As per plot, it seems adult theme but nothing compared to what's allowed in Indian 'G' rated films. Theatre classification has it as 'PG'. Mostly a clean film.

BTW, end credits say that it's based on another film (name ??). I never heard of that film.

Children of Sivan

Raja Sen | September 05, 2008 16:08 IST


A

The question a film like Tahaan begs one to pose to the filmmaker at the absolute soonest is simple: did the story come first or the child? Young actor Purav Bhandare -- in the titular role -- is so comfortable in his naive, scrappy, Kashmiri skin that he holds us, enthralled, as he sets out on his ragtag, seemingly harmless journey.

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The film is about the Kashmir of today, family, cross-border terrorism, good and evil, unlikely friendships, and contains more than its fair share of philosophy. The journey itself, mercifully enough, doesn't hold any such lofty pretensions: Young Tahaan traverses the wilderness and the weather because he wants to get back his donkey.

And it's a spellbinding trip, this movie.

The 'problem' with trying to analyse a film directed by a genius cinematographer is that even when narrative slows down or 'filler' shots are thrown indulgently into the mix, Santosh Sivan makes the whole film look so bloody enchanting that you have no room to complain about the slightest possible niggles. If indeed there exist mistakes, and they are this visually captivating, then give us a tapeful of bloopers -- we'll eat it up.

Capturing Kashmir with a raw eloquence and a very fluid camera, Sivan goes at it mostly up-close, preferring to linger on the boy and his fellow supporting actors, occasionally cutting to natives with faces dripping of character. And then, without warning, he'll pull back and open wide -- and our jaws will drop, because Kashmir is really as startlingly beautiful as it gets.



He's shot in similar climes before -- most memorably in Mani Ratnam's visually astonishing Dil Se -- but here everything is quiet and understated. It is Kashmir yet it is backdrop, the director seems to want to emphasise, and his intentions must be appreciated greatly. However, what a helluva backdrop it is.

The story is preciously simple, and, is told in a lovely, almost Iranian fashion. Majid Majidi's fantastic everyday minimalism clearly has an influence on Sivan, and it's heartening to see an Indian filmmaker so assuredly stark. The scenes of the child running, by himself, are evocative of Francois Truffaut's masterpiece 400 Blows, and while young Tahaan -- the name means The Merciful, we are told in a throwaway line that completely eschews expository dialogue -- may not be as conflicted as Antoine Doinel, he does have a simpler, much harder to resist, impishness.

Thematically, the film builds up so gradually, delighting over the everyday details and taking it nice and easy, that it makes the plot hard to predict. Yet this is a film with a very specific storyline, and while we get a light taste of things to come earlier on -- with a fantastic scene showing young Kashmiri boys playing at pretend-militants, much like we would have played at cowboys or He-Man as kids -- the end comes at us with sinister simplicity.

And, like the best thrillers, you're constantly wondering how the film will end. 'Will he shock? He couldn't possibly... What if he? Is there enough time for...?' Your brain races on and on, trying to keep pace with the dogged donkey-loving protagonist, and Sivan handles the balance extremely well.

The performances are top-notch. Sivan surprises us by casting actors Bollywood routinely misuses -- an utterly watchable Anupam Kher [Images] being a prime example -- by giving them natural parts and using them with tight restraint. Sarika [Images] delivers powerfully as the lad's mute mother, and Rahul Bose [Images] is an absolute treat as a slackjawed yokel.



The film does, however, belong to Purav, Sana Shaikh (who plays his sister Zoya), and young Ankush Dubey (the rather alarming Idrees) -- the latter clearly the kind of talent that deserves to be snapped up immediately. The other two need to go to school.

And you need to go to a theatre. Take the kids too, please.

Rediff Rating: 4/5

Thanks Rana:)
Much appreciate input. Is dvd Pal or NTSC?

It's Eagle DVD, made in India. PAL to NTSC Pseudo Prog (every 5th frame repeated into 6), similar to some of EVP Hindi DVDs.
There must be a Hollywood release as well, and that must be Progressive.

(Zoran, It's not the film that you described in your post - Tahaan "Children Of Sivan")

It is lionsgate dvd:)

Eagle DVD cover is different.

Lions Gate DVD must be the Hollywood Release, proper Prog DVD.

Eagle DVD cover says: Manufactured By Siddharth Optical Disc, Mayapuri Delhi. MSRP Rs 299.

I'll see if I can rent it locally ??

I remember this wonderful movie, I had a chance to watch it when it came out.
Thanks so much for the announcement, it's really pleasant to recall its best moments in mind.