Kollywood's winning formula- favoritism camps!
Kollywood is rife with teams or 'camps' that more often than not, ensure a film's success
By : logesh balachandran
Update: 2014-04-10 17:19 GMT
Chennai: One may call it playing favourites, others may call it loyalty, but Kollywood is rife with teams or ‘camps’ that accrete to a certain director or actor of renown so that success can be ensured. What are these camps and how do they get formed? DC analyses the phenomenon of what we may euphemistically call ‘team work’
The existence of camps in Tamil cinema can be traced to the 1970s, with legendary actors Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan emerging from the Balachander dispensation. When a creative team which jells well tastes success in a movie, they usually want to repeat the success. This is even evident in Bollywood, where the Khans usually work with their favourite team and succeed by doing so. DC analyses the current camps in Kollywood and their impact on filmmaking and box office collections. Actors and directors spoken to are also more positive about the trend that’s evolving now, why it’s healthier and how the audience can play an important role in it.
Venkat Prabhu, whose last film, Biriyani, did well at the box office, is one director who opts to do films with the same cast and crew. He has not changed his cinematographer or his editor right from his first film, Chennai 600028. All his friends in real life play a part in his films, not hesitating to turn in a cameo appearance for free. His brother, Premji Amaren, also has an important role in all his films. Venkat Prabhu says that his friendship and the rapport that he has built in all these years with his team is the reason for retaining both technical support and a few actors.
“As a filmmaker, my job is easily done if I work with someone who understands my style of working and thoughts,” he says. “Even they understand how the colour patterns and the costumes in my films must be. For instance, Vasuki Bhaskar is the costume designer for all my films. I haven’t changed even my cinematographer, Shakthi Saravanan, yet as we have that bonding with each other. The cinematographer travels with the director throughout the film; it’s only when we understand what we need from him that he can deliver it to perfection. It’s all more like an arranged marriage. After we get married, we get to know our partner well, after a year or so, and then we become inseparable. The same applies in filmmaking too.”
Venkat Prabhu does think about working with a new team in the near future and interacting with budding talents, but he is not sure how it will take shape. “I have never asked my technical team not to work with other directors. Also, if a talented artiste comes in, we welcome them with open arms,” he says.
Actress Vijayalakshmi Ahathian, who has always been a part of Venkat Prabhu’s films, says, “When Venkat Prabhu directed his first film, Chennai 600028, in which I played an important role, we all had no clue that the film would be a success. That’s when I believed that the whole team got a positive vibration. Upcoming actors must be lucky enough to get into a team, or, after their first success as an actor or director, they must form a team which would serve them well in the future. It’s nice also to work with friends than with someone one hardly knows.”
Vijay Sethupathi, who is known for selecting good scripts and has been delivering a row of hits, says that the audiences now not only look for their favourite actors on screen, but also the technical crew behind the film. “Filmmakers want to work with a team which makes them feel comfortable, and that’s why they tend to retain the same crew. A movie team becomes strong and trustworthy if they deliver a success. Then on, the audience too begins to have faith in that particular cast and crew, which helps create a big opening for their films. That’s the reason most filmmakers intend to retain their crew to repeat the magic. Also audiences now are aware about the technical crew details of a film unlike in olden days when people only saw who the stars were. That’s indeed one of the reasons why filmmakers opt to work with the same crew,” says Vijay.
Amritha Ram, costume designer for Mysskin’s Mugamoodi and Onaayum Aattukutiyum, and an upcoming film of his too, says that she is emotionally attached to her team, and it’s sometimes painful if the director opts for another person in her place. “In the span of working on two or three films, the entire crew becomes more like family, comfort level is high. Also, if we are like a team we can express our likes and dislikes about a script to each other and execute it at our own pace.”
Ramesh Aravind, a good friend of Kamal Haasan, and who has been a part of most of his films, says that it’s the common interest which creates a team. “I believe that when talented people come together as a team, it is healthy. Here, talent plays a more vital role than friendship. For one to be in a successful team, one has to be talented. It’s the common interest and the passion towards cinema that creates the actual bonding for a successful team. For instance, I got close to actor Jayaram only after working in Kamal sir’s Panchathanthiram. From then, we are good friends and we all work together. The process of filmmaking also becomes better,” he says. Ramesh Aravind is now busy shooting Kamal Haasan’s Utthama Villain.
Director Rajesh of Boss Engira Baskaran and Siva Manasula Shakthi fame points out that he shares a personal rapport with Santhanam, whom he ropes in for all his films. “My burden as a filmmaker also becomes less as he knows how I fashion my script, and what I expect of him,” he says. “I wanted to work with other comedians in the industry, but I believe that Santhanam would do justice to my scripts and he understands me well. The magic that we created in our first film as a team is the key here, and that’s why I prefer him to be on board for my projects.”
Looks like, camps do exist in Kollywood, but many want to form a team right from their very first project as this holds promise of a golden future.