http://varnachitram.com/2009/10/12/interview-with-ranjith-sankar-part-2/ A Blog on Cinema Wed, 23 May 2012 15:20:45 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.1 http://varnachitram.com/2009/10/12/interview-with-ranjith-sankar-part-2/comment-page-1/#comment-205503 syam Thu, 09 Feb 2012 11:15:29 +0000 http://varnachitram.com/?p=878#comment-205503 Before Passenger you wrote for two serials.....nizhalukal and american dreams....Nizhalukal was my favourite... Before Passenger you wrote for two serials…..nizhalukal and american dreams….Nizhalukal was my favourite…

]]> http://varnachitram.com/2009/10/12/interview-with-ranjith-sankar-part-2/comment-page-1/#comment-160973 Varnachitram chat « Ranjith Sankar Sun, 08 Nov 2009 13:03:47 +0000 http://varnachitram.com/?p=878#comment-160973 [...] http://varnachitram.com/2009/10/12/interview-with-ranjith-sankar-part-2/ Comments (1) [...] [...] http://varnachitram.com/2009/10/12/interview-with-ranjith-sankar-part-2/ Comments (1) [...]

]]> http://varnachitram.com/2009/10/12/interview-with-ranjith-sankar-part-2/comment-page-1/#comment-159648 arun Thu, 15 Oct 2009 19:40:09 +0000 http://varnachitram.com/?p=878#comment-159648 Informative, fascinating insight into behind the scenes actions. Informative, fascinating insight into behind the scenes actions.

