8 TEENTIME CHIPS@ GULF MADHYAMAM lNo1 IN THE GULF 2012 FEBRUARY 15 VOLUME 1, ISSUE 35 That Padmarajan touch T he story of an orphaned earthquake-survivor , the struggles of a government clerk who battles Alzheimer’s disease or the quaint charm of romance in old age… film-maker Blessy is a man who straddles gen- res and has made thematic variety his calling card. If his debut “Kaazhcha” can be classed as a drama film, “Bhra- maram” assumes the shades of a psychological thriller while “Pra- nayam” is a celebration of good old romance where the love triangle features two elderly men and an ageing woman. Blessy, who considers himself for- tunate to have been trained under Padmarajan right from the master’s first movie (“Peruvazhiy ambalam”), says that Padmarajan gave Malay- alam cinema the aesthetics of love and romanticism. “The Padmarajan school trains you to approach films sincerely. In his vision, cinema was not a me- dium to showcase technology, the role of which was complementary . The base of a movie had to be its story and script—the film maker’s craft lies in the manner of narra- tion,” he says. On his debut film—which fetched for him the Kerala State Award in 2004—Blessy says that it was the first time he was trying his hand at scripting. “As I was a newcomer, it was a struggle to get an established script-writer . A couple of seasoned writers who were shown the story also doubted how the plot could be taken forward. The challenge prompted me to write the script myself. In fact, it was Mammookka (Mammootty) who encouraged me to write out whatever came to my mind…and that was how ‘Kaazhcha’ came about,” says Blessy. On venturing into cinema, Blessy says right from his school days he aspired to be a film-maker . “Noth- ing else seemed to make sense to me.” Blessy would rather wait for the apt story rather than rush into a first film. In fact, his wait took almost 18 years of working as as- sistant to the likes of Padmarajan and Lohithadas. He was clear in his mind that he wanted to be like the masters he admired who had made a mark with their debuts—Padmarajan with “Peruvazhiyambalam”, Bharathan with “Prayanam” and K G George with “Swapnadanam”. On his approach to film-making: “I make movies that I love to watch or haven’t seen. My movies should not be a tailpiece of other movies. I don’t want people to forget my movies as soon as they are out of the theatre. I want them to discuss it long after they have returned home,” he says. Blessy rates Mohanlal as one of the finest actors ever of Indian cinema. “I am happy that all the three movies I made with Mohanlal feature in the top 10 of his best films to date.” On rejigging the cinematic cliché of the love triangle in “Pranayam” , Blessy points out that many world classics have dealt with love triangles—two men and a woman; but invariably one man would be noble and the other cast as villain. “I tried to break that rule and the other maxim that three is a crowd when it comes to sharing even Pla- tonic love,” Blessy explains. Blessy does not agree with classifying movies into mainstream, middle or art. “Films are about the way a director deals with a subject. I want my cinema to touch people, an experience not for the brain but for the heart”. n FIRST TAKE> Jyothi Varma

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8 TEENTIMECHIPS@

GULF MADHYAMAM l No1 IN THE GULF

2012 FEBRUARY 15 VOLUME 1, ISSUE 35

ThatPadmarajan

touch

The story of an orphanedearthquake-survivor, thestruggles of a government

clerk who battles Alzheimer’sdisease or the quaint charm of romance in old age… film-makerBlessy is a man who straddles gen-res and has made thematic varietyhis calling card.

If his debut “Kaazhcha” can beclassed as a drama film, “Bhra-maram” assumes the shades of apsychological thriller while “Pra-nayam” is a celebration of good oldromance where the love trianglefeatures two elderly men and anageing woman.

Blessy, who considers himself for-tunate to have been trained underPadmarajan right from the master’sfirst movie (“Peruvazhiyambalam”),

says that Padmarajan gave Malay-alam cinema the aesthetics of loveand romanticism. “The Padmarajan school trains

you to approach films sincerely. Inhis vision, cinema was not a me-dium to showcase technology, therole of which was complementary.The base of a movie had to be itsstory and script—the film maker’scraft lies in the manner of narra-tion,” he says.

On his debut film—which fetched

for him the Kerala State Award in2004—Blessy says that it was thefirst time he was trying his hand atscripting. “As I was a newcomer, it was

a struggle to get an establishedscript-writer. A couple of seasonedwriters who were shown the storyalso doubted how the plot couldbe taken forward. The challengeprompted me to write the scriptmyself. In fact, it was Mammookka

(Mammootty) who encouraged meto write out whatever came to mymind…and that was how ‘Kaazhcha’ came about,” says Blessy.

On venturing into cinema, Blessysays right from his school days heaspired to be a film-maker. “Noth-ing else seemed to make sense tome.”

Blessy would rather wait for theapt story rather than rush intoa first film. In fact, his wait tookalmost 18 years of working as as-

sistant to the likes of Padmarajanand Lohithadas.He was clear in his mind that he

wanted to be like the masters headmired who had made a markwith their debuts—Padmarajan with

“Peruvazhiyambalam”, Bharathanwith “Prayanam” and K G Georgewith “Swapnadanam”.

On his approach to film-making: “I make movies that I love to watchor haven’t seen. My movies should

not be a tailpiece of other movies. I don’t want people toforget my movies as soon as they are out of the theatre.I want them to discuss it long after they have returnedhome,” he says.

Blessy rates Mohanlal as one of the finest actors everof Indian cinema. “I am happy that all the three movies Imade with Mohanlal feature in the top 10 of his best filmsto date.”

On rejigging the cinematic cliché of the love triangle in “Pranayam”, Blessy points out that many world classicshave dealt with love triangles—two men and a woman;but invariably one man would be noble and the other castas villain. “I tried to break that rule and the other maximthat three is a crowd when it comes to sharing even Pla-tonic love,” Blessy explains.

Blessy does not agree with classifying movies intomainstream, middle or art. “Films are about the way adirector deals with a subject. I want my cinema to touchpeople, an experience not for the brain but for the heart”.

FIRST TAKE> Jyothi Varma