Art-Director GK interview :

"Art in motion", Art-Director GK in an Exclusive interview...

Art-Director GK has been in the field for around 20 years from the year 1985. He has done many movies with various directors and various actor, actress from Rajinkanth, Kamal Hassan to this time favorite Vijay, Madhavan etc...

AVM studios has given him a separate office for him for his use. Similarly Vahini studios and Prasad studios also have honored him by giving him a office in their own premises.

An exclusive interview carried out by Mukam Cine TV/Directory on behalf of Behindwoods.com.

Q: How did you start your career in the Tamil Cinema industry?

GK: I started my career as a office boy in a school. I've finished my tenth grade that time and as tenth grade is like a higher studies those days, the principal of the school which I was working called me up and asked me to do a diploma course in drawing, so that I may join in the same school as a drawing master.

I did what he had told me, I completed the course in a year and joined in the same school as a drawing master.

While I was a drawing master in the school, my friend Nethaji was involved in producing a movie called "Janani". He called for all our friends to work in the movie as a team, therefore I became a chief art director in his movie. That time I don't know anything about art direction. I can only draw well, that's all.

Q: So, How did you improvise yourself sir?

GK: I improvised in my second film itself. The film name was "Silambu". The film was based on archeology. It is based on the kannagi - kovalan story. Kanniagi proved that her husband was not a thief by breaking her "silambu" into two and showing that it does not contain pearl filling in it. She broke only one of the "silambu", this story goes on exploring about what has happened to the other "silambu" which is worn in her feet.

In that movie there is a scene of a water fall. Actually it was not a original water fall, we changed the course of a river going near by and did that in my art work. The work was well talked about at that time and I got a recognition as a good art director.

Q: How did you get to the top after that?

GK: I worked in a movie starring Vijaykanth. He was impressed with my work and I became an official art-director for all of his movies that were taken on that time.

Q: What happened to the team of friends who accompanied with you in your first film "Janani"?

GK: All the members from my first film are in a good position now. R.V.Udayakumar was the manager for "Janani". He is in good position now. Raja Ravi was the director and he is also in a good position now, and Thangar bacchan was also in that film an he too is a popular director and cinematographer now.

Q: Which are all the films you have ever worked with Super star Rajinikanth?

GK: I've worked in many Rajini starring films. Some of them are "Padayappa", "Muthu", "Baba", etc...

Q: What should one require to be an art director?

GK: One should require a spontaneous thinking mindset and a good creativity to be an art director. I will quote one incident. When work is in progress for the song "Athanda Idhanda..." for the film "Arunachalam" starring Rajini,  the song was intended for Rajini to sing towards the crowd, but he was not too comfortable with it. He asked me to change the set as a temple and place a "Shiva lingam" in it, so that he may address the shiva (arunachalam) and as well as himself as arunachalam in the song.

We were in Karnataka and the people lived there worshipped Shiva's ride Nandhi as their deity and they didn't have shiva as a "lingam" in their place. So, we took a huge container which is used to fill water, painted it black and decorated it in such a way, when it is placed upside down in the base, it looked exactly like the "Shivalingam".

I tell you this incident, because being an art director you should have the capacity to think and use the available items to use it for your required form. You must have that creativity.

Q: Do you feel any change in the way that art direction has evolved these days?

GK: Yes, it has certainly changed and evolved. Now a days there are many director for many different fields, but in those olden days, according to the cinema dictionary there are only three directors. The film director, art director and the Music director. They are called directors because they create a character's base. The film director moulds the character, the art director moulds the location and the music director the music. So, in olden times only these three people are treated very much in respect. In the film unit only these three people are given the chairs. Even the artist, the hero of the film has to stand. Today it has totally changed. all the fields have evolved and every one were given equal respect.

Q: Sir, Now a days there is no such work which doesn't involve a computer. How do you keep in touch with the technology?

GK: Of course the computer technology has come into every aspect in the cine field. I do keep in touch with the technology. But I feel comfortable drawing with my hands rather than any instruments. So, I keep some knowledgeable persons nearby and make my paperwork into a computer format and give it to those persons, who ask them in a software format.

There are certain functionalities which can be used well through computers such as changing the saree  color of the heroine in a song sequence, etc.., but in art work, all the technology I need is inside my brain. I don't need to see a thing twice to draw it. I just need to have  one good look at it , It will do the job.

