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Lights, Camera, Analysis: Ravi Varman (Ponniyin Selvan 1 & 2)
Posted on May 20, 2023
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Lights, Camera, Analysis: Ravi Varman (Ponniyin Selvan 1 & 2) - The Times Of Bollywood →
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Baradwaj Rangan 
ArunPrabakaran Shanmugasundaram
May 20, 2023
am really not sure, if you are going to look at this reply BR… but here are my thoughts on the cinematography of PS1&2.
The cinematography, color palette, grading were extra-ordinary but I felt the cinematography was not organic..
WHAT WORKED FOR ME GREATLY:
1. Entire 15mins of the interval sequence of PS2 – the cinematography + shot division + remixed bgm of devaralan aatam (well that man deserves a big applause) + the actors performance… (but a small downside was VT jumping all over could have been avoided, but was literally littt)
The best shot in PS1 was, VTs reaction when Nandhini was trying to get his desire of owning vanar clan’s own land & kingdom (it was like for a minute VT will think what if Vanar clan gets their own kingdom, but he will decide to be truthful to Chozhas)
PS1 Climax shot division and I particularly liked how the news of ArunMozhi’s death travel across Thanjai and Kanji,
Conversation between Nandhini-Adithan in the climax
PS1 – Fire alongside when Nandhini was standing with the vengance to kill and dethrone chozha’s
WHAT DID NOT WORK OUT FOR ME:
Felt he deliberately kept sun striking the faces of the main characters in many places… for eg., in PS1 when VT talks with Nandhini (nandhini ya beautiful la kamikuren nu sun light Aish mela mattum padra maari irukum),
In Budhha Viharam same applies to ArunMozhi, also to the scenes ArunMozhi walking among the crowd, he was given a specific highlighting treatment through sunrays. It was never needed to spotlight him up with the sunrays (that more felt like artificial lights to me is another topic to discuss for another day though)
ArunMozhi in yanai paagan’s disguise, more than that when that cloth he had in his head fells down there was not a big surprise + happy + reclaiming moment from neither prabhu or from the soliders
Crowning scene in PS2 crowd who will standing giving kumbidu was literally joke, neither they emoted well. They will be reaction very lazy to cheer/clap and did not even like they are reacting to the soul moment of the scene. In Bahubali that was surely a lit scene.
Karthi under the skin of tiger escaping out of secret room in Kadambur maligai of PS2 was another joke. Even a small kid would’ve thought a good idea for it.
Oomai Rani jumping all over the palace at ease at that very old age… ithelam enna ya shotu…
ithu poga war scenes were shot in a very lame/not so interesting manner and I felt it was done so not to particularly resemble SSR’s picturization
indha 1hr interview with Ravi Varman la ithelam ketkuradhila ya Baradwaj Rangan avargaleeeyyy…
I know you are a hardcore fan of MR… so do I… And with your experience and exposure to cinema you would have easily noticed more and more things in the movie than me…
Atleast do answer in #ASKBR if possible…
but that does not mean we should be ask/discuss such criticizing shots with them in such interviews…
look forward to hear from you
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Gaipajama
May 21, 2023
Fantastic interview. I loved the references to Ran and Barry Lyndon. Shows how much effort goes into the world building. One thing I hoped for is a nod to Maniam’s influence in the lighting. I could see a lot of references to his work in many scenes.
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brangan
May 21, 2023
ArunPrabakaran Shanmugasundaram: indha 1hr interview with Ravi Varman la ithelam ketkuradhila ya Baradwaj Rangan avargaleeeyyy..
One, these aspects that bothered you so much did not bother me, because the story is like that. Two, this is Ravi Varman talking about HIS favourite shots — rather than both of us discussing the cinematography of PS. So it’s his prerogative, and as along as he is explaining his shot selection well, I don’t have an issue.
Three: “In Budhha Viharam same applies to ArunMozhi, also to the scenes ArunMozhi walking among the crowd, he was given a specific highlighting treatment through sunrays. It was never needed to spotlight him up with the sunrays (that more felt like artificial lights to me is another topic to discuss for another day though)”
This is a subjective thing. You say, it was “never needed”. I say, the spotlighting was absolutely needed to imbue the man with the tejas/glow that sets him apart as a king, and also as a NOBLE king. He is lit up to stand out amongst the crowd.
Lastly, how are you able to make out the shot division, which is something the director and the cinematographer and their ADs list out BEFORE shooting a scene?
Once the editor comes in and starts moving frames around, we (the audience) have no idea what the original shot division was — so I am genuinely curious as to what you mean when you say “PS1 Climax shot division” was good.
