DOP Rathnavelu In Conversation With M9 News | Dheeraj Babu | Peddi

Hinzugefügt: 2026-05-18

[00:00:00]Hi Mr. Ratnalu.

[00:00:01]I'm Dheeraj from MNN News. How are you, sir? Good, Mr. Dheeraj. Pleasure to meet you.

[00:00:06]It's a more than a pleasure for me, sir.

[00:00:09]Because Chinnapada frames choose to I used to wonder specifically for Endhiran.

[00:00:16]Though it is a mix of both CG and cinematography work.

[00:00:19]So our CG work and then our frames specifically under me close-up shots matter that I mean I love your wide frames.

[00:00:27]Uh right from the first film Say to [clears throat] the children I watched your first film in Saytu.

[00:00:32]>> Saytu Surya son of Krishna. Yeah.

[00:00:36]Uh Surya son of Krishna there is one frame where Ramya Nambeesan will slowly start walking to the towards Surya.

[00:00:43]So wide frame military colony you will show her. Sir, Divya Spandana. Divya Spandana cute and sweet shot of it. So a kind of wide frames you put so much glow to you bring so much glow and perfection to to those things.

[00:01:03]Actually, [clears throat] wide frames will tell you our landscape and the storytelling where you are. If you watched the Kilimanjaro song also though actors will be focused our background that's very important to tell a story.

[00:01:16]Then I don't go for a mid shot I go for a nice close-up of actors so that their expression is seen very well.

[00:01:21]Uh so wide shot has got its own magic of telling a story. Any movie Rangasthalam you will first frame love and the wide frame Charan got a small 1.5 km distance in the camera update that was in the show.

[00:01:34]That tells you the instead of telling one two three page of dialogue a worker shot layer what is the terrain. Yeah.

[00:01:40]Otherwise you can translate a story that's what I believe. Yeah Rangasthalam teaser or trailer the last shot Charan got a gun and that's what that's a wide frame.

[00:01:50]A worker got a light Charan got a light and that's it. A very fierce look to So our wide frame a worker guru a rage and then environment of the uh scene. You want me to go you depict those things. Sure.

[00:02:07]Yeah. So, before getting into the film or the details So, you work for a film a pre-production stage in which you will get involved in the film. I will write from the uh pre-production low short division beginning to go to get involved in the film and even cinema company DI they can be good on the stuff.

[00:02:25]So, for a cinema to cinema, how do you reinvent yourself?

[00:02:29]If [clears throat] you see my career, this is my almost 29 years completed almost 30th year is going to start.

[00:02:34]So, I'm not very greedy to do three, four movies at a time. Okay, movie say two diamond city Okay, cinema finish easy next cinema calendar. So, uh cinema completion that I want that I take a at least one, two, three months of break so that I gear up and prepare for my next movie.

[00:02:51]Uh Rangasthalam also is a village based movie. This is also village. But, how different you can show this?

[00:02:57]It's an This is a different story, but that's different. But, village in when you talk and say it's going to be full of crowd, people, everything is going to be a little similar. But, how do you differentiate? What kind of approach we have to do? What kind of lensing? I put a mirror there where I just stay. It's more sharp, cleaner image, very soft and beautiful. This movie is more rugged.

[00:03:16]So, it all depends on the story and storytelling. I I just don't go like a cinematographer uh on capturing the beautiful frames. I go deep into a story.

[00:03:26]This director wanted to tell the story.

[00:03:28]How do I tell from my point of view of the story to the audience? That's what I feel. Yeah. So, that though uh creativity that I used to tell technology that I used to tell which camera to go, which lens to go what kind of lighting should I do for this movie? That's That makes me grow also. I'm also learning what though it may be 29 30th year also, still I'm learning. Like I keep in tandem with the technology.

[00:03:51]Like yesterday something which came to market, I'm aware of it, I read about it. That's how you grow.

[00:03:57]Okay.

[00:04:14]Okay. Yeah, so there are bits and pieces of going to launch it.

[00:04:28]So So this is the story of a person.

[00:04:39]What will be the research from your side? Yeah, generally See this movie two years I was involved in this movie shooting.

[00:04:47]But she told me a subject like I mean two more two years and seven eight months before he told this story to me.

