It is easy to get pulled down in the quickly advancing times. But with proper management of time and thoughts, one can go ahead miles, says well-known actor, director, writer and motivational speaker Ramesh Aravind. In conversation with The New Sunday Express, he also shares his opinion on the five guarantee schemes of the Congress government and the popularity of OTT giving competition to the silver screen.
From devoting space in the media for Kannada cinema to OTT platforms allowing people to watch a variety of content. What has drawn attention to Kannada cinema?
Kannada cinema has finally hit global mark and it is no longer just regional cinema. The industry has spurted the same way Malayalam cinema did a few years ago. We have been consistently delivering extraordinary content, like RRR, KGF, Kantara and Charlie which has created a snowball effect in the film industry. OTT platforms have also played a major role in changing a person’s viewing experience as certain genres are more suitable for OTT as they have a niche audience.
Do you think the perception of regional or Kannada cinema has changed to Indian film?
Kannada cinema is competing with the world now. Content is king and language holds no barrier for any person to be consuming it across the world. Multilingual audios and subtitles help people watch any content. It was our mistake that we did not make such quality content earlier and underestimated the audience.
So many films are coming, but has the literature come down?
Literature of any language is an ocean full of ideas, certain stories and instances are gem worthy if translated into films. Despite the rich culture it might be difficult sometimes to tap into it due to lack of knowledge. If people have deep knowledge of it, translating them well on the screen will be a big help for actors and directors. I am personally inspired by any kind of literature.
Speaking of OTT, does it pose a challenge to take the audience back to theatres?
OTT does pose a threat to the theatres. If we do not pull up our socks, it will be a horrible time for all actors, movie distributors and theatres as well. Though actors will continue to find work on OTT platforms perhaps, it will only be extravagant films which will lure the audience to visit the theatres in the long run. We are trying to chalk down subjects which are of interest to the audience. Movie stars grasp only so much attention, but it is the quality of the film after all which drives people to the theatres.
Will OTT decide what kind of film one should watch or what types of films should be made?
The Internet and social media have made people used to short form entertainment content. Their attention span has reduced to a 30-second reel. With OTT, the variety of content has become so diverse that people get indecisive and end up watching nothing. Be it the big screen or OTT, a filmmaker has to narrate stories that draw people’s attention either to the theatres or phone screens. The time has passed where cinema was a weekly entertainment source people would look forward to.
You are also a playwright for films. Are you planning or working on any at the moment?
I’m continuously working on films. I had three scripts written during Covid. All three should be ready sometime soon.
What do you say of films like Kashmir Files and Jai Bheem. Should films be made keeping political agendas in mind?
By nature, I’m extremely neutral. I don’t like to take any sides and I like to be away from controversies. One must make a film because you really want to tell a story and not with any other agenda. If you make a film because you want to tell the story it is fine, but if it was to intentionally divide the audience, it’s sad as theatre is the most unifying place for all kinds of audiences. Every action of the filmmaker will have its own consequences which he has to face sometime or the other.
Has OTT platform paved the way for more talent who otherwise would not have got opportunities?
What is beautiful about OTT is that it has shown a number of fabulous actors in the industry. The talent that has come about is unbelievable. Previously, it was very difficult to get a star. To enter the industry was also difficult and it was impossible to sustain your stardom. Now suddenly, there are film stars all around which is a beautiful thing.
Do you find social media affecting the success of films, especially with the boycott culture?
It can easily kill a film. It’s such a powerful weapon, so it’s like walking a tightrope. Is it worth it? How to go about it? These are all individual decisions that one needs to think about.
Has the innocence in cinema changed and is it only the number game for filmmakers?
In the initial stages, as your films grow bigger you also have to become a businessman. But the guys who retain the purity of it irrespective of what the commercial compulsions are, are the ones that seem to last.
Social media is a powerful tool. How has it helped bring the numbers up? Do you miss the larger-than-life posters
Publicity costs have come down, compared to earlier. I don’t miss the posters, now it’s in everybody’s hands via the phone. We just have to put everything on the handle and everyone knows about it. It has helped bring creativity to it.
But what about the talent, acting skills?
Facing a camera was an art back then, but now anyone on the road can talk comfortably in front of the camera. Actors would earlier shiver in front of the camera now everyone is comfortable. What is beautiful is that the visual literacy of people has changed. Audiences have opinions just like editors, which is becoming a problem for directors now.
You have worked with Kamal Hassan. Was acting or directing him easy?
Directing him has been a pleasure, but acting has always been easy. To have a good actor is a great benefit. It’s easy to work with someone who knows cinema. It is the biggest advantage to work with Kamal. He knows...
What does well, a multi-star movie or a solo starrer?
Depends. If we are making a movie like Panchatanthiram, with a good gang, there can be a big high. But the problem is when the director leans towards a particular actor or role. There it becomes a bad experience. If the actor is not treated well, his audience also feels the same. It takes a good director to make a multi-starrer. Everyone should be given their due.
You’ve worked with many people. Personally, whose craft have you followed?
