“I have neither been to Attukal Pongala nor the Pune Film Institute. At least through keral.com, let the world know this”
-An interview with T.V.Chandran
T.V. Chandran is a gifted filmmaker and actor. He is best known for his work on the 1994 ‘Ponthan Mada’ which went on to win him a National Film Award for Best Director. His work is generally known to have historical significance with subtle patterns of intertwined feminism and politics. He has also won many other Kerala State Film awards and National awards.
“I have neither been to Attukal Pongala nor the Pune Film Institute. At least through keral.com, let the world know this”
-T.V.Chandran
An exclusive Keral.com interview by Keerthy Ramachandran
Photography by Mohammed Rashid
The legendary actor of Malayalam film industry, T.V. Chandran was in his friendly poise while he sat for an open chat with us for Keral.com. Seven of his top films have been enlisted in his retrospective in the 15th International Film Festival of Kerala, yet dressed in a simple red kurta and mundu, T.V. Chandran was there before us, as seemingly an imitable and humble icon of the IFFK. “I have neither been to Attukal Pongala nor the Pune Film Institute. At least through keral.com, let the world know this”, T.V. Chandran was speaking against the recent news stories which stated the influences of his studies at Pune film institute that had allegedly shaped his career. Denying this vehemently, he said that “I have never learnt cinema from any institute, all that I have learnt on the art of cinema was out of my own experience over the years of time. I have taught film to many, but never learnt for a certificate”, he retorted.
Q. The 15th IFFK has conferred on you a memorable honour with a T.V. Chandran retrospective. How do you feel about this?
A. Of course, it’s a great honour indeed to be revered internationally and when it is through the International Film Festival of Kerala, it adds all to the pleasure. Yet, I am not that surprised or over-excited for, for all these seven films that are listed in the retrospective section were screened in the previous editions of IFFK for the past 9 years. My films have always been received well both by the officials of the Chalachitra Academy and above all by an enlightened audience of the IFFK. Hope this time also, the delegates will enjoy my films.
Q. Seven of the thirteen films in your career have been honoured at the IFFK. What do you think will be the reason that makes these seven of them stand out in your career? A. In fact, it was I who selected all these seven films which are included in the retrospective. I would say, no solid parameters influenced me in this selection process and at the same time; it was not a random choice too. Sometimes it would be that these seven films had influenced me so much in my career that I felt like presenting it to the world through the 15th IFFK.
Q. For the past 9 years, T.V.Chandran’s films have been an indispensable lot to the IFFK. What would this indicate?
A. I can proudly say that I am the only film maker in the world whose films have been so repeatedly screened in an International Film Festival within a continuous span of nine years.
Four governments, six Chalachitra Academy chairmen, nine years has passed by, still T.V. Chandran’s films ineludibly find a place in the International Film Festival. The Kerala governments have consecutively changed between the LDF and UDF four times, no political biases has grazed by my film’s selection in the IFFK. This does not necessarily mean that political powers influence the IFFK film selection process, but the involvement of certain personal equations cannot be completely over ruled. Yet, neither I nor my films have been a victim to any of these biases.
Q. How is the 15th IFFK Retrospective on T.V. Chandran going to be a milestone in your career?
A. I have been always emotionally entangled with all my 13 films so much that I am filled with those characters immensely. With this retrospective series, I am going to watch all of them along with my audience, recollect all my characters in the past well and attain purgation. Soon I would bid adieu to all my films of the yore and begin anew my career. The next year, I will present to my audience a totally different movie in sharp contrast to my ‘Susannah’, ‘Mangamma’, ‘Ponthan Mada’ etc and I will be giving them a real visual surprise.
Keral.com wishes the pride of Malayalam film industry a successful journey ahead.