P.C.Sriram-An artist with the Camera
Quite often the director and actor have been likened to Krishna and Arjun. The director is Krishna, who conceives, plans and guides the cast and crew, while the actor is like Arjun the man who executes what the director has in mind. But movie making is not just about the director and the actor, you have the editors who do the job of actually putting together various scenes shot in an order and ensuring the continuity, the art directors who like Vishwakarma create those wonderful sets, the music directors who enhance the mood of a movie.
And of course the men who actually translate the director’s dream and vision on to celluloid, the cinematographer. It is their responsibility to actually provide the visual representation of what the director wants, in effect he has to be in total synch with what the director feels. I guess this is why directors like Balu Mahendra, Govind Nihalani were cinematographers themselves. It is easier for a cinematographer to become a director, rather than the other way around.
Now when one speaks of Indian cinema, let your mind wander around some unforgettable images.
- The gritty, grimy atmosphere of a Mumbai slum in Nayakan.
- The introduction shot of the heroine prancing around in the rain in Gitanjali.
- The dazzling swirl of colors in the Pachai Nirame song from Alaipayuthey( the Tamil original of Saathiya).
And one name stands behind all those scenes, P.C.Sreeram, a wizard and an artist. In his hands, the mundane camera he holds becomes a kind of painter’s brush, as he paints the celluloid canvas with breathtaking images. In his career, he has not shot for a large number of movies, but look at the movies he has wielded the camera for Mouna Raagam, Nayakan, Thevar Magan, Kuruthipunal. While he has mostly worked in Tamil movies, he has also wielded the camera for Telugu movies Aditya 369, Shubha Shankalpam and Khushi, as well as the Hindi movie Cheeni Kum. His directorial debut Meera was nothing memorable, but he won critical acclaim for his next directorial effort Kuruthipunal, a remake of Govind Nihalani’s Drohkaal, starring Kamal and Arjun.
The reason why P.C has not done too many movies, is the fact that he tends to be a perfectionist, as revealed in an interview some time back. He believes in shooting for a movie, only if he finds the script interesting enough for him. And more important he does not like shooting in a language, unless he knows it. As he said
I belong to a generation that believed you have to know the language to shoot a film, although I believe film has only one language — the language of cinema.
Thats why he shot his only Hindi movie Cheeni Kum in 2007, a good 20 years after Mouna Raagam. Even the few Telugu movies he has done, Aditya 369, Subha Sankalpam were by Singeetham Srinivas Rao and K.Viswanath, directors renowned for their artistic sensibility. I guess its this tendency for perfection that has enabled PC to create those unforgettable images on screen.
1987 saw a movie which was totally different from the standard Tamil movie in its sensibility and narration. More subtle, more understated, it had a kind of artistic sensibility to it, that one would not find in the average Tamil flick. Mounaraagam went on to become a surprise hit. The story of a young newly married girl, Divya( Revathi), who has to deal with the conflict in her mind over the feelings she has for her former boyfriend, and her husband, touched a chord with the audiences. Mouna Raagam announced the arrival of Mani Ratnam as a director, and also was PC Sreeram’s first big hit. The way Mani made use of the light and shadow effects was brilliant. For me the stand out scene, was in the picturization of the song Nilave Vaa. There is a particular part when Mohan and Revathi are travelling in the car, along the Delhi roads in the night. The way PC covers the neon lit roads, and the cab interiors gives you the feeling of being there. Also if you observe the song, one sees the way PC makes use of the dim lighting, the shadows to create a lovely effect.
PC seemed to give his best for Mani Ratnam, working with him later in Nayakan, Agni Nakshatram, Gitanjali, Thiruda Thiruda and Alai Payuthey. For me one of the best things i love about PC is the way he brings the great outdoors alive. PC just does not shoot pretty visuals of the hills or outdoors, he actually transports you there. I must have seen umpteen celluloid love stories set in Ooty, but when i saw Gitanjali on screen, it was a different experience. I mean i could actually feel the chill, the rains, the atmosphere of Ooty. I think after Balu Mahendra, PC has bought out the beauty of that place so beautifully. It is not just the rolling meadows, the hills, the sunsets, it is the way PC actually shot those fog drenched valleys, that made it such a lovely experience. Two songs in Gitanjali are sufficient to show case the genius of PC. One is the introduction song of the heroine, as we see her rain soaked dupatta comming off her face, and then we see her dancing in the rain, the old tramp warming himself near the fire, the white horses running across and the sunsets, you are just mesmerized by the sheer beauty of it, that too for a movie shot in the 80’s. What i loved here is the way PC sets it up, first the fog covered hills, birds chirping, and then the heroine’s face in the rain. I would rate this on par with Julie Andrews introduction in Sound of Music.
