Legendary Tamil Director K. Balachandar on Mohanlal's Drishyam
The letter was shared by Director Jeethu Joseph & Mohanlal via their Facebook pages
To TEAM DHRISHYAM...
“DHRISHYAM”....................................... ............MAMA UDDISHYAM
Perspective… ….My Feelings….
"Cleverness is Instinctive...Intelligence more Deep Rooted."
The cleverness of DHRISHYAM is in the inspiration...the intelligence is in the astonishing adaptation...
The cleverness is in the understanding of the potential of purer cinema..the intelligence is in not underestimating the intelligence of the viewer...
The cleverness is in using flash cuts and forwards to narrate...the intelligence is in the complex simplicity behind the screenplay....
The cleverness is in using layer upon layer of credible situations to sustain the Interest...the intelligence is in allowing the story to unravel at its own pace...never hurrying...never compromising...
The cleverness is in subtly taking sides with the protagonist...the intelligence is in making the affected police officer as strong and as credible...
The cleverness is in using film clips to influence the hero, and benefit the cause adding value and credibility; saving precious narration time...the intelligence is setting the film in a rural ambiance even as it uses the genetic simplicity and geographic naivety to establish character credibility...
The cleverness is using the same speed for flashback narration as in the linear...the intelligence is in letting the intelligence of the DGP unravel the cleverness of the plot and not by using it as a gimmick to glorify the hero…
Ram rod straight... ...her voice low, her eyes hard, she guesses the scam...and with a teeth bittenbitterness- spits out -...DHRISHYAM...just a word...but it emphatically conveyed her fear, of her confidence slowly wilting...no change in frame speed, no underlined attention…
yet that MOMENT stayed...a perfect DHRISHYAM MOMENT...
MOHANLAL.... my salaam.........my salute.......
His show of apprehension is transient -a mere hint of a frown...anxiety has a deeper identity...in the darkness beneath the eyes...
His awareness is based on the danger of reality…it is conveyed by just a deeper breath or a small shifting of the eye...but his assurance based on hope...is conveyed by a hug...drawing courage as well as giving it...
"I PROMISE YOU THAT YOU WONT GO TO JAIL."
not shouted...just whispered...not as information…but as a conviction...just one sentence...said in one particular way...and the hero seems ten feet tall...
No six packs...no designer suits…no low angles...no trumpets or roll of drums...one sentence...and a thrilling heroism established…
Purpose in the set of his jaw...in the tilt of his chin, protection provided in the unhurried push of the shoulder to shield...are nuances that you will find in no acting manual, or in any film archive…they are the mannerisms that distinguish George Kutty-that simple Christian soul who only wishes to guard his adored family...
Strange-he bears an uncanny resemblance to that swash buckling Malayalam super star Mohanlal...just a resemblance...this of course, is a simple village man…
Even a sigh is not completed...in case it is a giveaway...it is just thought about...no looking over the shoulder...no unnecessary hang dog expressions...no sadness except a sort of tired weariness...this too justcontemplated…
the wife speaks out of turn…the cop pounces...the hero in a blink casually saves the day...the cops leave...she holds him...contrite…I DID WRONG ?
his eyes are far away...his brain is ticking...his mind is busy...
YES...he says…YOU DID WRONG...his eyes still far away…
the voice agrees with her mistake...
the TONE of the voice assures...ITS OK, DONT WORRY...
Brilliance inhistrionics is sometimes just an inflection and a gentle pause before speaking...
The DGP resigns...she has lost the battle, as well as the war...
she is destroyed...personally and professionally...
yet she is still ram rod straight, even without the identity of her uniform...or the authority of her position…for she is yet the tough cop...for as she says “we have had training you know “ and that shows…
hersaree perfectly creased…her pallu clipped...her hair in place...her face carved in stone...the cop...
but the mother’s eyes carry the pain...reluctantly...deep…that she does not want to show…
the husband pleads on behalf of them both...they turn...they stop...they listen to their deepest fears...they just walk away...sad...
the hero does too…somehow it seems as if he is more sad...
scenes like these cannot be written, rehearsed or taught...