[00:04:54]The moment Ram Charan heard the story, he wanted me on this to do this movie.

[00:04:59]And then Butchi came and narrated Butchi also wanted to do with me. Probably he couldn't express to Charan.

[00:05:04]Okay. So immediately they approached me but from Charan's side they told listen to Butchi's script. I heard and I was really blown away. It's a fantastic script and I thought it's a nice story which will be different from other films.

[00:05:22]And for Ram Charan even for me it was a challenge.

[00:05:25]So I love to take challenges. This movie was challenging so I thought let us go ahead and do something.

[00:05:31]And then what was your question like Yeah, that's what I said like when Butchi gave you the script or Charan gave you the script So you will get get an idea of the Okay. emotion of the film. Yeah, emotion of the film or but the geographical uh uh of the film will will also decide the color patterns, everything. So, what will be your preparation for in terms of the color palettes in specific?

[00:05:53]>> tell you. Generally, what I do, I hear the story from the director, and I try to read the script.

[00:05:58]Then, what justification or how to approach this movie, I take a call. I doubt I talk with the director continuously.

[00:06:06]Then, I try to give my point of view.

[00:06:08]Then, I try to travel to the place. For a simple, I'll tell you an example.

[00:06:12]Like, when we did uh uh Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy I wanted to go to Uyyalawada. Okay.

[00:06:19]>> Though it happens in 1840, you can't see say Uyyalawada.

[00:06:23]>> You can't see any traces now. So, myself Surender Reddy, you know, went to the location. Look at the field. Uh we went there. What was the terrain? Probably, we'll imagine. The At landed. So, Rangasthalam and all that, it's more of Rajahmundry background.

[00:06:36]Uh will this Rajahmundry this side is better or that side is better? River, all those things uh will start hitting you. So, that initially, we do some small preparation.

[00:06:48]On location tracking. Then, we discuss about how much indoor is there, how much outdoor is there. And completely, we can't go and shoot outdoor also.

[00:06:56]All those discussion. Indoor what kind of mood, some emotional scene is there.

[00:07:00]Probably, if I shoot an open landscape mood won't be there. So, uh to create a mood, it can be an indoor. All those things I try to bring to a story.

[00:07:09]Then, we involve the production designer, costume designer. We fix a color palette.

[00:07:13]If we do Rangasthalam, we went for a golden brown tone.

[00:07:18]So, this film should be different from that one. That is also a rustic movie.

[00:07:22]Same rustic color. It's a little rustic layer or organic texture on the grains on the plus this movie has got four transformation from Ram Charan.

[00:07:32]He's performed really well.

[00:07:34]Uh unbelievable performance. It's one of his career best performance.

[00:07:37]Because of story line is so interesting, we all got involved in the film. And I was also concentrating on Charan like I like him very much basically and the way he performs really excites you. I would have put a mid shot suddenly seeing his performance Charan once again said take a camera go close to him and that kind of feel he puts on building and then the camera I put a macro lens and shoot. These are all improvisation. This this is a film which is very organic and interesting one.

[00:08:07]So Atlanta myself and Sukku work that way. Basically we go for a game plan we go in that particular moment something will excite you how do you do? Okay cool and actually I love those mock shots.

[00:08:20]Specifically a a a a a a a a So the mock shots he took like we rarely see mock shots in films. Specifically Telugu films though. And again Night Shyamalan movies like that and then there are some other Korean films as well.

[00:08:36]Hero can mock shots and he tell the cover. Telugu specifically.

[00:08:40]But other film foreign language mock shots all of a sudden all of a sudden mock shots can be taken first look they have released it and they So I really terrific together. That mock shot It is one of us who used to kind of in the mood of Pushpa we have seen it.

[00:08:54]Pushpa first look released and all of a sudden All of a sudden simple standing look like a mock shot and then After that we have seen it in the movie again. So the idea the kind of a kind of a This is not a new technology but introducing to the set of audience the different set of audience introduced what is the risk you will take for them? See like I tell you post COVID situation changed.

[00:09:17]Audience way of cinema watching cinema the film making dynamics everything changed.

[00:09:23]So people are bored about seeing a very clinical and beautiful images.

