Many directors write the scripts of the films they work on, a few choose to direct stories by other writers. But there are film directors who besides being involved in film-making are also published authors. Among them are Chandrashekhar Kambar, Girish Karnad and Nagathihalli Chandrashekar. Actor-director Ramesh Aravind has written two books.
First author, then director
Nagathihalli, who has around 30 books - short stories and novels - to his credit, says, “The main advantage of being an author and a director is you have a hold over the story, screenplay, dialogues and you have a vision for the film. You have more command over the film. Language, content and direction are deciding factors while penning a book. These are what let you go deeper into a subject. Proficiency in language brings clarity and content helps focus on socially relevant and topical issues. There is always a difference between a writer who is also a director and a director who picks up stories by other writers. When I wrote America America or Maathad Maathad Mallige, I studied so many subjects apart from what is relevant for the movie.”
Nagathihalli calls himself first an author then a director. “Usually when a director adapts a script written by someone else, he gets confused on the sets as he may not understand certain lines. While I was shooting America America, I wrote one scene seven to eight times but just wasn’t satisfied. I tore all the pages up on the sets. But I knew what I had in mind and it was a wonderful piece, so I could direct the scene on the spot,” he says.
Writers-turned-directors are more independent with their creativity. One of Nagathihalli’s favourite pastimes is making jottings in his travel-log. “My travel dairies have been converted into text books. As a director, I find keeping a travel log handy. I often exploit a city I have travelled to in my films and my writings. I have travelled to a lot of places around the world and the accounts of those trips have often been turned into stories,” he says.
Nagathihalli prefers a remote place to pen his thoughts, unlike when directing when he can’t avoid the chaos. “I keep writing on my travels. I have been mulling over writing on China. I have travelled twice to the country but I need to go there once more before I begin my account.”
Recalling his first brush with story writing, Nagathihalli says, “I wrote my first short story when I was in standard VIII. The topic was death. When I was in high school, there was an announcement in the newspaper inviting students to write stories and the best story will win a prize of `10. I had written in an inland letter and sent it to the concerned paper.
It was published and the copy was sent to my school. I remember, there was a celebration-like mood in school and the administration almost declared the day as a holiday. I continue to enjoy writing even today. I have around 10,000 books back at my village home, where I studies. It is more or less like a library and. These are often circulated among those interested in reading,” he says.
BBM messages inspire book
Ramesh Aravind has written two books, one in Kannada, Pritiyinda Ramesh and the latest in English, It’s no Fun Without You. “Writing is a lonely effort whereas when you are directing a film you meet hundreds of people. Direction also needs people management. Writing, though lonely, is satisfying. Words appear such that you wouldn’t have imagined which is a great thrill. Especially the few days before the final copy are an experience in themselves and cannot be imagined,” he says.
Though Ramesh was always passionate towards writing, his film commitments have kept him busier. “A friend of mine who publishes books was keen that I write. In fact, he put a deadline for me to finish my first book by. It all started with the status messages I used to post on my BlackBerry mobile phone. They weren’t about where I was or what I was doing. They were more comments on life and were very well received by my friends. The status messages grew into paragraphs and later became a bound book. The book has my thoughts, my memories. That part of processing my thoughts took a long time,” he says.