-they are cinematic miracles...they have to be felt…and they just happen...
-there is not a single frame or dialogue where one is informed that the hero is right...or even that he is doing wrong...
when the crime is unavoidable...guilt is debatable..
yet one gets to comprehend that responsibility to protect family makes the sin lesser...
one family wins...the other does not win...
to convey this with such uncomplicated finesse, unassuming clarity and a signature narrative style, you need a self-belief...as well as a confidence...in everything that you do...
that is DHRISHYAM...
The hero walks in to join his family to eat…on the way he switches off an unnecessarily light...no word...just a DHRISHYAM MOMENT...and the prudence of the man is established .
No caricatures only characters…no romance only love...no comedy just humour...no enemies just adversaries...no egos just pride...no music heard just felt...no punishment just justice…no doubts just trust...no betrayals just loyalties...no cosmetics just substance...no puerile glamour just perfect cinema grammar…
...every knot is woven seamlessly in the screenplay...and as the film unfolds…each gripping mystery unravels and the viewer is so engrossed that a tension grips the mind…interpretation of a character is possible only if the personality is perfectly defined right from his walk...clothes...diction...body language...gestures...mannerisms...Drishyam is an example of how wonderfully the artistes and the director are in tune...personally...and in sync professionally...
Mr.Joseph…your versatile coat has many magnificent colours...
Third degree...the police officer in her orders it...the mother in her is unforgivably unkind... but the woman in her- for just an instant-winces... or so it seems…or so she should…a sub-conscious DHRISHYAM MOMENT
She has to be in control…it is her nature…or maybe it is her training...she sees it slipping...she is seething...no words...no grimace...not even a frown…yet it is felt…the despondency is silently visual...a precocious DHRISHYAM moment...AAHA ASHA!
Suave and sophisticated...sensible yet sensitive...unobtrusiveyet prominent...SIDDIQUE is simply superb as if he has saved his scoring for the final overs...a whiff of perfume that compliments the fragrance of DHRISHYAM...
SABASH SIDDIQUE...
The opening shots roll back...the hero is safe...he has kept his word to his loved ones…no expression of satisfaction…no relieved gesture…cut to present...a new officer challenges...the trauma is still not over…
the hero does not react…he answers softly, firmly, politely even humbly...
some questions and knots are unanswered...intercuts...to hero’s face…
flash backs...the mystery slowly unravels...there is a huge sigh of relief…from the audience…nothing from the character...but it is there...suspended suppressed... on the edge of his consciousness...
The hero walks towards camera...just that dead pan face...no hint of a smile even...no swagger...no hype...he is just a simple man...trying to lead a simple life...
HE WILL DO ANYTHING TO PROTECT HIS FAMILY…
Or so the scenes seems to shout... but in silence...another vociferous DHRISHYAM MOMENT...
It is such moments, such speaking silences, such wise visuals, such engulfing emotions, such humble heroism, such pregnant thunder, such taut tenderness, such exceptional performances, such captivating lighting resolutions...such clever intelligence- that makes DHRISHYAM one of the most gripping and compelling motion pictures I have ever seen...
He is just a simple man...trying to lead a simple life...the film fades...the credits happen...there is thunderous applause...and then -…SABASH...I heara cry...
surprised...or maybe not…that it is from ME...
triumph can be very personal...victory is more general...
DHRISHYAM is a personal triumph for Mohanlal...there cannot be too many actors of his calibre in world cinema today...
DHRISHYAM is a universal victory, not merely for Malayalam cinema...but indeed for Indian cinema...
Sometimes success has no formula...has no precedent.
It is instinctive - sometimes just a gut feeling...
OF TEAM DHRISHYAM... WHAT GUTS!!!!!!!
God bless you all.
Jai Hind.
K.BALACHANDAR
No comments:
Post a Comment