Ashok Kumar said “yes Mahendran”!

Ashok Kumar…A Director’s Delight

Ashok Kumar or Ashokji as fondly called by everyone in Tamil Film Industry was a cinematographer who was way ahead of his times.

After Mullum Malarum , Director Mahendran was in lookout for a fresh Cameraman, during when Great Cinematographer Ramchandrababu suggested a fresher to him.

A young north Indian by birth, a fresher who had just passed out of Chennai Film institute, a smart looking smiling man introduced himself to appa saying “ I am Ashok kumar”, appa shook hands with him not realizing that was a great cinematographer whose hands he was not going to let go till the end.

Their journey started with Udhiripookal which is till today acclaimed as a classic in Indian Cinema, because of the great work of masters like Mahendran, Ashok kumar , Ilayaraja and many.

Ashok Kumar was the quickest Cinematographer then.No matter how complicated the shot was, how unusual the Angle was, or how small the place they were shooting was, the moment Director Mahendran told what the shot was to Ashok Kumar,  even before Mahendran explains to his artistes, Ashok Kumar would call out READY MAHENDRAN.

There was no need for Mahendran to tell Ashok Kumar not to over dramatise the shots or not to over use the Colours in a frame, as they both shared the similar taste for realism in film making.

Those were the Golden days, where there was no monitor to check your taken shots, Mahendran simply trusted his instincts about Ashok Kumar’s craft, for which he was rewarded always.

With so much less technology and constraints Ashok Kumar came up with visuals which still leave us awestruck whenever we come across his works.Director Mahendran always compared Ashokjis work to Architectural Marvels of Madurai meenakshi amman temple which was achieved even when there was no electricity.

Appa recalls, how they both stood in Bangalore Park around 4am to shoot the song of Nenjathai Killadhey. Surrounded by mist not able to see the person next to you, Director Mahendran asked Ashok Kumar “is it possible to shoot with so much mist?”

Ashok Kumar smiling said “yes Mahendran”

When the footage came back the next day from Prasad Lab, Director Mahendran was at loss of words to appreciate the genius. No wonder he got the Best Cinematographer National award for Nenjathai Killadhey that year.

Few years back when Director Mahendran wanted to do a film, his immediate one and only choice was Ashok Kumar, but this time Ashokji shook hands sitting in a wheel Chair. Appa realized that their Professional collaboration had come to an end.

After few months Director Mahendran went to meet his friend Ashok Kumar in hospital who was lying in bed in coma.

Holding Ashok Kumar’s hand appa whispered “Ashok “. For the first time in their entire career Ashok Kumar never responded “READY MAHENDRAN “.

Even today when appa comes across his song telecasted in one of the TV channels. I could see him lost in thoughts.

Perhaps he was hearing “READY MAHENDRAN “whenever the shot changed.

At the end of the day we are all just Photographs and Memories for people we love, let’s make them good ones…..Just like Ashok Kumar’s visuals.

John Mahendran

Film Writer/Director/Columnist