Wielding the pen
S. SHIVA KUMAR
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INTERVIEW Screenplay writing is an art you learn by watching films, good and bad, says Ramesh Aravind.
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PHOTO: BHAGYA PRAKASH K.
Ramesh Aravind.
Actor-director Ramesh Aravind, still fresh from the success of his latest venture ‘Venkata in Sankata,’ took off to Chennai to recharge his creative cells, and meet French writer-director Jean Claude Carriere and, of course, close friend
and fellow actor Kamal Haasan. He attended an international screenplay writing workshop co-hosted by Kamal’s Rajkamal Films International and the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras. Excerpts from an interview:
What drew you to this screenplay writing workshop?
I’ve always been interested in the creative part of cinema. That got polarised thanks to Kamal. I learnt the ropes from him. He could sense the urge and restlessness in me. We have spent hours discussing stories. He quenched my thirst. It is a friendship I treasure, which was not known till I directed him. He always told me that screenplay writing is an art, which people don’t seem to realise. I attended the workshop as an observer.
Can screenplay writing be taught and learnt?
It can be learnt. I don’t know whether it can be taught. What we learnt over the years was imparted in one week. I used to watch great films and dissect them. This is what was taught there. I hope students got the point that you learn by watching good and bad films. Screenplay writing is an art form. If I and Dinesh Babu are working together the scene written will be different from what is normally written. We know how it’ll look on screen. You have to have a flair and also a feel for it.
When a hero is the writer isn’t there the danger of giving himself more importance?
I am the hero in all my films because it makes economic sense. Yes, the hero’s mentality is very different from the writer’s. One should not try to take over from the other. Direction is about people management. Writing is thankless and gruelling. A hero’s job is simpler and he is the one who is going to connect with the audience.
When a hero turns director, other directors may not approach you…
Yes, that happens. They assume I’m busy even without approaching me. Now there is a spate of offers as an actor. I am doing three films. There are two more in the pipeline. I find that I have a lot of time on the sets as an actor. I am able to do much better than before.
Maybe directors are wary because they feel you might interfere.
No. I have never had a problem with anybody. I think it is not what you say but how you say it.
There is the feeling that it is time again for the Ramesh brand of feel-good films.
That is true. I want to connect with the audience and make films that are close to their heart. It could even be a problem that is haunting them. I am going to add that element in my next film.
Some portions in ‘Venkata In Sankata’ looked puerile. Is it the anxiety to make people laugh continuously?
Yes, absolutely. It was meant to be a fun film without pretensions. We succeeded in that. Now as an afterthought I feel we could have had a good plot. Emotions were lacking. I have no regrets because we learn with every film.
You are pampered as a star. Will it be difficult to get back to the drudgery of direction?
You are right. But I prefer to be on my toes. Given a chance I’d like to direct all the films I’m acting in now. I’m used to multi tasking.
What next?
The pressure is to make a comedy but I want to make an intimate film about relationships. There is a fun film under way too. Producers will prefer the latter but I’m keen on the former.
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