The resounding success of Pellichoopulu has opened new doors for the Telugu film industry, in more ways than one. The film has come as an emphatic victory for those who want to be creative, think outside-the-box and narrate good stories. One of the most interesting aspects of the flick is the fact that it has been shot entirely in sync sound, giving it a more authentic feel and thus, enhancing the viewers’ experience.
With the audience giving an overwhelming thumbs up for sync sound, Tollywood filmmakers feel that more directors can incorporate sync sounds in their films going forward.
“The focus should be on sound design, because we have to understand that half the film is sound and that influences the way we watch the film. A good sound designing team is of utmost importance and I think filmmakers and especially cinematographers should pay more attention to sound, rather than just visuals,” shares Tharun Bhascker, who directed Pellichoopulu.
“Sync sound brings in a lot of discipline as well, because actors are made to rehearse their dialogues and acting happens right in front of camera and sound is also being recorded. All the technicians are also focused on what’s happening on the camera. Sync sound is basics of filmmaking and should be incorporated everywhere possible. It is the safest way to go because you have the feed from the set itself.”
“When you don’t have the feed from the set then you have to dub and sometimes the result is very flat,” Tharun added.
The concept has been embraced across the industry,with even out-and-out commercial directors open to using sync sound in their films.
Says Anil Ravipudi, who helmed films like Pataas and Supreme, “I think it works wonderfully well for rom-coms, love stories or films of that genre. But it may not for action films. But I’m still open to incorporating sync sound in my films.”
While Tollywood’s directors feel that sync sound is a great concept, they question its practicality for big-budget films.
“Obviously for the feel of live-recording, this is a great concept. The sound and feel that you get with sync sound cannot be replicated while dubbing. But in south Indian movies, we have our own problems. In big films, you have plenty of artistes involved, who all have their own personal staff, then there are those who serve food, technicians, cameramen, assistants, etc. So when there are 200-300 people on the set, how can you get the sound you want?” questions Chandoo Mondeti). Chandoo, who’s gearing up for the Telugu remake of Premam, points out that Tollywood filmmmakers had experimented with sync sound before but the result wasn’t encouraging.
“Pawan Kalyan tried sync sound for Teen Maar but it didn’t work well. People complained that they couldn’t hear his voice clearly,” Chandoo explains. Tharun, however, feels that such logistical issues in big-budget films can be overcome with proper planning and budget.
“It’s all about discipline. Sync sound comes with its limitations, but you have to be clever about how you get the sound you want. Like how you have different lenses in terms of filmmaking, there are lot of mics which have been employed that can bring out the sound you want. A little bit of budget has to be staked out for these mics,” the filmmaker observes.
Pointing out that his experience in short-filmmaking helped him test the waters in sync sound before his first feature film, Tharun says, “The filmmaker is surrounded by a lot of people around him even before making the film, and the moment he wants to try something new, somebody guns them down saying it’s too risky or too painstaking. The most important thing is effective pre-production. We have to prepare the ground for sound as well as shooting.”
Actors too have enjoyed shooting in sync sound. “Shooting in sync sound has made me a better actor now. I have more command over the language. Somehow, dubbing feels very artificial, so shooting in sync sound was a relief,” shares Ritu Varma, who plays the lead in Pellichoopulu.
While it remains to be seen if Tollywood embraces sync sound completely, one thing for certain, is that it’s here to stay.