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MANK
May 21, 2023
The visual aesthetic of PS films was very similar to Iruvar; Mani always break the mold with each of his films (when it omes to photography and editing), but I didn’t find anything novel here and definitely nothing better here than what he has done previously. Some of those circular shots and wide angle, deep focus shots are recreated verbatim from Iruvar and even featuring the same actor ( the overhead revolving shot of PR reciting poetry to Tabu is recreated in the scene between PR and Trisha were the former talks about his lost love). And what Santosh Sivan achieved with very limited technology then – no jimmy jibs, no drones, no balloon lights – Is vastly superior to Ravivarman’s work here
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ArunPrabakaran Shanmugasundaram
May 22, 2023
Hello BR,
Thanks for the reply. I meant the interview was surely very good and you both discussed HIS favourites shots of PS1&2. Was asking may be you would’ve asked some shots and the way why it was framed too (that could have become a different content/topic I understand).
Agree that the opinion differs, but was curious was if that was needed for ArunMozhi and Nandhini to raise their character connect.
Kindly share your thoughts in-line to the comment above for the
1. Yaanai Paagan disguise (could be a director’s call too),
2. Crowning scene crowd’s lethargic reactions,
3. Karthi escaping under Tiger’s skin,
4. The way Oomai Rani entering palace was shot,
5. Somehow in PS2, VT though had an enough opportunity to convince Parthibendran that he did not kill Adithan or it was not ArunMozhi who was involved in the death of Adithan.
Coming to the point on the shot division, that was purely my assumption (may be I am all wrong and absurd too, do correct me if I was wrong here) . I assumed they when they planned to convey how the news reached to Pazhayarai (Kundhavai), Kanchi (Adithan) and Thanjavur (Sundara Chozhan), it was split into three, and every half of the reaction at each place was cut and the answer was shown in the next cuts. When I read Ponniyin Selvan, of all I was very curious to see how this was translating into in the movie. I loved PS1&2 because of such small scenes and emotions MR conveyed through out the movie.
I do understand that what we see comes out of the edit table and it could be lot of shots taken. I felt MR has clearly laid that out in his script and the shots were planned and shot exactly in that meter (Cuts 1+4+6, Cuts 2+5,7) and edited back to back to convey what he was intending at the best. I particularly loved how the emotions with the cuts (Cuts 1-8) with right shots of each characters.
Cut 1: Sundara Chozhan becomes restless sitting inside and comes out knowing Anirudhar is here,
Cut 2: Vanathi runs towards Kundavai, Kundavai askes, “Vanathi enna nadandhadhu”,
Cut 3: Adithan marching towards Thanjai,
Cut 4: Sundara Chozhan comes out of the shadow (the song in the back says, Suriyana Kaanalaye and en kanmaniya kaanalaye – where is my beloved) seeking Anirudhar was standing outside in the light/sun with the news
Cut 5: Kundhavai asks “ArunMozhiya? Ponniyin Selvanuku enna?”
Cut 6: And anirudha brahamarayar says “Ponni Anadhai aagivitaal arasey” and Sundara Chozha reacts with a heavy hearted tear,
Cut 7: Vanathi breaking down and Kundavai hugs her, but Kundavai would be shocked and there will be a minor doubt in her face to believe if ArunMozhi is dead,
Cut 8: When Sundara Chozhan, Vanathi and Kundavai was broken down, Adithan was marching in a rage and fierceness to kill Nandhini.
Cut 9: Nandhini takes the sword which has the Fish symbol/Pandaya muthirai to take down the rest of Chozha’s.
Cut 10: Oomai Rani (another Aish), jumps in to save the Chozha Kingdom by rescuing ArunMozhi.
PS1 & PS2 greatly worked for me other than those few shots + MR’s decision of showing Adithan killing himself because of the guilt and love he had rather than showing Soman + Ravidasan + Parameshwaran who killed Adithan as per history. But I solely loved and enjoyed the dialogues between Adithan and Nandhini and ARR gets us with the Chinnajiru Nilave. Though I enjoyed the movie and watching my favourite novel that kindled my interest in reading a book (around my college first year/2010), I left with a minor feeling of something missing/could’ve been better.
[P.S Sorry for the long comment again]
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brangan
May 22, 2023
ArunPrabakaran Shanmugasundaram: So what you are talking about (Cut 1 to Cut 10) is a combination of screenplay and editing. It has nothing to do with cinematography (other than the way these bits were stage / captured on camera). From what you say, I think you enjoyed the way these various bits were put together at the end — and that’s a function of screenplay/editing more than anything else.
