Few days before, while I was watching Pazhaya Sogangal from the movie Eera Vizhi Kaaviyangal, the Opening Shot, in which, Prathap Pothen was sitting on the seashore, beside a boat immediately caught my eyes.
When checked in Wikipedia, it showed Ashok Kumar's name. I wasn't surprised. The late cinematographer Ashok Kumar was one of the best in the industry. Though he has done a lot of movies, he created some beautiful shots in Mahendran movies, in particular, Nenjathai Killathey, Nandu. Paruvame Pudhiya Paadal Paadu - with its mist, lush greenery, and morning light looked like a canvas painted on the screen.
Another favourite is Manjal Veyil Song from the movie Nandu. The opening High-Angle Shot in which the Camera looks at the entrance of the home with guests coming in for a Birthday party or Aswini holding her baby in a garden, shots looked lovely. Maniratnam says, "The relationship between Cameraman and Director is like Husband and Wife. The better their understanding better the film". I see Mahendran and Ashok Kumar as a perfect example of his phrase.
Good Cinematography is not about high-end technical gadgets or filming in foreign locations; its mere evoking an emotion, a feel. The same Ashok Kumar did the cinematography for Jeans too. In spite of shooting in great wonders of the world, he couldn't create a feel as like he did in Nenjathai Killadhey or in Nandu. There comes the script and the director :-)
Note: A bit about Manjal Veyil Compositon. What a stunning work from Maestro. Song starts with Veena and the moment the hero comes we hear a grand violin orchestration followed by a cello, the cello sounds as though someone is knifing our hearts. See Raja's foreshadowing brilliance here: the song happens in an auspicious event, for this Veena, Flute, Classical Guitar everything fits in. But the hero suffering from a critical illness yet to tell his situation and roaming alone disheartened; soon everything is going to be changed in a happy family. For this Raja prepares us subtly before that is going to happen.
The first lnterlude is an emotional outburst score. It starts with a baroqish solo violin with a group of violins subtly playing a different melody in the background then shifts to flute/classical guitar the moment the hero sees Vanitha and his lover on a rickshaw, here too, a Jugalbandi occurs between Flute, Guitar, and Veena. (The way, the trio expressing their emotions in their faces, is too good to see in the screen.)
In the Amadeus movie, Salieri beautifully describes Mozart's music in a remarkable scene :
" Sweetened into a phrase with such delight. This was a music I've never heard. Filled with such longing such unfulfillable longing as though I am hearing the voice of God. "
The same I felt, listening to this(Manjal Veyil Maalaiyitta Poove..) piece.
When checked in Wikipedia, it showed Ashok Kumar's name. I wasn't surprised. The late cinematographer Ashok Kumar was one of the best in the industry. Though he has done a lot of movies, he created some beautiful shots in Mahendran movies, in particular, Nenjathai Killathey, Nandu. Paruvame Pudhiya Paadal Paadu - with its mist, lush greenery, and morning light looked like a canvas painted on the screen.
Another favourite is Manjal Veyil Song from the movie Nandu. The opening High-Angle Shot in which the Camera looks at the entrance of the home with guests coming in for a Birthday party or Aswini holding her baby in a garden, shots looked lovely. Maniratnam says, "The relationship between Cameraman and Director is like Husband and Wife. The better their understanding better the film". I see Mahendran and Ashok Kumar as a perfect example of his phrase.
Good Cinematography is not about high-end technical gadgets or filming in foreign locations; its mere evoking an emotion, a feel. The same Ashok Kumar did the cinematography for Jeans too. In spite of shooting in great wonders of the world, he couldn't create a feel as like he did in Nenjathai Killadhey or in Nandu. There comes the script and the director :-)
Note: A bit about Manjal Veyil Compositon. What a stunning work from Maestro. Song starts with Veena and the moment the hero comes we hear a grand violin orchestration followed by a cello, the cello sounds as though someone is knifing our hearts. See Raja's foreshadowing brilliance here: the song happens in an auspicious event, for this Veena, Flute, Classical Guitar everything fits in. But the hero suffering from a critical illness yet to tell his situation and roaming alone disheartened; soon everything is going to be changed in a happy family. For this Raja prepares us subtly before that is going to happen.
The first lnterlude is an emotional outburst score. It starts with a baroqish solo violin with a group of violins subtly playing a different melody in the background then shifts to flute/classical guitar the moment the hero sees Vanitha and his lover on a rickshaw, here too, a Jugalbandi occurs between Flute, Guitar, and Veena. (The way, the trio expressing their emotions in their faces, is too good to see in the screen.)
In the Amadeus movie, Salieri beautifully describes Mozart's music in a remarkable scene :
" Sweetened into a phrase with such delight. This was a music I've never heard. Filled with such longing such unfulfillable longing as though I am hearing the voice of God. "
The same I felt, listening to this(Manjal Veyil Maalaiyitta Poove..) piece.
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