Director Shyamaprasad has completed 25 years in Malayalam cinema. An innate grasp of the workings of the female mind and heart, coupled with a non-judgemental gaze, makes Shyamaprasad stand out among his peers. In an interaction with TNIE, the award-winning filmmaker shares his take on cinema, politics, and his newfound love for acting. Excerpts
How has your filmmaking journey been over the past 25 years?
To me, it is a journey from one movie to the next. Each film brings new challenges and new people to work with. It is for the film historians and reviewers to take a call (smiles).
Compared to ‘Agnisakshi’, your next film ‘Kallu Kondoru Pennu’ was more commercial. You seem to have moved away from that. Why?
‘Agnisakshi’ garnered more respect, as its story was based on a celebrated novel. I believe I didn’t compromise much in terms of artistic integrity. ‘Kallu Kondoru Pennu’ was different in terms of artistic and cinematic values that I uphold. In fact, I learnt what shouldn’t be done through that film (smiles).
The idea was to make a film with a strong woman character as the lead. I thought the story had value, but when developed into a film, many compromises were required, something I shouldn’t have done. There are some issues on which, no matter what, you must not compromise. But I had to. For instance, the theme and the moulding of the character and its style. I have never made such a compromise again.
You are known as a filmmaker who only makes movies that are close to your heart…
I have done films based on my conviction, except once. I may or may not have succeeded. That’s a different matter. I tried not to compromise on the core values that the film ought to symbolise.
A grey tone dominates most of your movies, both thematically and character-wise…
That tone is deeply ingrained in me. The grey tone is an essential characteristic of art. Each theme you handle, every character you create, you look for that grey tone. You cannot brand them mere black or white.
What we see is a bunch of very real characters portrayed in a non-judgemental way by a filmmaker. Does this come naturally?
They can’t be (judgemental). The more you empathise with these characters, the deeper you want to go into them. There is a limit as an artist, but that has always been the attempt.
Your films show a great understanding of the inner workings of the female mind...
(Smiles) I guess my female characters draw attention as they go against their conventional portrayal in movies. I have however never made any conscious attempt to make women-centric movies.
You portray the thoughts of women truthfully, without the lens of morality…
I’m glad you felt so. That may be because I’m empathetic and non-judgemental, and also because I like to go deep into the nuances and complexities. You don’t get a pat answer at the end of the movie. It’s mostly open-ended, just as life is.
In your movies, an environment is created for supporting characters too...
The attempt is to recreate the entire world as it is. But cinema has its limitations, in terms of duration. Many have complained that not much space was given to the husband character in ‘Ore Kadal.’ I might have had more things to talk about that character had I been offered a bigger space.
Can you share your experience with MT’s ‘Manorathangal’?
My work was based on the story ‘Kazhcha.’ The story was chosen for me. It was MT’s recent work. It had some specialties. One was that MT sir has done only a few works focusing on women characters. The story ‘Manju’ is one of them. There is a contemporary view in the story. I focused on highlighting these aspects. I expanded the original to provide a better audio-visual feel, with his permission. I had two levels of discussions with him.
Was Parvathi your choice?
Yes. The producers also concurred.
Some say only a few scriptwriters can do justice to MT’s stories…
I had no issues at all... none. There were several changes to the story in my work. I attempted to make Sudha, the character played by Parvathi, more evocative. In the story, Sudha’s passion is to become a writer. I changed it to music to explore other possibilities. MT accepted all of that.
If you were given a choice, which MT story would you have selected as part of ‘Manorathangal’?
I had thought even earlier of filming some of his stories. There is a short novel called ‘Vilapayathra.’ There is another ‘Perumazhayude Pittennu.’ I had prepared a script combining these two. He agreed. But the project did not take off as I couldn’t find an apt producer. I also wanted to do ‘Sherlock’ as a short film. But MT had already committed to some north Indian filmmaker for a Hindi project.
You have done several films based on literary works. There is a risk involved in that because the film comes after the readers have already formed images of the characters in their minds…
A filmmaker’s job is different. Some say a film is storytelling. I feel storytelling is not the essential job of a filmmaker. A filmmaker’s job is to create an experiential world, to present an audio-visual tale. Story, script, and characters are just elements in it. It gives me a very good platform to stand on and create my work or art.
You seem to be fond of Bengali stories to base your films on…
It is incidental. Translations are available for several Bengali stories and I had the opportunity to read them. But the same is not the case with Tamil or Kannada stories. The theme and character presentation in Bengali novels are different from ours.
