{"id":11117,"date":"2026-01-26T05:47:39","date_gmt":"2026-01-26T05:47:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thesica.in\/?p=11117"},"modified":"2026-01-26T11:32:26","modified_gmt":"2026-01-26T11:32:26","slug":"ravi-k-chandran-isc-parasakthi-visuals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thesica.in\/ta\/ravi-k-chandran-isc-parasakthi-visuals\/","title":{"rendered":"Ravi K Chandran ISC : Parasakthi Visuals!!"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ravi K. Chandran ISC on Parasakthi: When Light Becomes History<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

An exclusive conversation<\/p>\n

Few cinematographers in Indian cinema have shaped the emotional language of light the way Ravi K. Chandran ISC has. The first Indian Director of Photography to be nominated at Camerimage and later serve on its jury, he represents a rare union of technical mastery and poetic vision.<\/p>\n

In Sudha Kongara\u2019s period political drama Parasakthi, he does not merely recreate an era \u2014 he reconstructs its air, its light, and its moral atmosphere.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

How did Parasakthi come to you?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ravi K. Chandran:<\/p>\n

\u201cI was offered this project suddenly, at very short notice. When I heard the narration, the first thing I knew was \u2014 this film must be shot with pristine sharpness and a pollution-free look.\u201d<\/p>\n

Most period films rely on smoke and haze. Why did you avoid it here?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cThat era had fewer vehicles and a much cleaner atmosphere. I didn\u2019t want to use fog or smoke. I wanted the frames to feel pure, open, and honest.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\" \"\"<\/p>\n

The teaser already announced this visual purity. Was that intentional?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cYes. That clarity, that openness, that confidence \u2014 it had to come from the very first images.\u201d<\/p>\n

You began shooting with a song sequence. Why?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cI felt this film should not be rushed. It needed perfect staging. I insisted on rehearsals and blocking before we shot.\u201d<\/p>\n

The camera keeps moving, but never draws attention to itself. How did you achieve that?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cWe used gimbals a lot, but I didn\u2019t want it to feel like Steadicam. I wanted the camera to glide \u2014 like an extended dolly shot that can move in any direction.\u201d<\/p>\n

Director Sudha likes more dynamic rhythm into the frame with movements.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The lighting in the film feels source-less and natural. Was that a conscious design?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cI never tried to create shafts of light through windows. The lighting is very ambient \u2014 it\u2019s hard to locate the source.\u201d<\/p>\n

But this is still very precisely controlled, right?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cAbsolutely. I always study the sun\u2019s arc very carefully and recreate it with artificial sources.\u201d<\/p>\n

The riot sequence and the brother\u2019s death has a very poetic light quality. What was the idea there?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cWe shot it for evening with the concept of the \u2018Death of the Sun\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

The opening train sequence already feels iconic. How did you approach it?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cI wanted to keep the darkness of night intact, and let the train light \u2014 especially the engine headlight \u2014 become the main source.\u201d<\/p>\n

Your lensing choices in this film feel very emotional. Can you explain your philosophy?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cI often use wider lenses for close-ups \u2014 it brings you into the character\u2019s personal space. And for wide shots, I sometimes go slightly towards the telephoto side \u2014 it compresses space and adds emotional weight.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Even the angles seem psychologically designed.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cI kept slightly lower angles for the protagonist and slightly higher-than-eye-level angles for the antagonist \u2014 very marginal, without making it dramatic.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

There is a difficult top-angle Phantom shot of Atharva in muddy water. What were the challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cAvoiding the camera reflection was the biggest issue. I carefully positioned the camera and wrapped it in black plastic. High-speed cinematography always tests you.\u201d<\/p>\n

You\u2019ve shot Thug Life, OG, and Parasakthi all on Cooke lenses. What draws you to them?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s what I love about Cooke. Same lenses \u2014 completely different worlds.\u201d<\/p>\n

Which Cooke lenses did you primarily use for Parasakthi?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cMainly Cooke S8\/i, and SP3 for select sequences. I love the S8\/i for its warmth. It creates beautiful faces. The fall-off is so elegant.\u201d<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. \"\"<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    What stop did you prefer to work at?<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \u201cMostly at T4. It gives depth and separation without making the image feel artificial.\u201d<\/p>\n

    \"\"<\/p>\n

    Your flares never feel like effects. Is that deliberate?<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \u201cFlares should never be deliberate. They must feel natural. Cooke gives you that \u2014 flares with character, not gimmicks.\u201d<\/p>\n

    \"\"<\/p>\n

    You are known for \u2018shooting for the final image\u2019. What does that mean in practice?<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \u201cI always shoot for the best dynamic range. I follow something like the Ed Lachman zone system. One of my assistants constantly monitors exposure uniformity across multiple cameras.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Does that reduce work in DI?<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \u201cYes. My films don\u2019t need much work in DI.\u201d we work with colorist for consistency and contrast level and shooting for final look will avoid you having more power windows\u00a0 at DI<\/p>\n

    After such a long and celebrated career, what still excites you?<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \u201cI feel very happy to collaborate with so many great directors of Indian cinema.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Can you list it out?<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Oh it is long list and career…still i will try<\/p>\n

    Here is the list of elite directors Ravi K. Chandran has collaborated with as a cinematographer:
    \nPrimary Collaborators
    \n* Mani Ratnam
    \n* Sanjay Leela Bhansali
    \n* Karan Johar
    \n* Priyadarshan
    \n* A.R. Murugadoss
    \n* Rajiv Menon
    \nMajor Feature Film Directors
    \n* Aditya Chopra
    \n* Farhan Akhtar
    \n* S. Shankar
    \n* Rakesh Roshan
    \n* Shaji Kailas
    \n* Amol Palekar
    \n* Nandita Das
    \n* Kunal Kohli
    \n* Siddharth Anand
    \n* Karan Malhotra
    \n* David Dhawan
    \n* Koratala Siva
    \n* Sujeeth
    \n* Sudha Kongara
    \n* Nitya Mehra
    \n* Shaad Ali
    \n* Punit Malhotra
    \n* Saagar K. Chandra<\/p>\n

    What would you like to explore next?<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \u201cI would love to explore Cooke Panchros.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Closing Note<\/strong><\/p>\n

    With Parasakthi, Ravi K. Chandran ISC once again proves that great cinematography is not about showing technique \u2014 it is about hiding it inside emotion.<\/p>\n

    His images do not announce themselves.<\/p>\n

    They flow, breathe, and stay in your memory \u2014 like history itself.<\/p>\n

    Article by<\/p>\n

    CJ Rajkumar<\/p>\n

    Author\/ Cinematographer<\/p>\n

    <\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Ravi K. Chandran ISC on Parasakthi: When Light Becomes History An exclusive conversation Few cinematographers in Indian cinema have shaped the emotional language of light the way Ravi K. Chandran ISC has. The first Indian Director of Photography to be nominated at Camerimage and later serve on its jury, he represents a rare union of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":11125,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"translation":{"provider":"WPGlobus","version":"2.8.1","language":"ta","enabled_languages":["en","ta"],"languages":{"en":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false},"ta":{"title":false,"content":false,"excerpt":false}}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thesica.in\/ta\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11117"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thesica.in\/ta\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thesica.in\/ta\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thesica.in\/ta\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thesica.in\/ta\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11117"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/thesica.in\/ta\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11117\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11130,"href":"https:\/\/thesica.in\/ta\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11117\/revisions\/11130"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thesica.in\/ta\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11125"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thesica.in\/ta\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11117"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thesica.in\/ta\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11117"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thesica.in\/ta\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11117"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}