[00:09:28]So I tried to go with the new age new generation. It's not the modern cinematography. Present generation what even Hollywood they they are just going towards the naturalism.

[00:09:41]There's a trans- transformation transition period happening in Hollywood. If you watch uh Oppenheimer, all these uh uh Marty Supreme, or any other movie, uh One Battle Left all these movies, it's got some organic feel. If you see watch a movie Brutalist, it will be very immersive. You will be there along with the character. So, that's what I was trying to bring. I'm not saying I'm doing an Oscar-winning visual.

[00:10:05]But, I have put heart and soul into the visual of this movie. And I didn't do the same work which I did for Rangasthalam or Sye Raa or any other movie.

[00:10:12]I'm just going with the story and telling it in a different way with the film grains. The look you will feel it will be different from the other movies.

[00:10:19]That's what I felt. Cool.

[00:10:21]So, I I used to observe these things, sir. You will you play with the light leaks.

[00:10:27]Uh in every film, right from Arya. In Arya also, there was a sequence uh >> [clears throat] >> uh through the window when the uh when Alochana Alochana or someone is writing a writing on his diary. So, you will carry those frames or the carries those specific sequence through the light leaks. Yeah. So, what is your uh fascination towards it, sir? Yeah, basically light gives an emotion.

[00:10:50]That particular light when it hits you, it gives you a love mode. Or when you want to look dynamic, the hard light which hits you tells your character you're a gangster. And that light will be like that. You're a cricketer. Every time I feel without a a light punctuation, you can't get the feel. That is that is a very strong tool to convey an emotion or a storytelling. That's every movie.

[00:11:11]Jagadam you might have seen my lighting style. In the end, you would have been >> 1 Nenokkadine, you will play with that light leak. 1 Nenokkadine, I played. I mean, Robo, if you see, it's all soft box, silver, white, glossy frames, or futuristic uh winter day.

[00:11:25]Devara, it's completely you will feel like you are in the water ocean madhyalo boat lo unna feeling lo lighting blue other I didn't go for a teal and orange and Mhm.

[00:11:43]Mhm. Mhm.

[00:11:45]Yes.

[00:11:47]As a cricketer what he undergoes uh that is told in a different way. Mhm.

[00:11:54]And when he becomes a Kusti Palwan, there's a different one.

[00:11:57]In the Delhi streets when he goes that's a different look.

[00:12:01]And in the last getup, I won't reveal that.

[00:12:03]Uh I have seen it. That was there in the trailer. Yeah. So, there what I did. So, all those uh I travel more like like a filmmaker. Go with the storytelling and did.

[00:12:14]Especially Delhi visuals will be interesting for audience. It'll be different from the regular ones. I shot in film negative. Mhm.

[00:12:21]Uh No, that was visible. Uh Charan carrying the cart and walking for the tea or selling some juice kind of thing.

[00:12:27]You know? So, those were cool to see those kind of. And also, sir, a director though he has a different kind of vision me got your vision while vision we check into the water. Me, you need to showcase it in through your lens to the audience.

[00:12:45]Yeah.

[00:12:48]At the same time 100% for the specific of a PDD uh because of there is another sport as well. So, the trailer though it is there, the running thing.

[00:13:12]We have seen similar kind of films through e-sports format through.

[00:13:20]uh remembering factor for us.

[00:13:28]>> I like it bro.

[00:13:32]So cricket coach.

[00:13:33]Multiple but it could have restricted opportunity. People can't compare. So he compared.

[00:13:39]Risky job. No, that's a very Even I get bored audience.

[00:13:44]I I will also get bored. That's the reason I didn't want to repeat the same thing.

[00:13:52]So first will be more showcasing who is Bendy.

[00:13:55]And what is It's I mean that's a different zone. Second is going to be intense.

[00:14:01]For It's more emotional.

[00:14:04]And on the ground what emotions burst out of emotion. Anger. Ego all those things emotion is shown in second match.

[00:14:13]So second match I suggest that we do night effect.

[00:14:16]Yeah. So with the traveling flare I specifically designed some lights to catch up the flare and all. So now I don't know 90s little I wanted audience to get into that world not just to capture in a cricket match.

[00:14:32]Anybody will capture.

