Mani Ratnam Disappointed Me With Ponniyin Selvan, Says Chota K Naidu
Leading Tollywood cinematographer Chota K. Naidu, who is known for his work in films like 'Adhurs,' 'Julayi' and 'Naayak,' says that he was disappointed with 'Ponniyin Selvan' despite being the biggest fan of ace filmmaker Mani Ratnam.
Chota's camerawork in the upcoming Telugu film 'Pedda Kapu' has received a lot of appreciation, and his work in the socio-fantasy 'Bimbisara' had its distinct color palette. The award-winning lensman shares his thoughts with Deccan Chronicle.
Q: The color palette in your upcoming film 'Pedda Kapu' is fascinating.
A: Actually, a cinematographer's job is to interpret the screenplay in a visual form and guide the viewers' emotions through color, light, shots, angles, and movement. I spent around 70 days at various locations for our film 'Pedda Kapu' and studied rain and non-rainy season near River Godavari to get the tone and tenor right for the movie. Surely, it takes some effort.
Q: Aren't you worried about competition from new-generation cinematographers?
A: Honestly, I am not worried about young cinematographers because some of them lack consistency in their work, and a few treat it as a mere technical job and don't put their soul into it. Whereas I give a lot of importance to every detail in discussion with my directors and listen to scripts for 15 to 20 days before embarking on my work. I have to understand the vision of the director, only then we can make cinematography part of the story-telling process. Otherwise, it stands out like a sore thumb. I work at my own pace and time, so the question of competition doesn't arise.
Q: You are working with mostly young directors like Bobby and Mallidi Vassishta?
A: After working with legendary Dasari Narayana Rao Garu, I have mostly worked with young and upcoming directors in my four-decades-old career since I connect with them better because of their bubbling energy. They come up with refreshing story ideas and also seek new kinds of visuals, which challenges me as a lensman. I watch the best works on OTTs like Netflix or Apple TV to draw inspiration for my work. For me, every day is meant for learning new things, and I haven't given up on that habit yet.
Q: Which recent big movies you watched you think had good cinematography?
A: I liked the cinematography in the movie, 'KGF', but I was disappointed with Mani Rathnam's much-hyped 'Ponniyin Selvan'. I had been the biggest fan of Mani Ratnam for decades, as I used to rush to Chennai to watch each of his films and returned by night flight and was fascinated with some of his best works in terms of content and making. But personally, I feel that his work in 'Ponniyin Selvan' was not up to the mark, despite its box office success, it left me in despair.
