Around the city in seven days
S. R. ASHOK KUMAR
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Artistes without makeup and streets of Chennai as the scene of action — Kokki promises to be different.
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DOWN TO EARTH: Karan and Sanjana.
Taken for a ride, literally. When the invitation came from actor Karan to accompany the unit, one wondered what was happening. And it turned out to be a new experience.
Starting near the busy Guindy railway station, where morning traffic had just picked up, the crew moved around with Karan on a bicycle, heroine Sanjana perched in front.
The hero pedalled away, from one place to another. The camera followed the duo discreetly, none the wiser. A candid camera cannot be spotted, explained Karan later.
The entourage stopped at Vel's College to shoot a hostel scene. And one used the break to catch up with the director, Prabhu Solomon, also in charge of story, dialogue and screenplay for ``Kokki," of Friends Cinema Private Ltd.
A week's events
The film captures the events that happen in the life of a man, in a week. Kokki, (named after the village deity Kokkisamy) lands in the city where he meets a girl, lover eventually, in the hostel. ``It has a powerful screenplay that offers acting scope for every artiste," Solomon explained.
Two songs were shot for 18 days in Rajasthan, Jaisalmer in particular. It is not often that films are shot near LOC. "We shot in difficult conditions for nearly 15 days as the weather was below -4 degrees. We waited for the sun to come out and shot the song," said actor Sakthi Kumar who is also doing an important role in the film.
``The Chennai citizens have `acted' without their knowledge, thanks to the candid camera," said Karan.
Cameraman Jeevan, assistant to Rajeev Menon, carried the equipment on his shoulders throughout, we are told. Sets were not used, whatever the location, and no makeup for the actors.
``Editing by Satish Harsha has ensured that the emotions are not diluted in the flash cuts," said Karan.
``You will see Karan underplaying," said Solomon. ``Sanjana, beauty from West Bengal, is quick on the uptake. She has already done a film in Telugu," he added.
The cast includes Koothupattarai artistes, Kotta Srinivasrao and Malaysia Vasudevan.
Sethu, Vinith Gogia, T. Gopinath and R. Balasubramanian are the producers.
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