Graffiti, which is wall art typically used illicitly in a public place, is often considered controversial. For the very first time graffiti went up on a wall at Satyam cinema. Perhaps, it is the first-time graffiti is being used for promotions of a Tamil film - Super Deluxe featuring Vijay Sethupathi, Samantha, Ramya Krishanna, Fahd Fazil and Mysshkin with Thiagarajan Kuamar-araja directing.
Gopi Prasanna, the publicity designer and the man behind this art speaks to us. “For Super Deluxe we wanted to hire an experienced graffiti artist. We shortlisted many artists from all over India, but it didn’t turn out the way we wanted. With no time left to explore further, I ended up working on the piece myself. This is my first professional graffiti artwork,” discloses Gopi.
Having worked in many films promos, how did you zero in on Super Deluxe for graffiti, we query. “SD is a thoughtful and intense movie, with many layers to it. Each time you watch the movie, you’ll see something new emerging. Similarly, I wanted to create publicity materials that are nuanced, yet daring and reflective of the pensive quality of the movie. The publicity posters for Super Deluxe all started with hand drawings, which were then layered with several details such as actors’ photos. There is a raw, organic quality to the posters we wanted to extend to outdoor publicity, as well. Graffiti as an art form is unapologetically bold, which is what I feel when I think of Super Deluxe.
