Face 2 Face

Our FC South Editor Baradwaj Rangan chats with Carnatic Music Vocalist T.M Krishna, about Film Songs and Classical music. Here they discuss the negative and positive connotations film music carries in relation with the good old classical taste.

Ahead of the release of Thupparivaalan, here's part 2 of Baradwaj Rangan's visit to the sets of the film to chat with filmmaker Mysskin. The film stars Vishal as a Sherlock Holmes inspired detective. Watch to know more about the influence of Charlie Chaplin on Mysskin's filmmaking.

Ahead of the release of Thupparivaalan, Baradwaj Rangan visits the sets of the film to chat with filmmaker Mysskin. The film stars Vishal as a Sherlock Holmes inspired detective. Here the filmmaker shows us his filmmaking notes, talks about why his collaboration with Kamal Hassan fell through & the fundamentals of his filmmaking.

Yuvan Shankar Raja talks about the three distinct phases of Tamil film music -- the MSV era, the Ilayaraja era, the Rahman era -- and why, later, it's been difficult to get a composer who monopolised the scene. He speaks about his legendary father, Ilayaraja, and explains the difference in their composing techniques, using two songs as examples -- Machan machan from Silambattam (starring STR), Saayndhu saayndhu from Neethane en Pon Vasantham (directed by Gautham Vasudev Menon). He talks about his production, Pyaar Prema Kaadhal, and how he composed the BGM and the hit song, High on Love. He talks about his collaborations with Selvaraghavan and Raam. He talks about how, as an untrained musician, he is able to give raga-based songs like Aaha kaadhal. He speaks about using live instruments and the difference it makes, and using the Chao Phraya Symphony Orchestra for Pudhupettai. He speaks about the changes in his life and music after embracing Islam. He addresses the social responsibility of a composer, with a s

Singer Sid Sriram breaks down some of his favourite Ilaiyaraaja songs and the intention of his music. He also talks about the technicality of the maestro's compositions and how he gets his singers to sing. He also speaks about how Ilaiyaraaja's music helped him during his Carnatic performances.

Singer Sid Sriram breaks down the songs he has sung for AR Rahman, including the late night recording session in Boston that led to Kadal’s ‘Adiye’. He recalls the joy of listening to the finished product months later and its popularity upon release. The singer also takes us through the composing session of ‘Ennodu Nee Irundhal’ and of course, the super abstract ‘Thalli Pogathey’.

In this conversation with Baradwaj Rangan, Dhanush unravels his craft as one of the most versatile film personalities of the country. He admits that comedy is one of the most difficult genres to pull off and talks about what he is looking for in a film before taking it up.

In Cannes to promote #TheExtraordinaryJourneyOfTheFakir (https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%23TheExtraordinaryJourneyOfTheFakir) , #Dhanush (https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%23Dhanush) talks about how his journey is similar to that of his character in the film -- which is why he identified with Fakir more than Raanjhanaa. He talks about his learnings from the international production, about not being insecure in front of either Bollywood actors (Amitabh Bachchan, Kajol) or international actors (Berenice Bejo), about acting in non-Tamil films. He also speaks about his Indian films -- VIP 2, Pa Paandi, the upcoming Aanand L Rai film and finding a footing in Bollywood, which earlier stars like Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan could not do. He talks about his current projects - Vada Chennai, Enai Nokki Paayum Thotta, Maari 2. And of course, Kaala.

Hear Baradwaj Rangan in conversation with #Maari (https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%23Maari) fame director Balaji Mohan.Here they chat about his upcoming web series "As I am suffering from Kaadhal" and his journey of making films in both the commercial and short genres.

Arvind Swami recalls his Thalapathy audition, and how he was not nervous to act with Rajinikanth and Mammootty. He talks about reuniting with Mani Ratnam in Chekka Chivandha Vaanam, and goes on a flashback to the Roja/Bombay days. He talks about how his approach to acting has changed -- how he gives inputs to a film today, something that started with Mohan Raja's Thani Oruvan. He talks about his films in Telugu (Mounam ) and Hindi (Saat Rang Ke Sapne) -- and also Dear Dad, where he had apprehensions playing a gay character. He talks about working with Sridevi in Bharathan's Devaragam. ("I was in awe of her ability to transform.") He talks about acting in a hard-core commercial film like Thalattu.He says he hates repeating roles, like he did in Thani Oruvan's Telugu remake, Dhruva. Her talks about working with a new-gen director like Karthick Naren in Naragasooran. He says he will direct a film soon, and he has it all in his head. Finally, he speaks of his experiences with Mani Ratnam, Balu Mahendra, Mahendran

Singer Sid Sriram gets talking to Baradwaj Rangan about the music during the MSV Era and how he "deep dived" into the great composer's 'Ullathil Nalla Ullam' from Sivaji Ganesan's Karnan. He also talks about the magic of 'Malarnthum Malaratha' and the man who introduced him to it.

AR Murugadoss walks down memory lane with Baradwaj Rangan where he talks about picking heroes for his stories: Dheena (Ajith Kumar), Ramana (Vijayakanth), Ghajini (Suriya & Aamir Khan), Stalin (Chiranjeevi), Suriya (7aum Arivu, Thuppakki and Kaththi (Vijay), Spyder (Mahesh Babu). He talks about how Mohanlal doesn't worry about camera angles, & why it's easy to write a story with Rajinikanth in mind. The filmmaker also tells us whether he will work with smaller heroes, whether our big stars will do different roles, and whether his next film with Vijay can be truly different.