The rain in the hills can be a lovely experience, and PC captures it so lovingly. And the other great song in terms of picturization is Om Namaha from the same movie. Now this is a real tough one to shoot, because for almost 90% of the time, the camera is focussed only on the hero and heroine. Again here PC keeps turning around the camera, using a kind of swivel moment, focussing only on the characters, as he sets the background in a dim mood.
But not just Ooty, be it the lush green backwaters of Kerala in Subha Sankalpam, or the majestic Omkareshwar Temple on the Narmada River in the Snegithane song from Alaipayuthey, the lush green village fields in Thevar Magan, PC’s camera work wonderfully captures them. PC proves that one does not need to shoot in the Swiss Alps or Australia’s Gold Coast to get a beautiful shot on screen. Of course for the way PC picturized this song, i am just short of words. Sheer visual poetry is all i can say, it is something to be seen and enjoyed.
But its not just in the wide screen outer landscapes, that PC revels, for movies like Nayakan, Agni Nakshatram and Alaipayuthey shot against an urban background, PC ’s camera work is as brilliant in capturing the close set spaces. Especially Nayakan, where PC wonderfully captures the sense of claustrophobia that one experiences in the slum. In the song Nee Oru Kaadhal Sangeetham, PC shows the intimacy between Kamal and Saranya, in a more closed space, in cramped rooms, small houses. You feel the intimacy, and you also feel the sense of being closed in. Or in Agni Nakashtram, the way PC uses that strobe lights effect in the climax, giving it a kind of surrealistic feel. Even in Alaipayuthey, while PC beautifully captures the outdoors in the dream song scenes, during the numerous scenes where Madhavan courts Shalini on the local trains, PC’s camera creates that effect of actually being there in the cramped local train.
In the history of Indian cinema, PC would forever be credited for introducing, innovative techniques in cinematography, use of light and shade, the close ups , the zoom effect. As a director while his first movie Meera starring Aishwarya and Vikram, was delayed and did not make much of an impact when released, PC did make an impact with Kuruthipunal. The Tamil version of Drohkaal, with Kamal playing Om Puri’s role, Arjun playing Naseer’s role and Nazar playing Ashish Vidyarthi’s role, was a totally songless, gritty and violent movie. PC did a really good job as a director, and his camera work was splendid as usual, especially in the action scenes, one of the most memorable shots being the jeep being blown up. Also PC does not divert at all from the main storyline, and the screenplay was really taut, keeping the audiences hooked to the movie.
Incidentally K.V.Anand who worked as P.C.’s assistant for Devar Magan and Thiruda Thiruda, later made a name for himself in Bollywood with movies like Legend of Bhagat Singh, Khakee to name a few. Another assistant of his Tirru, wielded the camera for Hey Ram( which shows a lot of PC’s influence), and most of Priyan’s Hindi flicks like Hungama, Kyon Ki, Chup Chup Ke and Bhool Bhulaiyya. Jeeva has been another assistant to PC, who wielded the camera for most of Shankar’s early movies like Gentleman, Kadhalan, Indian and later emerged as a director in his own right with movies like 12B, Run. Though Gentleman was a standard masala flick, if one takes a look at the camera work, it is quite similiar to that of PC’s. I think that does speak a lot for PC’s influence.
Along with Santosh Sivan and Rajeev Menon, PC Shreeram has been one of the cinematographers, who has made a significant influence in that field. Again what i have written here is more a layman’s point of view, i would love it if people can give more inputs on the technical side also.
