On filmmaking and its aesthetics
SUDHA WARRIER
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AUTHORFilmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan talks about his second book, which was released recently.
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It is an attempt to talk in a simple and intelligible language about the pains as well as pleasures of filmmaking.
As is generally the case with Adoor Gopalakrishnan's films, his literary ventures too have long intervals. But the end result makes it worth the wait. After a gap of 20 years, his second book has appeared and a third one is in the offing. `Cinemaanubhavam' (The Experience of Cinema) narrates how he came into films via theatre and got passionately involved in cinema, resulting in some of the most significant films in Malayalam. He has achieved this with his characteristic precision and economy of expression. One is not likely to miss this trait in his book as well.
Adoor unostentatiously takes the reader through the experience of filmmaking and its aesthetics. The clarity of his approach and the courage of conviction emanate from a keen observation of life as well as nature. This is evident in his films as well.
"There is a continuity that I want to maintain in my books. The first book was meant to make the readers familiar with the technicalities and potential of this comparatively new art of cinema. It contained articles written while I was a student and my experiences as a filmmaker during the early years of my career. It was also the first book that The Kerala Language Institute published on cinema. The second book goes further into the aesthetics and appreciation of cinema as an art form," said Adoor.
Cinema as art
The very title of this book, `Cinemaanubhavam,' is meant to convey two things to the reader - at one level it is about the experience of cinema; at another level it talks about the experience that goes into the creation of cinema. Art in its most sublime form is nothing but truth, in fact it is the core of truth, said the author. He has illustrated this with interesting incident and anecdotes. In his first book, `Cinemayude Lokam' (The World of Cinema), a primer, Adoor dealt with the theoretical and technical aspects of cinema in general.
In this book, `Cinemaanubhavam,' his approach is more autobiographical and subjective. "I understand that my first book `Cinemayude Lokam' was one that was read by a lot of Malayalis. Hence this book. It is an attempt to talk in a simple and intelligible language about the pains as well as pleasures of filmmaking. Cinema is primarily the art of the 20th century and it also happens to be the century of image making, whether on celluloid or on video tape, that is, if you leave the print media out," said the author.
The book has two parts. The first contains articles on the creative inputs, complexities of film structure and problems of film appreciation.
"The second part is on people who have associated with me in the making of films. Actually this part is lyrical in language and content alike."
It throws light on the friendship he had with stalwarts like Satyajit Ray, Ghatak, Mrinal Sen and Vaikom Mohammad Basheer. He also writes about three actors who had faithfully worked with him.
The author fondly remembers his colleagues like Devadas and M.B. Srinivasan who had worked with him on several of his films starting with `Swayamvaram.' This book is an invaluable contribution of the author-filmmaker.
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