Anjali Menon -- director of Koode, Bangalore Days and Manjadikkuru, and writer of Ustad Hotel -- talks about what Bangalore means to Malayalis, and explains the new-gen phase of Malayalam cinema. (She singles out Ranjith's Kaiyoppu and Sameer Thahir's Chaappa Kurishu.) She talks about Padmarajan, Bharathan, Fasil, MT Vasudevan Nair, KG George, about the improved technique in Malayalam cinema. She discusses being a "woman filmmaker" and the Women in Cinema Collective. She talks about how she directs actors like Fahadh Faasil and Dulquer Salmaan, and her sensibility (she's also a dancer, and she says it helps her work in cinema). She talks about collaborating with technicians, making rooted cinema and being an outsider, and, lastly, about Mammooty and Mohanlal.

Karan Johar talks to Baradwaj Rangan about how Aditya Chopra introduced him to the cinema of Mani Ratnam. He talks about how different things would have been had he presented SS Rajamouli’s Ega in the North.Talking about 2.0, he says it’s going to have one of the biggest openings of Indian cinema and why it was a no-brainer to choose to distribute the film.Calling Bahubali a ‘beautiful and creative slap on our faces’ he explains why South Indian films have always been the pioneers of new technology.

Manikandan talks about his next film, Kadaisi Vivasayi (The Last Farmer), and why Rajinikanth would be great for the lead role. He talks about how he uses realism as a tool, and how a director needs time to confirm his talents. He says you shouldn’t make issues too strong, and you shouldn’t have only entertainment, without any message. He says not everyone will get the layers in a movie. He says a director can create engagement value through image, sound, a melody. In a visual medium, he says you have to think of images rather than dialogue. He says he won’t allow anyone to affect the core story, not even the producer. He says a lot of films don’t need background music, and talks about the Indian tradition of using music right when the emotion begins, not just to underline it. He talks about lensing and colour palettes. He analyses why he is considered uncompromising. He talks about keeping a hero’s image in mind, about the use of film festivals. He says doors open more easily for commercial filmmakers.

R Madhavan, star of the Amazon Prime original Breathe, talks about his 20-year-old career (his first major role, in the Kannada film Shanti Shanti Shanti, was in 1998). He laughs about being too "mature" for romantic roles, and discusses opting for quality over quantity, and his biggest reality check. He speaks about upcoming projects like Chanda Mama Door Ke, a sci-fi film about an Indian astronaut landing on the moon, and Savyasachi, his Telugu film with Naga Chaitanya. He talks about whether a Rajinikanth or a Shah Rukh Khan is possible anymore, and about the differences between Bollywood and the Tamil film industry -- including Dhanush's role in Raanjhanaa. He speaks on Pushkar-Gayatri's Vikram Vedha, and about his experiences of working with Mani Ratnam, Anand L Rai, Rituparno Ghosh, Kamal Haasan and Rajkumar Hirani.

John Edathattil (credited, sometimes, as Sab John) is the screenwriter of Guna (1991). In this video, he talks about writing a script based on the Sri Lankan civil war for Kamal Haasan, and then writing Guna when that project was dropped. He speaks about writing through a personal crisis, and the various aspects of the character of Guna (the religious nature, the 'thaali', his hatred for his face). He speaks of how Kamal improved the "Pentathol" scene with his acting, and also his inputs to the screenplay. He speaks of how Ilayaraja heightened the screenplay with his magnificent score (and that "letter song"). He speaks of how visuals (like the cave) enhance a screenplay, how to make a 'unique' script more mainstream, and whether screenwriting can be taught. He names recent films he liked for their screenplay (Pizza, Soodhu Kavvum, Maanagaram, Vikram Vedha, Dhuruvangal Padhinaaru), and says how much he was affected by Balaji Shaktivel's Kadhal.

Siddharth talks about his 'pure' horror trilingual Aval / Gruham / The House Next Door (directed by Milind Rau), and how horror as a genre hasn't been respected in India. He talks about completing 15 years as an actor, his fondness for the films that don't work at the box office (Striker, Kaaviya Thalaivan), how an actor is just a commodity, about the genesis of the name of his production house ("Etaki Entertainment"), how we celebrate mediocrity, and about working with directors like Mani Ratnam, Shankar, Prabhu Deva, Rakeysh Mehra, Balaji Mohan, Deepa Mehta, David Dhawan, Sundar C, Karthik Subbaraj, Vasanthabalan and Milind Rau.

Kamal Haasan talks about Vishwaroopam 2, and why the action genre doesn't form a big part of his over 200 films, other than the odd Vikram, Kurudhipunal, Thoonga Vanam, Vettaiyaadu Vilaiyaadu, Aalavandhan and now the Vishwaroopam films. He speaks about being a star and actor (vis a vis someone like Naseeruddin Shah). Her speaks of Waheeda Rahman's role in Vishwaroopam 2. He speaks about the many career transitions in his life, and how Bigg Boss has taken him back to the masses, the way Sakalakalavallan did. He speaks about criticism, and why he entered politics, about his future films like Indian 2.

Subramaniyapuram turns ten this July. Sasikumar, currently starring in Asuravadham, talks about the success of the film, the failure of Easan (maybe he should have made it later, he wonders), what he got from assisting Bala and Ameer. He names his favourite films by Bharathiraja, Balachander, Balu Mahendra, Mahendran, Bala and Ameer, and talks about why these films are special.  He says his not returning to direction is not because of the failure of Easan, but due to his acting commitments. He talks about stardom being a kind of prison, and about taking instructions from other filmmakers. And he talks about big, Baahubali-like historical project, written with Su Venkatesan, which he narrated to Suriya and Vijay.