Marthand Shankar makes debut as director with AVM’s
Evaraina Epudaina, starring Varun Sandesh and Vimala Raman. Shankar, kid brother of well-known film editor Marthand K Venkatesh, has vast experience in Tollywood. He hopes to make good entertainment films in the future and be in the list of top 10 directors. Here are excerpts from the chitchat..
Tell us about your background..
I am born and brought up in Chennai as my father was working as editor for films there in those days. My brother Marthand K Venkatesh is also successful editor but I was not interested into the editing side of filmmaking. So I joined director Jayanth’s team as assistant. After completing my graduation, I have joined him when he was working for a TV channel for a program called Santoor Top 10. Later when he got the chance as director, he asked me to join as assistant. He promised my father that he would take care of me, so I started assisting him from
Preminchukundam Ra. Till
Takkari Donga, I was with him, later I was associated with my friend V.N.Aditya for his debut film,
Manasantha.
How did you get your break?
During the shooting of the
Mansantha Nuvve, I have developed good friendship with Uday Kiran. We together planned a film and Gemini Kiran came forward to produce it but somehow it got shelved later. Then I told a story to Sairam Shankar which he and his brother Puri Jagannadh liked. As we were to go to the sets, the film was dropped off again. So I went into depression. At the same time, a family friend called Pullarao enquired about me and asked me what I was doing, I told all these. He was with AVM and suggested doing a film for them. While he was talking with them, my brother Marthand Venkatesh suggested me to plan a film with Varun Sandesh as he liked him very much in
Happy Days. Few days later, AVM Sharawanan called on me to narrate the story and I told them that I am planning this with Varun Sandesh, he asked both of us to come together in Chennai. He was really impressed with Varun’s looks and he was convinced of doing the film as I narrated just the first half of this script. Then everything has fallen into place.
What novelty
Evaraiana Epudaina boasts of?
Evaraina Epudaina doesn’t promise you new things but it provides full entertainment. Audiences are going to entertained 100 percent when they watch the film. More than the novel story, I focused on telling it entertainingly.
What is the uniqueness of this love story?
I have developed this script entirely on the characterization of my protagonist. You can see the uniqueness in the way my hero talks, behaves, his attitude in just few scenes. You will fall in love with him and care for him that this one is good guy and he should win his aim.
We have seen Varun Sandesh as very subdued guy in both his two films -
Happy Days and
Kotta Bangaru Lokam!
Yes, That is why I have changed his entire look, body language, and his dialogue delivery in this film. As I said, the characterization of my hero in this film will be completely distinctive and Varun looks so drastically different. He indulges in repartees; he does fights and makes heavy dance steps. And there won’t be a single scene without his presence in the film. That is the way I like my heroes to be.
The good thing about Varun is he has high power of grasping instantly. He also gives 100 percent to the character
.
What made you sing for a song in the film?
One day when we were humming for a song that was playing on Radio, I noticed that he is far good singer. On my conversations with Manisharma, I told him that Varun sings very well, so suddenly Mani asked me to bring him for a recording. For this bit song, Mani made him sing and it came out so well. And the song was shot before we recorded. Our lyricist Krishna Chaitanya also came out so good lyrics after seeing the visuals for a few minutes.
Vimala Raman made debut in a flop film. What made you take her in?
I received criticism for her choice but I stuck to it because she best suits the role. I have to tell a small incident why I had taken her. When this Tamil film
Idhayam (Hrudhyam in Telugu) released, I was in 10th class. Heera’s presence, the way she smiled and walked made a lasting impression on my mind. So I unconsciously designed my character in this film like Heera. When I saw her at first time, she just reminded me of Heera. Her smile and gait is so similar to her. Then I have decided to cast her in.
Tell us about your experience with prestigious AVM production house?
To say that the experience has been so great is like putting very plain. They have given me complete freedom. What surprised me is that they didn’t interfere in a single moment although I am a newcomer. Even when I suggested Vimala’s choice, they didn’t object despite the fact her first film didn’t do well. They trusted me and my brother. Normally, after completing first schedule, producers tend to look at the rushes but AVM Sharavanan refused to see them. He saw my first copy directly and said, “You did the good job and showed us what you narrated.” They are such professionals.
Generally new directors take established cinematographers, but you choose a Malayalam cameraman who is new to Tollywood. Why?
I have some good friends in cameramen here but they were too busy with other films. And the other reason is that I wanted a cinematographer who gives best quality for a small budget film like this. Normally Malayalam cameramen deliver great goods in low budget format. But I was really surprised with my cameraman Venugoplan’s work. He not only gave great visuals within the budget, his work has become main strength to the film.
Do you have any influence of your guru Jayanth?
The best thing that I have learnt from Jayanth sir is that we should behave very calm on the sets. Whatever I have learnt so far from is Jayanth only. I used to be very ferocious but I mellowed down after seeing the cool nature of Jayanth.
Who are your favorite directors?
In Telugu, I like the works of Vamsi gaaru, Puri Jagannadh, Ram Gopal Varma, Trivikram.
And In Tamil, I love the way Manirathnam makes the movies and also like Selva Raghavan’s films.
Interviewed by
JP