[00:14:34]I wanted to take the audience up there.

[00:14:36]Cameras also playing the match. That is the feel. I don't know what I want to do on the trailer teaser or whatever. So all those shots Wherever audience want to get the height the camera was going and capture giving that that throwing into that height that is what I tried in this movie.

[00:14:54]And in terms of look and tone also it is varying from other movie.

[00:14:58]That's why in one of my interview I compared with the He said he wanted a transformation to say it is not a chiseled body.

[00:15:09]This is a bald up body of a powerful wrestler. Yeah. And I was focusing on the way how much effort Ram Charan put for the muscles. I know incredible. I'm the short time low.

[00:15:20]>> what I trained in the gym. So I don't know what a local driver that you can tell me I I don't know what you can tell me I don't He has to look raw, real.

[00:15:27]He has to If you see They'll have a six-pack the kind of They will lift the thing in factory. He works in a bellum crusher. He plays cricket. All these things are So, we tried to do this. Okay. So, And again, ground entry for the running race kind of sequence.

[00:15:47]So, then again, Charan was having this long hair.

[00:15:49]So, blue shirt he was looking bulky as well.

[00:15:52]So, a runner We what we sleek So, but in a management Showcasing deliberately fixed that everybody will have something in mind, no? We wanted to break that.

[00:16:08]Okay. That's what we did. Yeah, yeah, that's what. And I felt sorry for Charan only because every new every getup, no?

[00:16:15]You can tell go for a getup. It will take six months to eight months to attain that look and feel, but he did it in a very short span of time.

[00:16:23]Cool.

[00:16:24]So, [clears throat] I think a kind of framing we set just now because even you would momentum kind of sequences like cricket cricket and even running So, a momentum kind of What is the kind of a momentum general recent and just now I think only movies I observed is earlier audience won't find the momentum won't feel the momentum.

[00:16:50]Frame move out.

[00:16:51]Frame style static only.

[00:16:53]After characters move out on the road, so that people will engage with the drama more.

[00:17:00]kind of action kind of sequences camera will move out on the Recently Patriot and the movie Mohanlal So, I'm going to there was a flight sequence flight fight sequence So, the whole camera was trembling. We can observe that in KGF as well.

[00:17:17]So, the camera movement, the whole screen will be trembling. You know, vibrating out there on the monitor. So, what kind of effect you are bringing with baby to these momentum sequences?

[00:17:26]See, for a action sequence, I mean the Kusti action will be something people will talk about with Ram Charan's stunt and the visual also everybody will be talking about. Other than that, I tried to capture a lot of sequence.

[00:17:39]I told you know, camera is very unobtrusively capturing the performance.

[00:17:46]Some shots will be handled where I need a proper establishment, it'll be on a trolley. And a lot of actions I captured with the cable cam.

[00:17:54]This movie, I tried to use a lot of cable cam. I we rigged like 100 ft length like over cricket like a spider cam is there.

[00:18:02]I didn't want to go that much technical and make a shot more dramatic.

[00:18:06]This will be organically dramatic. When Charan is running a telephoto, the camera also tracks it. Later on they what will happen, you put some three or four bits of trolley and then shoot. It doesn't The camera also going at 70 km speed. He is also running.

[00:18:20]That background dynamics will be different. That's what in this movie I tried.

[00:18:25]Oh, that would be very good to see on screen side. And a lot of cine cinematic shots also will be there.

[00:18:31]Though it's an organic movie, yet it's got full of commercial. Every scene is written Every scene is written with the commercial items.

[00:18:39]So, our commercial items are year lensing which we can tell you. Charan now when he gets a Kusti then the camera will reason he looks so dynamic. When he walks his calf muscle, the thighs and then his back, everything is shot. At the same time when it's emotion, the immediately camera changes.

[00:18:57]It's like a I'm They're like a chameleon.

[00:19:00]Based on your scene's content, my camera will play.

[00:19:03]Cool.

[00:19:04]But Charan height is good you need to manage the camera placement as well. Because a bulky body to be shown. You know, Charan battery teaser you see he was actually He was actually looking like a human.

[00:19:32]It's basically depends on every actor to actor it varies. Height, built, everything changes. Face features, some will have a long face, some will have a round face.