As a director, it would be K Balchander. I have grown up watching his movie and cinema. He introduced me. From the new age, no one because there is so much talent. The iconic following is very difficult now. It was easier back then because of the rarity of the films.
We are getting actors, but is it difficult to get superstars now
I wouldn’t say it’s difficult. The land of cinema can surprise you anytime. You should have superstars, actors and talents. It keeps the industry running.
What do you think of Bengaluru’s infamous traffic?
The answer on everybody’s mind is to make use of more public transport. Make it more friendlier. In London, it’s a pride for people to walk and even catch the metro.
After a film like Shivaji Surathkal, what next?
I have finished three scripts. One is a huge film which I will direct, and the second, I want to act. I will try to find a director who will have that kind of attitude. The last one, I want to give to a creative director.
Lots of films have inclusivity. Is Kannada cinema heading that way?
In their own way. But not as much as webseries does or a global audience does. There is a need for diversification for a global audience. That is the right thing to do. That should happen in the Kannada industry too. Earlier it used to take time. One year or two. It’s not the same case now, it may happen in four or five days.
Tell us about Weekend with Ramesh. You have covered over 100 achievers
Spending half-an-hour with a person and learning about their lives is a wonderful and moving experience. It’s amazing to see how two contrasting people can be equally successful in the same field. It was a huge learning process, especially learning how varied success can be for different people. Another thing was how willing people were to open up, especially since the intention was never to bring about a dark side on the show but to show positive aspects. Stories where a man whose bones would shatter if you shook his hands too hard winning several Olympic medals, it was one of my absolute favourites.
You are also a motivational speaker. What led you to this and who is your target audience?
It started when I was invited to functions. While it’s a necessity to dance or repeat dialogues from my films, I would also talk about things that had helped me during my life. I did not expect it to gain traction, but now I’ve compiled a number of them into a book - Preetiyinda Ramesh - and will now constantly record or write down these anecdotes.
Everybody is talking about the five guarantee schemes. As a citizen what do you say about it?
I am not a political person and I have no idea. I really don’t know how these things work. But the basic thing in life is that there is nothing free. You are going to pay a price for it for some way or the other. Hope the price paid is a fair tradeoff. I personally feel giving it to people really in need is noble and there is no doubt about it. But if it is going to be misused or just a gimmick to win somebody’s favour, it will not work. The sooner you empower people to be self-reliant the better. I get my roads free, parks free, footpaths free. I am paying for these indirectly through my taxes. But now expenses from my personal budget are cut off which is a big move. So if the money is going to flow in by cutting off waste government expenditure, no to superficial schemes and overpriced projects then it’s reallocation of funds. All are waiting to see how this will be pulled off .
Will you enter politics?
Not right now.
You have been an actor, director, TV host and motivational speaker. Which role is your favourite?
All of them, because from the beginning I do things I like and that works for me. All of them are different avatars of the same thing, I guess. There are different ways to do it. Basically, I am trying to communicate in some way or the other. That’s what I think finally.
Has stardom, adulation, fan following, etc move you from your own reality and a person you are and are you able to connect with that?
Personally, I am able to. By nature, I have a lot of solitude. I love myself. I may be everywhere, but I have spent a lot of time alone. That helps, having your own time, cut off from everything, having your own analysis and reflection helps
What is the shelf life of a star?
It depends on the star. Some are like shooting stars, disappear within one Friday, other stars last a lifetime. Someone like Dilip Kumar and Amitabh Bachchan who have lasted several decades. The memory of human beings is very short. That way, if you look at stardom like life, it is very fading.
How has the sudden death of Puneet Rajkumar affected you and the film fraternity?
More than hitting me personally, I was shocked because the previous night, I was with him, we were at a party and chatting and the next morning, I heard the news. It was shocking. There was no sign of life going away. What remains forever is his nature, apart from his films, dance and fights.
What kind of news would you like to see in the newspaper, if you were an editor?
I prefer reading human interest stories. People connect to emotions more than reading about data-oriented and political stories. “100 snakes on the loose in a city”, that is not a story. An interesting story to write would be about one snake missing in the city while 99 were caught. The theory works for cinema as well. Stories must be layered such that people watch/read till the very end.
Have you gained inspiration from any news article to be translated into a story worthy for the big screen?
One can find inspiration anywhere, including news stories. I keep making notes if I find something interesting and get back to it later. We made an entire film. Accident, was based on a real life incident of an artist’s relative getting hit by a train at a railway crossing. Real stories give very fascinating ideas which can be converted into movie scripts.
Do films have a larger social responsibility or should they just be considered only as a source of entertainment? Have storytellers moved ahead from the concept of male gaze?
The primary aim is to entertain in an interesting way. If a filmmaker has social responsibility, it will be reflected. If you see all my films, there will be some basic line of decency and I cannot cross that, because you are wired like that. However, I think a lot of sensibility has come in. There is a lot of power on the female side and you see the film on women, like Kerala Story, has collected crores.
What is your advice to youngsters?
I keep saying only two things. If we take care of our time and our thoughts, phenomenal things can happen. You won’t believe what you are capable of doing. If we follow time sense, it will work like magic.
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