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An Interview With Shekhar Kammula

APK | June 13, 2006

He walks in and is immediately noticeable-that tall and lanky frame and easy laugh is not so easy to hide. Shekhar Kammula looks happy, and gets a call a minute. In between promoting his recent success Godavari among other things, he took out time for CineGoer.com for a chat over coffee.

First Anand and then Godavari. How does it feel to have two successful movies in a row?

I expected it. The real pleasure is not when the movie is a hit or a flop-the thrill comes when the first copy is out and I watched Godavari. It's not as straight forward as Anand. It's a big movie but not a big star, which is a scary thought! It was a difficult and a challenging job. Godavari is fresh and people have acknowledged it. I got real happiness when I saw the completed project because I knew people would like it, they would take to it. And moreover, I had to live up to Anand.

A big movie, but not a big star. You said it. So why Sumanth then? He was perfect as Sriram and people have just discovered Sumanth the actor, but did you think he could pull it off?

Most of the time what they are given is not what they are about. There is that standard format of five songs, two fights, etc., which they need to do over and over again. There is no challenge for a Telugu cinema lead actor-nothing where he gets to actually test his skills as an actor. For Sumanth, Godavari was that platform. He did not struggle with this role; it was easy for him to understand this character, and thereby live in the skin of the character.

You know how the makers tend to etch out some formulae-skin show, sex, violence, heroism. They say this is what sells, this is what the average cinegoer wants to see, so they give that to them. But 9 out of 10 such movies fail, and one is a hit. Even then, the myth continues. Your comments.

It's a dart game. Personally I don't choose to make that kind of cinema because I'm not making a movie because of the name, fame and money attached to it. I love cinema. I revere film making. I seek pleasure in that art.

One point that can be made here is the class-mass divide that everyone talks about. That divide came about, but it is merging slowly.

Godavari is essentially in the 'Class' category. How's the response at B and C centers?

Godavari is a classically made movie. It is urban in its approach so at A centers the business is roaring. At B centers, it's okay and at C there is no business. But I still feel very happy.

And what is your take on the recent spate of violent movies, that are doing great at the box-office.

I like commercially packaged good cinema. I have nothing against it. But some movies tend to glorify violence. There are some young stars who have tremendous influence over the youth today. For them to choose to do those kind of roles which show deep anger, nasty vengeance.. it disturbs me. The kind of influence movies have on people is extraordinary. There are people who understand what a film can do, and then there are people who don't understand what a movie can do. So to such people there is no point in telling them about the role they get to play in the society or what power on young minds they have. They just don't get it-movies teach. That's a fact.

Let's go back a bit. When did the movie bug bite?

I was a very successful software engineer in the USA when I decided to get into film making. I wanted to show people the world, the way I see it. I wanted to study filmmaking.

I spent a lot of money and went to Howard Film School and did my Masters in Filmmaking. It's a three year course. I was a honors student there and I could have easily gotten an internship with any Hollywood company, but I choose not to.

Why not?

I'm a middle class Hyderabadi, and whatever it is, my values will always remain the same. For me, my parents and my siblings and my family-they mean the world to me. I wanted to come back, and tell the stories that I wanted to tell.

Even in my Film Criticism classes, I'd defend song and dance in our cinema. This is the only original thing we've got left with us. Otherwise everyone's making Hollywood clones.

You seem to be the only story teller left.

(He laughs) My genre correctly represents the middle class. My style is more like Hrishikesh Mukherjee's, but with more poetry in it.

Dollar Dreams..

Happened because when I came back, people laughed at me saying that I was a fool to leave such a successful career in software and come here to pursue filmmaking. It won the National Award.

Then Anand came along, produced by NFDC. Was it difficult or easy, considering the award you got?

NFDC contributed 1/8th of the budget. And then it was a struggle. I just couldn't sell Anand easily, because it's such a simple story. One colony, one girl. That is why I made Godavari with this kind of a backdrop on a larger scale.

Did that deter you then, when you were having a hard time selling Anand?

I know the importance of money. You have to present the movie, invite the audience and make them come to the theatre. It's such a hassle. It's your own dream-you yourself don't know how it's going to shape up. Whoever sells it is lucky. You have to justify the money spent on it-this is my sincere advice for all directors. Producing is a very risky job.

Today in Telugu cinema, no one is passionate about making a movie. You have loads of rich people getting into movies for the fame and for publicity-cinema is just an instrument to get recognized. That zeal, that passion is sadly missing.

How did Godavari's story come about?

Bapu made Andala Ramudu 33 years ago. Now Bapu happens to be my idol. I thought I'd take that idea of a trip in the boat, that journey and that backdrop caught my fancy. I had to try something like this to wipe off the Anand hangover and felt that it'll give me an edge. Anand was one of a kind though, people still tell me that.