[00:19:42]So myself and we work a long way. I didn't watch them plus I don't know what we did together.

[00:19:49]I know about him which angle is good for him. The profile or a three quarter, left or right or back I don't know so So I should base on him. Okay. But You like to work out when you are opening for the going for the wider frame that you can check top angle frames below. There is a scope that okay we don't know what we can do.

[00:20:10]Chances are there. So that manages it.

[00:20:12]Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.

[00:20:13]Yes. it's it's basically depends on editor also.

[00:20:18]Which shot should hold for a longer time? You can do compulsory any members in there done for one that shot should have one two seconds.

[00:20:25]Okay. Then when you really show the camera has to go low and shoot. It can be done there. Some people when they do don't give time for all this manipulation it goes for a toss.

[00:20:36]It is even Tom Cruise is a little bit compared to the Hollywood actors he's short. But it depends what how you show >> it well. Yeah, true. Even if you see they were also I showed in nice angle.

[00:20:49]Sometimes when you go for a longer shot you shouldn't hold. And moreover it's very subjective. This is a very technical thing. So suppose I'll tell you an actor Vijay is 5 feet 11 inches.

[00:21:01]He's pretty tall.

[00:21:03]You show him with his bodyguard like a 6 and a half 7 feet 6 and a half feet tall. He looks small.

[00:21:08]With NTR in a height or Ram Charan height. The background guys shouldn't be overpowering. True.

[00:21:15]Uh so that also me is an important factor. Even in Devara I was telling don't give too much tall very tall. You can say they are all like beast but everything everywhere you will tell some view but that has to be followed by everybody. Yeah. I will follow till the end there then you what is the right question whatever you ask me.

[00:21:34]What can you do when so many people are there?

[00:21:37]When you want a wide shot the cameraman cannot go on I will not shoot this.

[00:21:41]We have to shoot the wide shot but it shouldn't feature more number of seconds it shouldn't have a duration. Exactly. At the same time we can go for a low angle shot uh and mid shots we can easily manage our heroes I shot at Surya so many years I six seven movies.

[00:21:58]So he looked nice in Surya Son of Krishnan right whatever. Yeah it is. So that's So uh Buchi Babu or Sukumar they will surrender their direction team to you.

[00:22:11]So okay you are assistant to uh sir as well and you can say well well uh collaboration effort So good sir. So And it's a responsibility of a cameraman also to take care of the actors. That's very important. That is that To show them in which kind of lighting which kind of look everything is there.

[00:22:31]True. So I think the kind of sequences you go through and go through the and we are sport emotion songs are very happy uh have you ever felt bored sir?

[00:22:46]See nowadays Gen Z kids are started hating too many songs in the movie. But at the same time recently I went I mean they are also watching old songs. Yeah yeah. So it's totally a different thing like if you have three songs in a movie people are enjoying it. But it shouldn't take away the movie. If you see Chikari when we launched it became a biggest blockbuster all over the world. The dance movements everything.

[00:23:13]Uh I was very specific when the choreography was going. Johnny did a good job.

[00:23:20]Try to give more organic frame than to go for multiple cuts and cuts and cuts speed would do. People have to enjoy.

[00:23:27]That was the idea then it worked out.

[00:23:32]Yes sir.

[00:23:33]At least what do you enjoy? See the classical way of film making no? That is dying with multiple cuts and all. We can cut but unnecessary cut in the go.

[00:23:41]People have to a mountain you choose to you're enjoying it. When Charan is dancing in that table top kind of location with the top angle you're enjoying the place Charan all those things.

[00:23:53]It's not just only you tightly put a shot and dancing it doesn't work no.

[00:24:14]It's not just dancing on the emotion field. You will feel like you are just going and falling. And then when you see the girl you are expression and the way Charan did a incredible dance in this movie. You will enjoy especially Uh because Johnny told Uh I generally believe in choreography like the foreground moment background all those things. Uh Johnny told sir I have composed lengthy shot for Anna.

[00:24:39]Then I thought okay this song is a dance song for the fans and everybody.

[00:24:43]We went on a lot of lengthy lengthy shots for dance and Charan did a fabulous work.

