Madhu Neelakandan: The challenge for cinematographers is to understand the director’s vision

Cinematographer Madhu Neelakandan on the frames he created for Lijo Jose Pellissery’s ‘Churuli’ and Ranjith Sankar’s ‘Sunny’

Morning mist plays hide and seek in the canopy as sun rays gently light up the trees before falling on the ground in glittering shards. Madhu Neelakandan’s camera changes the mood of the scene from suspense, mystery and fear to one of hope in avant garde director Lijo Jose Pellissery’s Churuli.

Although in the news for the generous use of expletives, Churuli (spiral), as the title suggests, teases viewers with its theme, narrative and protagonists. Along with the tone of the film, each frame enhances the mood of the scene with a mere change in lighting. Madhu says that with latest advancements in technology, it is not difficult to create the kind of mood a director wants or to shoot in low light. “Digital technology and VFX have changed the way a film is shot. Now, the challenge is to understand the director’s vision and work towards that,” says Madhu.

Whether it is close ups of Antony and Shajivan, played by Chemban Jose Vinod and Vinay Forrt, or poetic shots of the verdant forest, Madhu’s frames are in sync with the mood of the narrative. Award-winning cinematographer Madhu insists that when a director has a clear vision of his narrative and story, the work becomes easy for the lensman.