You did films when Malayalam cinema was in the clutches of morality. But you seemed to care little…
Mainstream cinema is always conservative. It upholds and eulogises general moral standards. I wanted to present the complexity of the human situation. It wasn’t a deliberate attempt to select provocative stories. There are certain gaps… silence in human relations. If you delve deeper, there are other realms of emotions. I had a natural curiosity to explore them.
What were the responses like?
I remember an ‘Indian Express’ article on ‘Ore Kadal.’ Its headline read ‘Shyamaprasad releases female libido’ (laughs out).
Films such as ‘Ore Kadal’ and ‘Rithu’ were ahead of the time for Kerala society. Don’t you think they would have received more acceptance in today’s context?
Several factors determine the acceptance of a movie. Success at the cinema depends on stars, a gripping narrative for two hours and a humorous factor. Humour is a strong basis even in the so-called new-age films. Otherwise, a serious film is rare. Only an ‘Ullozhukku’ or a ‘Bramayugam’ could give a totally intense experience.
Were Mammootty and Meera Jasmine your first choice for ‘Ore Kadal’?
Mammootty was the only choice. Yes, we seriously considered Meera Jasmine as well.
Many actors, like Meera Jasmine and Anne Augustine, gave their best performances in your movies. You seem to be good at bringing the best out of actors…
A lot of it is their contribution. I give a lot of space for actors to improvise. They discover themselves in the character too. An osmosis happens between the qualities of the character and the actor. An actor is never confused, I hope, in my set because the character is already well-discussed. The success of a director depends on how well he or she communicates. More than anything else, how well the part is written, how well the character is etched in the script matters.
Have you ever been concerned about viewers’ acceptance of films?
Yes. There are concerns because cinema is an expensive art. But that is not the predominant factor which helps me make decisions. As an artist, I drive for self-expression. A film’s validation is based on its acceptance or rejection by others. We strive to arrive at our intentions.
Have you been criticised for the ‘moral values’ in your films?
Not just that. I also get criticised for the political positioning. P Govinda Pillai was of the opinion that I made ‘Agnisakshi’ from the Hindutva perceptive. Such issues are there. But that is the beauty of a work of art. It can evoke different emotions in different people.
Did you ever have the apprehension that you would be viewed as the filmmaker-son of BJP leader O Rajagopal?
No, I didn’t have such worries. Reviews were published saying that I am the son of BJP leader O Rajagopal. People have their own agendas.
Your upbringing was in a certain political atmosphere. However, when you turn to filmmaking, there is a severance from your past...
Though my father was a full-time politician, the atmosphere in my house was different from that of a politician’s family. There was an absence of a father figure most of the time, which actually meant more freedom. There were lots of books. And there was enough time for me to read. I developed my sensibilities through all that. I never saw party politics as important then… not even now. It’s an unfortunate situation that politics has become party politics.
We have heard that Shyamaprasad is the introvert son of an extrovert father. How do you manage filmmaking with an introverted nature?
(Smiles) I don’t know if I am an introvert. I am not a big socialiser. I like to stay at home and do my own thing. However, in terms of my work, I am very much articulate.
What is the politics of Shyamaprasad, the director who made films which touch on subjects like women?
If I could say in one sentence what my politics is, then there is no need to make such films. These became films because they are nuanced and complex subjects. I think that ultimately the basic motivation may be to understand humans more, to live empathetically... and society should move forward without prejudice.
You entered Malayalam cinema as a representative of a new-age art house. Have you ever felt the pressure?
My biggest challenge is what I expect from me. That’s very demanding. I like to make films which are in the category of films I like to watch. I don’t consider myself a part of any club.
Is a godfather necessary to survive in the Malayalam film industry?
No. You simply have to be good. The viewers enjoy movies without obtaining recommendation letters from anyone. I don’t have a godfather in cinema. I didn’t assist anyone either. Godfathers can help you to some extent. Ultimately, we have to pass the test of the viewers.
You started with telefilms and then moved on to films. Now there are web series. And people have started watching films on mobile phones. Is it a good change?
Whether good or bad, that is the reality. Web series give you a bigger platform to explore themes. It is great. I myself am working on a couple of ideas.
How much freedom do web series give a filmmaker?
OTT has changed the overall sensibility of viewers. It will be difficult for the old melodrama or superhero glorification films to succeed.
Has filmmaking changed? Anyone can now make a film using a mobile phone...
There’s both good and bad in this. The good is that filmmaking has been democratised and demystified. Anyone can do it. But it has also become trivial. Reel-makers are also considered filmmakers. Painful, but that’s the reality.