Tags: cinematographers, mani ratnam, Mouna Raagam, Nayakan, P.C.Sreeram
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okay…now can you pls say some thing we dont know…pc is good …even a blind knows it.
the best cinematographer of india
Ratnakar
Wonderful piece.
Milind, I actually didn’t know!
Well yeah, I remember watching Pachai Niramai in ‘Alaipayuthey’ and thinking WOW!
But sadly I haven’t seen a great deal by him.
Jeeva, on the other hand, was BRILLIANT!
A huge, huge loss :-(
One of PC’s mediocre work is “Apporva Sahodarargal” ( appu raja ). Also the opening sequence of “Alai payudhey” – madhavan is on his bike – not sure why the camera was shaking so much – was it to convey something in the story ?
Ratnakar: What PC did better than other cinematographers was he created awareness about cinematography among laymen, with his unique techniques. Take the song, Raja Rajaadhi Rajan from Agni Nakshathiram. A group of youngsters run on top of the train diving from one compartment to another. PC placed the camera between two compartments and focussed up and with his unique lighting and soft focus, it was as though a flame was diving from one compartment to another! I remember watching the film first day and first show at Anand theatre in Chennai and the kind of excitement that it created amongst the audience is unparalleled. I have not experienced such kind of audience recation anywhere else for cinematography. There have been many picture postcard moments in other films by other cinematographers, but what PC created in Alaipayuthe was fantastic.
Baradwaj Rangan in his latest post on Oscars talks about committment to craft and committment to audience.
I think this where PC scores..while other cinematographers are committed to their craft, PC is also committed to his audience. PC, therefore is one cinematographer, whose film will get watched by at least a section of Tamil and Telugu audience only for his cinematography!!
padhu: Apoorva Sahodharagal called for many technical innovations (with Kamal playing dwarf) and PC’s work was so critical. The camera had to be placed on the ground to camouflage the holes dug up on the ground so that Kamal can look like a dwarf. PC had a lot limitations while shooting for the film. But it never showed on screen. But take the scenes of the normal Kamal and PC showed his class (the song Raja Kaiya vacha) and the Police station scenes in the second half!!
Also remember that Apoorva Sahodharargal looked a rich product! Compare it with Michael Madana Kama Rajan or Mumbai express from the same team(where cinematographers were different) and you’ll understand PC’s contribution.
The name Alai payuthe means unsettled. It is primarily taken from the song “En manan Alai payuthe” which means my mind is unsetteld. It shows the unsettled relationship between a man and a woman. PC’s shots in many scenes were unsettling. That was purely intentional.
@ Milind this article is for people who do not have much idea about PC Sreeram. Fine if u know more ur welcome to put it in comments or post another article.
@ Anand- Thanks a lot for the value addition in comments.
Shooting Kamal’s midget scenes was quite a challenge, considering that in 80’s, techniques were still not as advanced as they were today, so taken in that perspective, PC stands out. Love the way PC shows the switch over of Kamal in Raja Kaiyyeveche song. But i think the best shot of Apoorva Sahadoragal is the opening one, the geese walking across the road, and all of a sudden, the bikes breaking the silence.
Padhu dont think AS was mediocre, its just that Singeetham Sreenivas Rao, never used much of dim lighting, close ups in his movies, unlike Mani Ratnam, so compared to Geetanjali or Mouna Raagam or Alaipayuthey it looks pretty ordinary to us.
@ Steve do check out Mouna Raagam, Agni Nakshatram, Gitanjali, Thiruda Thiruda, Thevar Magan to see PC’s craft at close angles.
For movies made in the 80’s and 90’s, the camera work was astounding.
@ Anand, i had first watched the Telugu version of Agni Nakshatran, Gharshana, and it was as much a sensation here. Telugu audiences had not watched something like it before.
Not just the Rajadhi Raja song, the way PC captures the fight between Karthik and Prabhu, with the horses running in the background, itself was stunning.
Again in Ninnu Kori Varnam, PC using the strobe lights to create that disco kind of effect, and the flashing lights.
There is one scene, in Gitanjali, where the hero opens the door, and you have the mists seeping in, just brilliant. I must have seen Ooty dime a dozen times on screen, but it was in Gitanjali, that i actually had the feel of being right there.