But in Godavari, I had to say something else. This is the story about an educated middle class boy who wants to get into politics. The solution to the state of affairs as far as politics is concerned is that educated youth should get into it. That's what I tried to portray. This is a question to the people and the politicians. We are disconnected with politics, and that's the root of the problem. I want youth to at least ask themselves this question, to think about such a thing as getting into the field. With this character, I weaved in a love story.

Overheard in a cinema hall: "I could watch Kamalini in another 20 movies, but I will get bored of ****** (a Bombay chick with a great figure) after 5 more movies." Kamalini was simple yet sensuous. Women like the way you portray them.

Kamalini acts, for a change. She really acts. When people ask me "Why Kamlinee again?", I say, watch Godavari. Seeta is Godavari. That is how she is. Seeta Mahalakshmi is close to Kamalini in real. I ran the entire film with inner voices!

Speaking of inner voices, let's talk about the dog's inner voice in the movie. How did you come up with that kind of comedy?

That voice, incidentally, happens to be mine.

That's a revelation!

Yes, I did not want to spoil the essence of the character by giving it a known comedian's voice. It was difficult getting a story on the boat. I wanted people to think, "I would like to go for such a trip". It's a fantasy driven movie, so I included things like the treasure hunt game and that story with the parrot and the dog's inner voice. All these are stories or anecdotes 'Pitta kathas' I read somewhere or heard from someone. I was very concerned whether it will click or not, fortunately it did.

Blatant heroism sells. Your comments.

It won't sell 5 years from now. The percentage of movies that are successful with such themes are decreasing, and slowly they will disappear. Of course, even then there would be still a movie or two like that in a year which succeeds but the market, and the trends along with are changing. The public is changing too. The divide is also a result of that, because a vast section of the audiences are moving away from routine movies. Now it's a matter of time.

Can we expect to see a big-budget, big star movie from Shekhar Kammula?

Yes, that will happen. But it will be in my own style, in my own terms. Family and kids should be able to enjoy it, all together. Violence and sex in my movies will never get to happen. I would like to make a fantasy movie-big budget, technically high-end flick.

Where do you place yourself as a director?

There is no Number 1 or 2. That scale doesn't exist with me. I'm making movies because I love it; it's my way of communicating. I want to make clean entertainers and say something nice. There is no agenda but even if my movies don't say anything good, they will never ever say anything bad.

How has the industry treated you so far?

Directors appreciate my work, at the same time many caution me and tell me I should make some money now. Some people don't believe that I can make this kind of cinema and it still clicks!

Even my style of movie making is old-fashioned. Everyone on the sets from the ADs know the script inside out. I work on a bound script, and everyone is involved in all aspects of the movie right from conception to publicity. We work as a team and loads of fun.

Also I'm happy only when all my distributors make money. It's not like I sold my movie so I don't bother anymore.

But you are not the filmy type.

That's because I did not change as a person. US didn't change me, I didn't get any accent and I ended up teaching people there my accent, because I love it. I remain the same.

Are you a misfit in the industry then?

I can fit anywhere. I'll change things, I won't change myself. People will emulate my kind of movies and method. I don't say it's great, but even after Anand people did emulate my movies. I didn't think a lot of people will understand the magic and simple charm of Anand. You go home and it still stays with you.

Where do you see yourself 10 years from now?

Someday I see myself in production. Say if I make 7 movies in the next 10 years, that's great. Right now, I'm contended. (We noticed).

Tell me about your family.

I have a large family, with two elder sisters and one elder brother, and I stay with my parents. I had one girl during Anand and one boy during Godavari. My family means everything to me, they are always there and Anand wouldn't have been possible without them. Whenever I have a problem, they just sort it out.

What do you do in your free time?

I play gulli cricket a lot, and I love Irani Chai.

Future projects?

Still thinking about the plots. Stories have to push themselves, one instant of time one plot might just click and I will decide to make it.

With a big star this time?

That's possible.

But it will be a clean family entertainer again?

Yes. I want to make movies that the whole family can sit and watch together. After Anand, I could have attempted another genre, just to prove myself as a versatile maker, but I thought there is a dearth of clean simple cinema so I made Godavari. I'm going to stick to making good cinema, and I will bring in the audience, but on my terms.

Your favorite makers?

I like the oldies who made movies like Mayabazar and Malliswari. In today's makers I like Krishna Vamsee. The way he made Sindooram and Antahpuram was superb. What he is capable of, and what he chooses to do, well that's a different story. And my idol, like I said, is Bapu.

We generally chat on reviewing and film reviewers. He says, "The industry needs criticism, but they can't take it. It's a personal opinion, not a benchmark, either you take it or leave it."

Encouraged, I blurt out my review on Godavari and my comment about his 'amateurish taking style' and he looks a little annoyed albeit still smiling (that contented smile); before I hasten to add that loads of cinegoers attempted to murder me for that statement, having loved his movie so much, he vanishes into thin air-may be to keep an appointment for his gulli cricket. The team must be waiting back home.