He has worked with most of the filmmakers and musicians.
Sound engineer Udhayakumar who has worked with most of the filmmakers and musicians in the south including Isai Gnani Ilayaraja, Bharathiraja and Priyadarshan, finally gets his due recognition with the recently released Visaaranai, which is making waves in the international arena. Udhayakumar, who had his formal audiography course at Chennai’s Film Institute and has completed more that 300 movies in the south and Bollywood, says that, like how visuals (camera work) are very important for a film, sound is equally vital for a film’s success. “People recognised us only after Resul Pookutty sir won the Oscars for his film”.
Having had his tutelage under ace B’town audiographer Deepan Chatterjee, Udhay says he got noticed now for his film Visaaranai. “I have been working with Vetri Maaran sir right from his first film Polladhavan. It was an enriching experience working for Visaaranai. First we readied one for the festival version and later we did for the theatrical release. We worked really hard for almost one and a half years. When it won the Venice International Film Festival, and that too it was the first entry from Tamil cinema in the competitive category, our joy was boundless. My sound in the film was also appreciated,” he reveals.
Recalling his experience with Ilayaraja he says, “While working in Azhagar Saamiyin Kuthirai, Raja sir asked me to mute his music at few places, which is unusual for a composer. When asked he said, ‘even silence speaks volumes. So leave it silent’. I realised what he said was true later when I watched the film”.