Well P.C.Sriram is a genius with the camera & is an institution as far as Cinematography is concerned.In fact a lot of the popular cinematogrphers in India have all apprenticed with him at some point or the other.Loved his work in most of his movies like Mouna Ragam, Nayagan,Agni Natchatiram,Kuruthipunal,May Maadham,
Thiruda Thiruda,Thevar Magan, Cheeni Kum etc.In fact while a major part of Cheeni Kum’s story is based in London, very few know that the city was recreated in Mumbai & P.C.’s camera was mainly responsible for pulling this off successfully!!!
@ Ratnakar- P.C.Sriram also directed a tamil movie called Vaanam Vasapadum.Released in 2004 it was supposed to be the first digitally made movie in Tamil.It didnt really do well at the box office.Dealt with the trauma of a rape victim.
Sethu have not seen Meera or Vaanam, but i really loved Kuruthipunal. PC did a real great job as a director,with a very tight screenplay and an engaging narration. He rarely diverted from the story, and created the kind of terror environment necessary for the movie. Of course it was quite gory in some places, especially the scene where Arjun is tortured to death. And the final climax bit was just fantastic.
Also i had observed Gentleman seemed to have a lot of PC’s effect, and now i can understand why.
amazing insight into his unsung work, ratnakar. the detailing in his shots and the thoughts gone behind making any scene come alive in its unique way is truly unparalleled.
well, i didnt know much abt his work in tamil / telugu movies, so it was really an eye opener. to be honest, i hv watched thiruda thiruda just a few days back, and was amazed at the shots being picturised, specially the on-the-road chases, and that song chandralekha. the way it has been mounted shows the genius of mani sir and PC. gr8.
havent watched gitanjali, plan to buy DVD asap. thx in advance for the tip.
P.C.Sreeram ( as he spells his name ) is now coming out of his hibernation.Next week ( 6th March) sees his bilingual movie 13 B a horror/thriller in Hindi & Tamil.Starring Madhavan & Neetu Chandran, the music is by Shankar,Ehasan & Loy.
Ratnakar- Meera was an average movie with some really amazing music by the maestro Ilayaraja.But as you’ve pointed the movie was released after considerable delay & it was Vikram before Sethu so obviously not too popular.I liked the movie for most par of it- it had a nice laidback style & was a sort of road movie.But towards the end it gets a hurried end- btw it was one of the last movies of Sarat Kumar as the villain.Vaanam again lost out due to the following reasong IMO-
1. It was a small movie & wasnt distributed the right way I think.Today I’m sure the same movie would be able to get a better treatment in distribution.
2. The songs hadnt really become all that popular apart from the title track.
3. The lead stars – Karthik Kumar & Poongathai were more or less new.Karthik had by then done some supporting roles in movies like AlaiPayuthey, but this was his first role in the lead.
Yes Kuruthipunal/Drohi was a different ball game altogether.Legend says that Govind Nihlani himself was very pleased with the way Kamal & P.C.Sreeram had been able to come up with such a good version of his Drohkaal.
I hope P.C.Sreeram goes on to do more movies both as a cinematographer & as a director!!!
Sethu, dont think PC will do too many movies, he tends to be quite selective, though i really dont understand what made him choose Keka, one of the worst movies ever seen to date.
Incidentally Jeeva did the camera work for Tamil Khushi, while for the Telugu version it was PC.
I think PC works best with Mani, they seem to have a real good understanding.
BTW Mani seems to have used the best cinematographers for his movies.
Madhu Ambat- Anjali
Santosh Sivan- Dalapati, Roja, Dil Se, Iruvar
Rajeev Menon- Bombay, Guru
Ratnakar, no doubt Mani has always been the best when it comes to use of cinematography in his movies.That he’s worked with the biggest of the names in the business is proof of it.
Even I was puzzled about P.C’s choice to do Keka.In fact the movie was promoted as a Teja- P.C movie.I think Teja’s days are definitely over unless he really comes up with something truly stunning.
pc -you are the best “C”.nobody can reach your “C”.your contribution,your dedication are really outstanding,enchanting.looking forward many more movies from you.