Questions about a film's political correctness, intent, execution, rights, and wrongs, and everything in between, are often addressed to the writer, the filmmaker, and, of course, the actors. But when was the last time a cinematographer was asked about where they stand with respect to the politics of their film? Probably why it was a refreshing change of pace when cinematographer Krishnan Vasant, the man behind the camera for Rahul Ravindran's The Girlfriend, begins the interview by saying, "I've always wondered why our characters aren't always real or grounded. Why aren't we writing better characters for women that would make a lot of them feel not just represented? In fact, The Girlfriend became what it is today because women wanted to make it an important film. And of course, many men also wanted to be supportive of the film and its messaging."
It has been over a decade since Krishnan made his debut as a cinematographer with Kalyana Samayal Saadham (2013). Over the past decade, he has developed a filmography that has given him enough opportunities to showcase his versatility. Be it films that are shot in a limited scale or in limited locations or films that have the sky as the limit, Krishnan has plied his wares in all of them. But it is The Girlfriend that has, rightfully, trained the focus light on him. "I was supposed to work with Rahul on a completely different film, which was also centred around a female character played by Rashmika. However, certain things didn't fall in place, and the project was dropped. But I wanted to work with Rahul, who I felt was a very smart filmmaker with a very forward and secure voice. So, I had decided then and there that come what may, I had to work with him, and finally, The Girlfriend happened," says Krishnan, who prefers working on one project at a time, but is also understanding about the vagaries of making a film in today's times. "The Girlfriend had a drawn-out edit, and it took quite a while. And it is during this wait that Sigma happened."
Sigma, starring Sundeep Kishan, is the debut film of upcoming filmmaker Jason Sanjay, who also happens to be the son of superstar-turned-politician Vijay. "I try to be the director's best friend on the sets. I try to understand the vision early on and ensure we are all on the same page," says Krishnan, who also asserts that he understands the hype around the film, but the makers, including Jason, ensured it never found a footing on the sets. "See, there is crazy hype around Sigma, and that is something that I've never experienced. But there is no pressure because Jason is a sorted guy. Although he comes from a film family, he took the effort to study filmmaking. The communication was on point, and it wasn't like I was working with a first-timer."
Breaking down the process of what makes him take on a project, Krishnan says it always starts with reading the full script or having the director narrate it to him. "The first reading is to get a whiff of the project and check if it is working for me or not. Personally, I have to connect to it at a philosophical level, and it has to be slightly real even if it focusses on being a commercial entertainer. Of course, if it is a fantasy, it has to be completely out there. It can't be somewhere in the middle. It is all about the conviction of the filmmaker, I guess," says Krishnan, who is clear that he wouldn't do a project, or a particular visual style in a film, just for the sake of it. "The world of the film, the material in hand, and the characters must dictate the visual grammar of a film."
While we've heard of labels like a 'director's actor' or a 'producer's director', Krishnan likes to refer to himself as a 'producer's cinematographer', which is quite a fresh identifier. "It is all about understanding the production values. Producers are the ones who have the most to lose, right? Of course, they are exposed to the positives of the trade, but they also have the maximum disadvantages. So, we must look at the most efficient way to tell a story, and not necessarily the most expensive or what gives me the best visual," says a pragmatic Krishnan, who doesn't really harbour dreams of becoming a director like many of his illustrious predecessors. When prodded further, he has a rather simple answer for the same. "I've thought about it, but what I've seen is that you need a separate brain to deal with actors. Even they are people with high exposure to the industry's pluses and minuses, and you must either have the experience or personality to deal with them, and I am not there yet."
However, we are indeed living in a world where it is important that even the ones behind the camera put themselves out there. The work might do the talking, but a post here and a reel there doesn't hurt the amplification of the said talking. "I'm not somebody who does that naturally. But you are right, it has gradually become an integral part of being in cinema," says a candid Krishnan, who signs off by saying, "I shy away from PR activities, but if a filmmaker reads such interviews, and wants to engage with me for my philosophy, personality, and my work... then, more sensitive stories can be told, and that's a win-win, right?"