Location Diaries: Madhumitha - On stranger tides

While shooting for director Chimbudeven's Yogi Babu-starrer Boat, actor Madhumitha had to shoot a major portion of the film on a boat with the ensemble cast. "When we travelled to the location, which was near Thoothukudi, none of us knew that we would be shooting inside an actual boat stationed somewhere in the middle of the sea," says Madhumitha. She then adds, "The whole time the boat would keep rocking, sometimes violently, sometimes gently, depending on the tides. The sun beat down on us relentlessly and there was no cover. Our skins were dry and sunburnt. To top it all, we had to emote without narrowing our eyes, despite the harsh sunlight. There was no space for us to move around. Moreover, we couldn't go for bathroom breaks, as the shore was far away. Each session in the boat lasted for three hours. Only after that could we take a break for meals, before returning to the sea again. For the first three days, it was really tough."

Even at night, all the actors felt that their bed was rocking, due to being in a moving boat all day. For Madhumitha the shoot was tougher since she was nursing her five-month-old baby at the time. "Being away from the baby for long periods of time daily was very tough. But I managed somehow, leaving the baby with my trusted help and a caring production team stationed on the seashore," she says.

Sometimes the shoot was at night, which gave the actors respite from the sun. However, the makers had also arranged for provisions to make things safer for the actors. Madhumitha says, "The production and director Chimbudeven had arranged for a team of local fishermen to be near us always in case of any mishaps." There were actors of all age groups on the boat but everyone co-operated and helped one another to make things easier. "During breaks, when we couldn't shoot due to the high movements of the camera boat, we would all make light of the situation and keep ourselves entertained in order to lighten the mood and turn our minds away from the fear of seasickness and vomiting."

Yogi Babu lifted the mood of his co-stars by bringing sumptuous food during the lunch breaks on the seashore. "He had a well-equipped kitchen in his caravan where all the meals were specially cooked, which we nicknamed Yogi's Kitchen. The meals were the highlight of our days." Madhumitha recounts all the pleasant memories with her co-stars. "Yogi Babu would regale us with his shooting experiences. MS Bhasker sir would give us safety tips on how to conduct ourselves in the boat while Chinni Jayanth sir kept us in splits with his mimicry. All the actors were punctual and thorough professionals, with no ego hassles despite the extremely cramped spaces and weather conditions." She then goes on to heap praise on her director. "Chimbudeven sir directed us and camera teams even in the most unpredictable locations, where every time the boat rocked, the camera angle and focus would be lost. He had to decide shooting schedules based on the unpredictable weather and the changing tides and also had to keep everyone's safety in mind. Hats off to his patience and leadership."

Madhumitha sums up her experience, "The Boat movie shoot is an unforgettable one. It was a huge challenge but we cherished the opportunity of shooting for a period film set in 1943. We all came back not just with memories, but with a close-knit bond with each other and a deep connection with nature."