You write your own script and employ scriptwriters too. What’s the difference?
A scriptwriter is another technician who contributes to the film. When a cinematographer is hired, it’s the director’s vision that gets executed. The same happens when a writer is employed. There is a given theme, and you employ a writer to write dialogues et al. It’s basically the director’s vision in every word. Script gets subsumed in a film. The writer is not the creator. I feel, if possible, the director should write the script.
Music plays a big role in your films…
Yes… when music is integrated into the movie, as a director, it’s orgasmic for me. Background music takes the visuals to another dimension. Music is a director’s statement, a cue on how you experience that moment. For me, songs are a necessary evil. I’m always fascinated by the experience created by merging sound with a visual.
Is there any actor you wish to work with?
I wish I could have worked with Thilakan. He is one actor with whom I wanted to work, and I had plans for it. But it didn’t work out.
Shyamaprasad is also an actor now. Do you enjoy the experience?
Well, sometimes yes, sometimes not. As a director, you are in control of everything happening on the set and you are making the decisions. For an actor, there is uncertainty. Sometimes, some directors don’t give even basic instructions. They assume that you know. Every actor, even Mohanlal and Mammootty, is nervous in front of the camera. Actors seek approval and appreciation from the director. I realised what actors seek from a director when I started acting. It made me a better director.
Voices are rising from within against many issues in the film industry. Some say it is unsafe and has many internal issues. Some believe legislation is the final solution...
A film-set is a place where men and women from different parts come and work together for a prolonged period; it is therefore a combustive environment. It would have been better if the issues were resolved within the association amicably before legal interference.
Kerala as a state and Malayalis as a community are vocal about things. Thus, it (Hema Committee report) became a much-discussed event. A collective conscientiousness and sensitisation are required. As a society, we need to learn to respect others’ space and privacy. Celebrities need to be extra-careful, as many look up to them. Laws are not lasting solutions
It is said a power group exists in the film industry. Have you felt so?
It is obvious. Once an actor is popularly accepted in the market, they will exert their control over the industry. It’s the audience who make superstars and mega stars. The viewers themselves are responsible for it.
How do you look at the emergence of more women as directors?
Now there’s more acceptance for women as filmmakers and as part of the crew, which is a great thing. That’ll sanitise the environment. But I think the Hema Committee (report) and related developments have made them a bit cautious. However, the general scene is changing and plenty of new filmmakers are coming in.
Cinema has a major role in influencing a society’s culture. Do you think filmmakers should be held accountable for their works?
Cinema definitely has a role in moulding the culture of a society. The primary audience of a film are people in the age group of 18 to 25, who are highly impressionable. And if we have wrongly influenced them, we should be held responsible.
How can we make them accountable?
Time and society will take them to task at some point or the other. See how questions are being raised to many filmmakers now, through different platforms.
But sensibilities are changing. Isn’t it wrong to judge a film made in the 90s with today’s sensibility?
I don’t think so. The core values are the same. In a humanist society, the concepts of equality and mutual respect have always existed. Modern societies and modern thoughts originated from there. We don’t reject literary works of the past.
How relevant is the concept of political correctness? How does it influence filmmaking?
If a filmmaker — as a social communicator — doesn’t realise its relevance, how can he exist as an artist? A director represents certain eternal values. An artist has to ask some pertinent questions. Art should be able to ask questions that no other medium can ask. How can someone who cannot respect basic human values do that? At the same time, political correctness is not something to be mechanically applied. When a character is being portrayed in a certain manner to titillate the audience, there’s an issue.
Some directors say that it is because of the commercially successful projects they make that art-house filmmakers are able to make the so-called good films...
I don’t take such statements at face value. Creating bad stuff to find resources to create good work is an impractical idea. Once you contaminate yourself, it’s very difficult to make a comeback. I tell young filmmakers to make films they believe in. Your films reflect your depth as an individual, your awareness, and how socially sensitive you are. A director is the sum total of his taste.
Does this hold true for actors too?
I think so, especially for powerful actors. It holds true for everyone. Once you dilute your art and your values, your integrity is compromised. And gradually, it erodes.
Who’s your favourite in world cinema?
I like to watch Woody Allen films repeatedly. It gives me great pleasure. In this depressive world, he shows you how to laugh at it. But if you look at absolute filmmaking, Kieslowski is my favourite. Stylistically, I see him as my Guru. Then there are so many other filmmakers. (Satyajit) Ray, of course!
TNIE team: Cithara Paul, Anil S, K S Sreejith, Aparna Nair, Anuradha L R
B P Deepu (photos), Pranav V P (video)