I'm always innovating, working on new techniques: Ravi Varman at BIFFes

Bengaluru: Well-known cinematographer S Ravi Varman said that his goal was to create films that would stand the test of time and be relevant even after 10 years. He was speaking at the V K Murthy Memorial Lecture on Cinematography on Thursday at the 16th Bengaluru International Film Festival (BIFFes).

Varman, who was recently inducted into the American Society of Cinematographers, gave instances where he had to improvise -- using a Handycam in ‘Anniyan’ (2005). It became one of the most iconic scenes in Indian cinema.

When questioned about whether he has a unique style of cinematography, he said he refuses to use similar techniques or having a particular style as it makes him “stale” and is unable to further improve his craft.

“I’m always innovating and working on new techniques and ideas,” he said while citing the example of use of backlights in ‘Barfi’ (2012). The idea came to him from how luxury brands display their products in advertisements.

The usage of ‘backlights’ has now become a staple in Indian cinema.

He compared the relationship between a director and a cinematographer to that of a married couple. “The film is brought to life from the fights and arguments between them,” he said and added “they each have to find their own place and work to find a common ground.”

He takes pride that he has never rejected ideas from the director and he has always tried his best to deliver the director’s vision. “Modern cinematographers must spend a lot of time on DI (digital intermediate) in order to ensure that their shots are done justice and are edited in a way that their vision comes through,” he emphasised.

Varman also revealed how he used AI to perform face replacements in 30 different shots in a recent film. “However, AI is too expensive to replace humans in filmmaking,” he added.