[00:24:51]Special song we shot with the Shruti as in Uh it is like after a victory from a Kusti the guys local guys are celebrating Monday in the like he's from which is from Sukumar's >> [laughter] >> team so automatically a special song will come in the movie but it's not a forced one this film needs that it's got so much of emotion storytelling in this in the second half this song will be a good relief for the audience Shruti dance well the collaboration was nice Janvi also did a nice dance in that which he actually revealed it both the Janvi and Shruti will be dancing along with Charan and And the overall Buchi story he wrote it very well that is that was an inspiration for all of us to make a good film.

[00:25:34]And after you come out from the theater you will feel you watched one good film.

[00:25:38]At the same time as a sports drama this will be an inspiration for the younger rural kids.

[00:25:44]Okay. That would be good.

[00:25:46]So cool sir so before closing sir I just wanted to know one more thing. So I mean IMAX Yeah. Then Dolby Vision. Yeah.

[00:26:05]And there are some other Bangalore Pune there are limited screens.

[00:26:09]Yeah.

[00:26:13]We have seen recent movies like biker movie actually in Yuvraj Yeah. He did a very good job Yuvraj So when Biker knee on screen just not a full screen low there was no patches at all.

[00:26:25]Uh Shall I go on with So The Dolby low brightness plays a very key role because the screen is too bright for it. So 100% see the thing is What 3000 rupees phone low when you see and when you watch it in iPhone content is same. But when iPhone choose in a blue, uh darkness, brightness, highlights, mid points, everything you are enjoying. Likewise, this Dolby Vision is something like it's got 108 nits.

[00:27:03]You will see the brightest point in the frame, the darkest point.

[00:27:09]You can able to see. Yeah, it's an enjoyment on a It's an enjoyment when when you go to a theater, you see such a big screen with subtleties of color.

[00:27:20]Okay, 30,000 40,000 color in the frame there, you'll be able to see small small small details in the color. So, the value is sometimes when red patchy red will be maroon, that that's not the thing. This is Dolby Vision you will you will get an immersive feel. Whatever the DOP is put effort, that will come through. And anything brighter than this will be a strain for your eyes. 108 nits. Uh it's really enjoyable for the audience. And for the PCX, sir?

[00:27:44]PCX is extended version, no, it's a full frame. That's all.

[00:27:47]>> Yeah, that's it. We generally give a 239 version.

[00:27:49]>> PCX won't also be having any black uh No, PCX also full it's a full frame.

[00:27:54]Full frame.

[00:27:55]Okay. So, you're rendering for separately for both the PCX and And this movie also I'm not giving a full open frame. Because uh frankly speaking, in movie cinema when we did it's one made for 239 format.

[00:28:09]Suddenly when you blow out your composition, you'll go for a toss.

[00:28:12]In the final in there, uh hero of the face when I keep it then it goes to that.

[00:28:19]So, keeping that in mind only I shot it.

[00:28:22]And every scene cannot go too much open. If I suppose I'm I'm showing a kushti with larger than life, then I can show an open frame. But whereas cricket when I show too much of sky, lesser actor in the movie, I can't go too much open on the top. These are all psychological. Okay. But if you projection put it up and you get the whole thing recently I was watching Michael uh one of the PV INOX theaters so So, what do you get from the competition flat content? So, maybe you can play just the black bars on the screen. We can't they going to play.

[00:28:50]It's not for one theater they did. All over the world there are a lot of theaters. So, whatever content we are give that time they going to play. Yeah.

[00:29:04]We check everything.

[00:29:06]100% it's my hold only. Whatever I give only they will See, before when I started with film negative, uh print print print on the 5th day the film it gets in the ground becomes gets scratches.

[00:29:20]You won't enjoy that on the 100th day.

[00:29:22]Digital projection first day and 100th day it's going to be same because you have very high expensive projectors.

[00:29:27]Dual projection for this Dolby and single laser projectors. Everything is good.

[00:29:33]Now technology is growing so projection and third or other [snorts] Okay.

[00:29:38]Cool sir. So, looking forward for the June 3rd itself. We are going to start with that. So, looking forward for your wide release as well.

[00:29:45]So, thank you. Thanks for your time.

[00:29:46]Thank you. Bye. My pleasure meeting you.