Sri Lanka a wonderful film location - Ram Gopal Varma

Interviewed by Ranga CHANDRARATHNE

Sri Lanka has been a film location on account of its amazing bio-diversity and unparalleled natural beauty which enticed many explorers to the Island. Many world renowned film directors have done their masterpieces in Sri Lanka including directors such as: Sir David Lean (Bridge on the River Kwai), Steven Spielberg and George Lucas (Indiana Jones), Sir Carol Reed (Outcast of the Islands).

Now famed Indian director Ram Gopal Varma has commenced shooting his latest film "Agyaat" in the jungles of Sri Lanka. The Sri Lankan partners are Sri Lankan producer/director, Chandran Rutnam, CEO of the production service company, Film Location Services (Pvt) Ltd.

Q: Looking at your earlier creations, it is obvious that you have created films that were diverse in theme ranging from psychological thrillers to musicals. Your latest venture "Agyaat" is expected to be a thriller and you have selected Sri Lanka as a location. Are there any specific reasons for you to select Sri Lanka as a location?

A: "Agyaat" is not a thriller. I was fascinated with certain situations where people get trapped in and the situation does not let them escape. That demands certain locations and it becomes a character of the film. So I wanted a certain type of a jungle. The moment I saw the jungle in the Sigiriya area, I was convinced.

Q: Can you briefly comment on this new venture?

A: The story is of a film team that go into to a jungle location for a shoot who get trapped. Something out there in the jungle is trying to kill them. It is the changing physiological aspects of the inter-relationships of the characters and how the status of each character changes; the cameraman, stars but the moment they face death, the human being comes out and they become equals because they are no longer working for someone else but for their lives. I think that drama is what "Agyaat" will be about.

Q: There is a school of thinking that artistic quality of films is overshadowed by special effects and computer-manipulation, which has now become the trend in world cinema.

Your comments?

A: To an extent I would agree, especially with computer created things what happens is that actors react to that environment. For example, a movie like "King Kong", you see the actual animating part is performing better than actors. The movie like "Aliens" directed by Ridley Scott is probably the most successful computer generated movie.

Q: The film "Shiva" was an outstanding success in terms of portrayal of violent gangsterism in campuses and the nexus of gangs with politicians. Does it, at least to a lesser extent, reflect the Indian University life and linkage of gangsterism with politics?

A: Definitely, at the time "Shiva" was made, there were quite a lot of student unions. The unions grow up to become political groups and some times get affiliated to political parties. There was so much opposition between different student wings which sometimes lead to violent conflicts and attract the association of violent people. It was an influential thing at the time when "Shiva" was made. But today, I do not think students are like that any more. So, I do not think factions and student unions are as relevant as it had been in 1990s.

Q: How do you think your rather troubled childhood and particularly your bullying classmates would have influenced you to create characters of gang leaders and your selection of that genre?

A: I was fascinated by bullies. I am interested in people that are larger than life. I just like to study those including bullies in my classroom who pinched and pulled out hairs from other students. I am, now, interested in family films and simple people. I like to make films on issues and characters which were much more larger than life or caught up in larger than life situations.

Q: "Phoonk" shows that what matters is not mega budget but creativity. In a cinema increasingly dominated by special effects, how do you think a filmmaker could strike a balance between the use of special effects and creativity? Should a director use technology to enhance his / her creativity and turning imagination into a cinematic reality or to convert a movie into a cheap fantasy?

A: Definitions of commercial films, I think, is that films that cater to instincts and do not take the viewers' knowledge and intelligence for granted. Animation can be anything from sex to violence. Primary business of techniques is to enhance performances of a film.

Q: What is the role that music plays in a movie like "Agyaat"? What is the genre of music you intend to use? How do you intend to manipulate music scores perhaps - with the aid of computer to enhance the moods of the film?

A: Background music can be used to enhance and impact what you are watching. You can use background music to do many things. "Agyaat" gives tremendous potential to use very interesting music scores to reflect on the physiological status of different characters. The computer has given access to music.

Q: Who plays the lead roles in the movie "Agyaat" and what are the criteria you have adapted in selecting actors and actresses, especially, for a thriller?

A: The lead roles are played by Nithin and Priyanka. I believe in Spielberg's principle of ordinary men caught up in an extraordinary situation. So very frankly, the lead in "Agyaat", I would consider, is the jungle because predominantly that is creating the setting and the mood of the film. So the main star of the film is the Sigiriya jungle.

Q: There was a controversy surrounding your visit to Mumbai's Taj Mahal Palace and Tower Hotel, following the dastardly terrorists' attack. It had been recently speculated that you were planning to make a film based on the attack. Your comments?

A: I happened to be there with the Chief Minister's son. But the media blew it up out of proportion, that I was there intending to make a film on the incident. I left for Sri Lanka soon after, and lost track of the events that followed.

Q: How do you perceive Sri Lanka as a hot spot for film locations and future prospects of Indian movies shooting in Sri Lanka?

A: I think fantastic. It is one of the beautiful locations. You can get at them at short distances. In a two hour journey, you can find different locations. And there is so much of cooperation on the part of the people.

I am particularly impressed with Chandran Rutnam. Apart from the way he helps me, he understands the requirements as he himself is a filmmaker and is extremely knowledgeable and experienced about films. I did not know him before. We had a wonderful experience, shooting "Aguaat" in Sri Lanka with Chandran and his team and I now consider him close friend.