]]> http://varnachitram.com/2009/10/12/interview-with-ranjith-sankar-part-2/comment-page-1/#comment-159462 Ranjith Sankar Passenger interview | varnachitram Mon, 12 Oct 2009 19:46:48 +0000 http://varnachitram.com/?p=878#comment-159462 [...] VC: When you did the casting, did that match the characterization you had in mind? Ranjith: When I wrote it, I did not have any actor in mind. When most directors did not want to do this film, I got an appointment with Mammotty. He heard this script and agreed to do the role. He arranged for me to visit sets and learn. I met him when he was doing Palunku, but then he moved into a different space like Annan Thampi. Even if he had done it, it would have felt like an off beat movie. Then when I met Srinivasan, I felt this role was tailor made for him. VC: One of the interesting things for us was the role of Dileep. He is trying to build an image, like an action hero. In this movie he gets beaten up. What was his attitude towards this role? Ranjith: An actor, a superstar or anyone, what attracts him to a movie is the screenplay. Especially for a newbie like me, you get 30 minutes to convince a superstar and it has to excite them to be a part of this. I got complete co-operation from Dileep. He asked the right questions, never interfered, and his suggestions were for the good for the movie. Most actors are like that. They want to make good movies. Actually Dileep being in the movie helped me and I told him so. When you have an actor like him, it helps financially and also helps in making a better movie. He worked for 7 days. This Nandan Menon is a character I like - in fact more than Sathyanathan. He is my age group. He is the hero. Each scene brings out a different shade of him: initially you see him as a committed husband, then as a person with a social conscience, then his sacrifice. So he is the hero of the movie. Compared to him Sathyanathan has only one dimension. VC: But the character that stays in our mind is Sathyanathan. If you look at it Nandan Menon did all that for his wife Ranjith: No, actually he did it for an entire community. In the first scene he talks about fate. I don’t know how many people noticed it. He was ready to die, but not doing something wrong. It is a tough decision. Sathyanathan does not take that level of risk; he is inherently good. But it is Dileep’s character who takes the risk. Sathyanathan just becomes a catalyst. VC: Going back to something you mentioned earlier. You said, many directors thought this project was risky. Why did they think so? Ranjith: It was completely risky. There is nothing commercial about this movie: there are no songs, fights, dance. It is a simple story which happens in a day. Also it is expensive since a train is involved. So this movie had only two results possible - utter flop or a good success. So if a reputed director takes this work and it flops, it will affect his career. If you have doubts about the movie, then it is not a good idea to direct it. A director should have 100% conviction about the movie. VC: You mentioned that people got excited about this movie: Mammootty, Dileep, Srinivasan etc. Why didn’t directors get excited then? A good script should excite a director as well as an actor, right? Ranjith: Actually I don’t know. Maybe it is a reflection of things in our industry right now. Also it is the view of those directors; maybe they are trying to be safe. VC: Maybe it is due to responsibility. After all the director has to bear the burden. Ranjith: Maybe. An actor is just looking for different role or a different movie. They shoot for a movie for 30 days and then move on. A director has more responsibilities. When the movie flops, the blame is on the director. If you look at the current state of Malayalam cinema, making such a movie is hard. It happened because I set out with the aim of doing it. VC: So if you write a script, will you direct it yourselves? Ranjith: I have written the next script and would like to direct it. Now since I have directed one movie, I have interest in directing it. (Click here to read Part 2) [...] [...] VC: When you did the casting, did that match the characterization you had in mind? Ranjith: When I wrote it, I did not have any actor in mind. When most directors did not want to do this film, I got an appointment with Mammotty. He heard this script and agreed to do the role. He arranged for me to visit sets and learn. I met him when he was doing Palunku, but then he moved into a different space like Annan Thampi. Even if he had done it, it would have felt like an off beat movie. Then when I met Srinivasan, I felt this role was tailor made for him. VC: One of the interesting things for us was the role of Dileep. He is trying to build an image, like an action hero. In this movie he gets beaten up. What was his attitude towards this role? Ranjith: An actor, a superstar or anyone, what attracts him to a movie is the screenplay. Especially for a newbie like me, you get 30 minutes to convince a superstar and it has to excite them to be a part of this. I got complete co-operation from Dileep. He asked the right questions, never interfered, and his suggestions were for the good for the movie. Most actors are like that. They want to make good movies. Actually Dileep being in the movie helped me and I told him so. When you have an actor like him, it helps financially and also helps in making a better movie. He worked for 7 days. This Nandan Menon is a character I like – in fact more than Sathyanathan. He is my age group. He is the hero. Each scene brings out a different shade of him: initially you see him as a committed husband, then as a person with a social conscience, then his sacrifice. So he is the hero of the movie. Compared to him Sathyanathan has only one dimension. VC: But the character that stays in our mind is Sathyanathan. If you look at it Nandan Menon did all that for his wife Ranjith: No, actually he did it for an entire community. In the first scene he talks about fate. I don’t know how many people noticed it. He was ready to die, but not doing something wrong. It is a tough decision. Sathyanathan does not take that level of risk; he is inherently good. But it is Dileep’s character who takes the risk. Sathyanathan just becomes a catalyst. VC: Going back to something you mentioned earlier. You said, many directors thought this project was risky. Why did they think so? Ranjith: It was completely risky. There is nothing commercial about this movie: there are no songs, fights, dance. It is a simple story which happens in a day. Also it is expensive since a train is involved. So this movie had only two results possible – utter flop or a good success. So if a reputed director takes this work and it flops, it will affect his career. If you have doubts about the movie, then it is not a good idea to direct it. A director should have 100% conviction about the movie. VC: You mentioned that people got excited about this movie: Mammootty, Dileep, Srinivasan etc. Why didn’t directors get excited then? A good script should excite a director as well as an actor, right? Ranjith: Actually I don’t know. Maybe it is a reflection of things in our industry right now. Also it is the view of those directors; maybe they are trying to be safe. VC: Maybe it is due to responsibility. After all the director has to bear the burden. Ranjith: Maybe. An actor is just looking for different role or a different movie. They shoot for a movie for 30 days and then move on. A director has more responsibilities. When the movie flops, the blame is on the director. If you look at the current state of Malayalam cinema, making such a movie is hard. It happened because I set out with the aim of doing it. VC: So if you write a script, will you direct it yourselves? Ranjith: I have written the next script and would like to direct it. Now since I have directed one movie, I have interest in directing it. (Click here to read Part 2) [...]

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