Similarly, when I'm constructing a set, I don't need to look into a reference work or something like that, it all comes directly from my brain, so that eliminates the need of me, requiring a computer.

     Replica statue by GK for the film "Amirdham"

Q: How do the big directors, as  of today have a relationship with you?

GK: Well, I may not be the art director of their film's, but they do honor me by asking for my ideas about a particular scene and particular locations and similar things like that, as I am well experienced with various subjects and locations.

Q: You are a very popular art director of all times. How does your popularity serve you?

GK: Popularity can be a merit and as well as a demerit at times. Once, I introduced a guy as a director by helping him with his chance, but he didn't want me as an art director in the film. He wanted my assistant. When I asked why, he said that, as I'd been a well wisher for him, he cannot expect more from me or command me in the unit. So, that was the demerit in terms of popularity.

Q: Sir, Why didn't you act in any of the movies till now?

GK: Well, I want to concentrate in what I'm doing now first. Second, I will act in the movies only when I am retired from art direction, because even If I get a chance to act in a film, due to the experience that I have in the cine field, the director will find it difficult to command me as he does with all his actors. And he may develop a ego because of that. So, it will be better I get to the act in the film's after I retire from the art direction field.

Q: Could you please tell us about the awards you have won as an art director?

GK: I have won the Andhra Nandhi Award in the year 1989 for the film "Abiranthana". In Tamil I've won two state awards for the film "Arunachalam" and "Karupu Roja" by Abavaanan and I also got an award for the film named "Vanavil".

       Replica of a Temple's inner side by GK

Q: Have you done any films other than Tamil?

GK: Yes. I've done Telugu and Hindi film's apart from Tamil films. I've done two Hindi films and some Telugu films, and some Kannada films. But I haven't done any Malayalam films.

Q: What is your  favorite movie  under your art direction?

GK: I like the movie "Inaindha Kaigal", which was done under my art direction. We went for Ooty for the film shooting. According to the script, there is a scene of walking in a snow covered lake. But at the time we went there, the snow was not there, so we emptied a lorry load full of salt in the place and made it look like snow, and proceeded with the shot.

Similarly we constructed a bridge in the icy cold water for a particular shot for the same film. So it was difficult at that time, but it paid of well when in the screens.

Q: So, How can you say that you are appreciated by the audience?

GK: Every technician in the cine field like to be appreciated for his work when he does a work. But for me, I like to make the audience feel that the things, the set, the buildings they see in the movie are real ones. They should not be able to find the difference between a real thing and a set. That is how I feel the appreciation given to me by the audience.

Q: What is the film you have worked so much after "Inaindha Kaigal"?

GK: After "Inaindha Kaigal" ,the film which I've worked much is for the film "Uzavan magan" starring Vijaya Kanth. There was a scene from the Old time English movie called "Ben Hur" where there is a chariot race scene. They have shown the scene from the top camera angle, the entire race. Similarly we constructed a set in a bamboo platform at a possible height for five miles in length and 100 meters in breadth. and made the camera roll from there for the entire race sequence. It was really hard, but it paid the result what I wanted.

Q: Are you giving suggestions on Interior designing for your fellow actors and actress?

GK: No, I don't do that. But for those friends of mine who ask for certain tips and help, I give them some advise and some help. I've done the interiors for Comedian Goundamani's office and Director P.Vasu's office.

Q: What is the latest film your are involved in?

GK: I'm doing a film called "Amirdham" by "Vedham pudhithu" Kannan.

Q: Please tell us about your family? and What are you hobbies?

GK: I'm having my house at Valasaravakkam, Chennai. I've staying with my wife and two children. Both are studying in the college.

My hobbies are reading books. There are much to be learnt in the world. I have my own library, I will sit with a book whenever I find a free time.

Q: Any other accomplishment in your personal life?

GK: I've built a "Perumal" Temple in Valasaravakkam, I'm also running a trust for the temple in T.Nagar. There is a 9 feet Perumal statue seated in this temple. It is larger than the one at T.nagar, which is 5 feet..

God has given me many thing, so this is my humble service to him from my side. More than five thousand people visit the temple every week.