He has carved a niche for himself in the industry, making movies that deal with human complexities. His narratives delve deep into the contours of human psyche and create a lasting impression.
Shyamaprasad, who has made a mark in Malayalam cinema with his remarkable works such as ‘Agnisakshi’, ‘Akale’, ‘Ore Kadal’, ‘Ritu’, ‘Electra’, is back with another movie that is once again a take on human relationships. ‘Arike’ starring Dileep, Mamta Mohandas and Samvrutha Sunil, which was shot at Calicut is slated for release on March, 2012.
Talking eloquently about the theme of ‘Arike’. this National Award winning director says, “There is an obsessive quest for love in each one of us. We have illusions and inhibitions about love, yet we have an irrepressible thirst for it. We all want to find happiness in love. But whether we get that happiness is the question which I want to delve through this film.”
Compared to the dark themes he took up earlier, ‘Arike’s tone is relatively lighter , says the director. “In ‘Ore Kadal’, the subject had an shadow of gloom and depression, ‘Ritu’ was about the aspirations and attitude of the young working population. ‘Arike’ has a breezy feel, and the story is told in a lighthearted and realistic way. I have also taken efforts to avoid cliches such as rain, sea, train that are common motifs in romantic films.”
The story is about Shanthanu, a middle class employee played by Dileep. Shyamaprasad says he selected Dileep to play the part because he feels the actor has the look and feel of the character. There are two female leads, Mamtha and Samvrutha who essay the characters of Anuradha and Kalpana in the film. Anuradha is the sensitive type who has gone through certain bitter experiences in love. Unrequited love in the past has made her somewhat indifferent to the feeling. Kalpana is the more capricious one, who is changeable and loves being in love. The story reveals their individual perspectives on love and its impact on the man they both love. Through the quotidian life of middle class people, it explores feelings of emotion and love.
Shyamaprasad has brilliantly adapted several classics on celluloid so far. ‘Arike’ is the latest in that list and is based on a novella by Bengali writer Sunil Gangopadhyay. Says the director, “I don’t think adapting stories from other languages is an issue at all, because human emotions are universal and can be told without linguistic barriers. I am fond of adapting literature, since writing a story is not my forte and I do not believe in concocting a story for the sake of filmmaking.” He also adds that Basu Chatterjee, Bollywood’s legendary director who portrayed the middle-class with great insight and charm in movies like ‘Baaton Baaton Mein’, ‘Choti Si Baat’ and ‘Rajnigandha’ in the 70s, proved to be his guiding force while making ‘Arike’.
Another strength of the movie is the use of sync sound. Soheil Sanwari, who recorded the location sound of ‘Don 2’ is doing the sound design. Shyamaprasad says, “In a performance, along with expressions, vocal acting has great importance. I seek total performance from the actor which comes from a holistic understanding of his/her character. It would be a shame if the audience cannot experience his voice as and how he delivers it,” he says.
parvathy@newindianexpress.com
