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On Shankar’s birthday, his 5 tricks to make larger-than-life films

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Filmmaker S Shankar turned 58 immediately. His identify is synonymous with ‘bramadam’, or grandeur for the Tamil viewers. If these within the know are to be believed, he’s incapable of pondering concepts on a small scale. His films are as large because it will get when it comes to manufacturing and scope in India. The grandeur of his films is greatest mirrored within the blockbusters songs, the place he confirmed his urge for food to discover the probabilities of particular results very early on in his profession. That’s the rationale why he’s celebrated as James Cameron of India.
Shankar’s films arguably snicker within the face of filmmaking that’s all about enjoying secure, taking calculated dangers and making movies on a shoestring price range. For occasion, whilst he has by no means made a movie in Telugu, the dubbed variations of his movies have at all times been an enormous attract Telugu states. That is as a result of each scene, emotion and thought in Shankar’s films have a sure largeness in it. The really feel, texture and elegance of his movies set him aside from all large administrators of Indian cinema. Many of his films are restricted when it comes to geography because the story performs out inside the confines of a metropolis or a state. But, his movies at all times have that one thing additional, which ensures that the viewers get their cash’s price.
That one thing could possibly be the playful “Chikku Bukku Rayile” tune in his first movie Gentleman. Or it could possibly be exhibiting a beating coronary heart mendacity on a highway after an explosion within the climax of the identical movie. it could possibly be a scene the place Prabhu Deva attracts the portrait of his girlfriend on the ground together with his ft whereas performing Bharatanatyam. It could possibly be “Telephone Manipol” or “Maya Machindra” songs in Indian. It could possibly be merely travelling throughout seven wonders of the world to shoot the “Poovukkul” tune for Jeans. It could possibly be the thought of a person being a number of individuals with out his personal data (Anniyan). It takes some ingenuity to take a personality with a critical dysfunction and switch him right into a form of crime-fighting superhero.
Shankar absolutely realised his goals of constructing a VFX-heavy film with Enthiran and he upped his visible results recreation in 2.0.
Rajinikanth in 2.0.
So how does Shankar make bigger than life films?
Don’t get too comfy
During the promotions of his 2012 movie Nanban, which implies good friend, Shankar recalled the function his buddies performed in pushing him in the direction of changing into a director. He started his profession as a filmmaker by helping filmmaker, S. A. Chandrasekhar, who’s Vijay’s father. He recalled that he was incomes properly sufficient and he was comfy and glad serving to others make their films. But, it was his shut good friend, who helped him see that he was getting too comfy and content material together with his present station and pushed him to enterprise on his personal.
Always fulfill the fan in you

“I am a creator but at the same time, I am also a fan of cinema. After watching my movies, the fan in me asks for more. So respecting the wish of Shankar the fan, Shankar the director will begin to imagine how to satisfy his wishes. Somebody invites you for dinner at their house and you find the meal very tasty. When they invite you again, obviously you expect the meal to be tastier than the previous time. That’s why I keep pushing my imagination with every film. But, at the same time, if I can’t think of something new and bigger, I will do what I feel is good to meet the expectations of the audience, even if I won’t exceed their expectations.”
Imagine large, dwell easy

“Only my imagination is so big ( and expensive). But, I try to live a simple life. I don’t make unnecessary expenses both in my personal or professional life. For example, usually, the last song in movies would be a grand affair in all movies. But, I would have kept it very simple, in the rural backdrop for “Uppu Karuvadu” tune in Mudhalvan. It is as a result of the script didn’t want me to think about that tune someplace in Switzerland. So I solely spend on issues which are wanted.”
What is an efficient business movie?
“A very good business movie ought to have theme. And that theme ought to be new. Even if it’s not new, it ought to be narrated in a brand new manner. And, for me, the movie have to be fast-paced from the start to the top. It ought to be very entertaining. And it ought to have a couple of good issues for the viewers to take house.

The secret for longevity?
“Staying updated (with all new technology and developments) is a must. It should become your second nature. It is always better to think ahead of time, only then we will bring in new ideas and feel a sense of satisfaction.”