Sunil Kumar Desai, auteur of refreshing new themes and unusual treatment, made his mark in the Eighties. Since then he has had his share of failures and now pins immense hope on his forthcoming film Kshana Kshana, to be released next week
Photo: Bhagya Prakash k.
FRESH OUTLOOK Sunil Kumar Desai: ‘I am fond of exploring new styles of narration and treatment.’ Photo: Bhagya Prakash k.
The count down for Sunil Kumar Desai’s new venture “Kshana Kshana” has begun. The very release of “Kshana Kshana”, releasing in the last week of May, has assumed a special importance. Can an original Kannada production with an unusual theme and an unorthodox cinematic format face the stiff competition posed by the X generation film makers and the new audience? On the contrary, will it also have a bearing on the younger film makers, who are of
ten tagged with the criticism of getting carried away by technical excellence leaving the content emaciated? Expectations about the film is “inevitable” for the industry, as Desai has always been known for his “commercial experiments.”
In the fast changing scenario of Kannada cinema, “Kshana Kshana” is said to be rich in terms of content and format, apart from being an expensive film itself. The film conceived and directed by Desai, is known more for his quixotic ways than unorthodox methods of filmmaking. Armed with a bachelor’s degree in architecture from the University of Pune, a young Desai arrived on the Kannada cinema scenario in the early 1980s when the Kannada cinema audience were craving for something fresh and realistic on a par with Hindi and Hollywood productions. Desai shunned the traditional approach right from the selection of the subject itself. He successfully launched his first film “Tarka” (Logic). Riding on the success wave, he directed a series of films such as “Utkarsha” (Climax), “Sangharsha” (Clash) and “Nishkarsha” (Decision). His films, punctuated with a catchy title, logical storyline, spine-tingling suspense, nerve-racking thrills, taut dialogues while attempt to explore the harsh realities of individual and society.
Although “search” forms the important component of most of Desai’s 14 films, his “Beladingala Baale”, based on Telugu writer Yendamuri Veerendranath’s novel “Vennela Adapilla” stands out for its screenplay, unusual dimensions and the multilayered plot. At the outset, the film is the story of an Indian chess grandmaster pursued by an anonymous woman caller who claims to be his fan. However, it results in an inner quest for the grandmaster as he literally sets out to search down the elusive caller.
Even in his later films, such as “Nammoora Mandara Hoove”, “Sparsha”, “Parva” and “Prathyartha” Desai worked with original themes. Even as a majority of Kannada industry succumbed to the far easier option of remakes and cultivated a divine indifference to themes addressing native truths. For this, the Kannada industry paid heavily in terms of quality and honour and incurred huge losses.
Desai too had his share of ups and downs, but with his never-say-die spirit, rests his hope in the future. In an interview with The Hindu, Desai shares his thoughts on his kind of cinema:
On the selection of subject…
I do not prefer readymade subjects such as short stories or novels. I internalise incidents I have seen, read, heard and develop them in my own format. There are complaints that my films are not based on stories. I beg to differ with my critics. How can I make films without a storyline? I do not write stories in the way a short story writer or a novelist writes. As incidents hold key to any story, I write a central
incident in the screenplay format and develop it into a script. I am fond of exploring new styles of narration and treatment.
The process of selection of subject and adaptation of it to cinema language demands hard work.
On the notion of cinema…
For me cinema is sheer entertainment conditioned by commerce. I do not believe in preaching or sending messages to audience.
On quality…
Both director and producer must shoulder the responsibility of choosing the subject and conforming to the standards of cinema making. Both of them and the dialogue writer should be held responsible if the
situation depicted and the language employed are found affront to public decency. I personally believe that taste, perception and academic background of the film crew are vital in the making of decent and enjoyable good cinema. I am not against exploiting violence and sex, but I do with tremendous caution as supplementing commercial commodities if the subject demands.
About Kshana Kshana…
At the outset it is a film for all. I have narrated the story in a realistic manner and compromised with commercial elements such as music and dance. But for the support and confidence of the producer Thirumale, “Kshana Kshana” would not have been realised.
To be precise, it is all about protectors and destroyers. The plot is complex. All characters are engaged in a search for one thing or the other.
For an audience, drawn into this search, a role reversal takes place with the protector becoming destroyer and vice-versa. The film ensures entertainment from beginning to end. It also makes the audience think and judge whether the film is topical and relevant.
I have titled the film “Kshana Kshana”, because with each passing moment in the film, the excitement builds towards the climax, in a sense the countdown begins. And I am aware that the countdown has already started elsewhere about my film.
Printer friendly
page Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