“Shot division” is a list of what shots should be taken on a particular day’s shoot. For example, in a gun-attack scene, the director and DoP may say:
we need a shot of the man tumbling out of his car from the left side as his enemy keeps shooting from the right;
we need a close-up of the gun;
we need to see the man from the enemy’s POV;
we need a shot of the enemy from the man’s POV…
That sort of thing.
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ArunPrabakaran Shanmugasundaram
May 23, 2023
Thanks BR.
Kindly share your thoughts in-line to the comment above for the:
1. Yaanai Paagan disguise,
2. Crowning scene crowd’s lethargic reactions,
3. Karthi entering Kadambur maligai through the secret room under Tiger’s skin,
4. The way Oomai Rani entering palace was shot,
5. Somehow in PS2, VT though had an enough opportunity to convince Parthibendran that he did not kill Adithan or it was not ArunMozhi who was involved in the death of Adithan.
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Lakhan
May 25, 2023
Thanks for the sharing informative article.
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Sarada
May 25, 2023
Thank you for such an insightful discussion. I revisited the PS1 scenes mentioned by Mr. Varman after watching the video. I could appreciate the effort and thought behind the making of this movie (and movies in general) a bit more.
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ArunPrabakaran Shanmugasundaram
May 26, 2023
Hello BR,
Still awaiting to hear your thoughts on the below.
1. Yaanai Paagan disguise,
2. Crowning scene crowd’s lethargic reactions,
3. Karthi entering Kadambur maligai through the secret room under Tiger’s skin,
4. The way Oomai Rani entering palace was shot,
5. Somehow in PS2, VT though had an enough opportunity to convince Parthibendran that he did not kill Adithan or it was not ArunMozhi who was involved in the death of Adithan.
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Yajiv
May 26, 2023
@ArunPrabakaran:
Bruh, your persistence 😂
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Yajiv
May 26, 2023
I’m now eagerly waiting for May 29, 2023 when you repost the same comment 😉
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ArunPrabakaran Shanmugasundaram
May 26, 2023
haha…. thank you bruh😂😂😂
I am just wondering why he left answering those questions. BR being one such sensible reviewers who dives deep, I hope he won’t deny that they are the missed moments which MR or RV failed to create a magic there.
For me, those would have definitely elevated the movie a bit more for sure.
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ArunPrabakaran Shanmugasundaram
May 26, 2023
++ 6. Veera Raja Veera song lyrics itself clearly defines (வேந்தா ராஜ ராஜ
வாராய் வாகை சூட – King Raja Raja, coming for the victory) it was for ArunMozhi Varman. But in the movie it was used for Adithan, not sure why they were too confused here. More than that that kid Adithan version will be like, “Hey Kundhvaiiiii” in a sort of Anniyan Remo tone. Padam paakum podhu ithelame very obvious ah irundhuchu. Kaki Talkies Karthi na kuda solirpaaru.
I really wish he is not gonna come back saying, “those 5+1 points did not bother me!”.
It was an epic novel of India and when it comes from MR, everybody would love to see the best from the besets.
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hari prasad
May 27, 2023
Apparently they shot the song with Jayam Ravi (Arunmozhi) and Sobhita ( Vanathi) shaking a leg to it , but they didn’t use it in the movie and instead they gave that song to Karikalan.
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ArunPrabakaran Shanmugasundaram
May 30, 2023
Hello BR,
Still awaiting to hear your thoughts on the below.
1. Yaanai Paagan disguise,
2. Crowning scene crowd’s lethargic reactions,
3. Karthi entering Kadambur maligai through the secret room under Tiger’s skin,
4. The way Oomai Rani entering palace was shot,
5. Somehow in PS2, VT though had an enough opportunity to convince Parthibendran that he did not kill Adithan or it was not ArunMozhi who was involved in the death of Adithan.
6. Veera Raja Veera song lyrics itself clearly defines (வேந்தா ராஜ ராஜ
வாராய் வாகை சூட – King Raja Raja, coming for the victory) it was for ArunMozhi Varman. But in the movie it was used for Adithan, not sure why they were too confused here.
I really wish he is not gonna come back saying, “those 5+1 points did not bother me!”.
It was an epic novel of India and when it comes from MR, everybody would love to see the best from the greatest.
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ArunPrabakaran Shanmugasundaram
May 30, 2023
@hariprasad, I saw that too. It would have been apt for ArunMozhi rather than Adithan.
But was that even needed to keep a song that starts and ends abruptly which was not written for/lesser in connect with Adithan.
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