Art director Amaran, who is closely associated with director Mysskin, rose to fame for his work in Rajinikanth’s Lingaa. Now, the technician has been roped in by Mani Ratnam for his ongoing Kaatru Veliyidai. Speaking to DC, Amaran says, “Mysskin sir introduced me to Mani Ratnam when I was called in to design for the felicitation ceremony of Veenai S Balachander. Even though my contribution for the event was not much, I was treated with utmost respect by Mani sir. Rare for a person of his stature, he introduced himself before I could go and talk to him! Impressed by my work, Mani sir offered me the chance to work in Kaatru Veliyidai. I was taken by surprise.”
Without divulging much about his work in the film, Amaran states that he has stuck to simple designs, which are close to reality. “Usually, Mani Ratnam doesn’t make use of lavish sets. So, our work was to enhance the existing background,” he adds. He was upbeat about having worked with Sharmistha Roy, a popular production designer from Mumbai. “The research was carried out by Sharmistha, and my team of 42 members had to execute it. We were not able to take part in the research process because we had only 15 days with us,” he quips.
Amaran’s adoration for Sharmistha’s commitment is evident from his words of praise — “I was honoured to have closely worked with Sharmistha. Her energy is just unmatchable. I had the opportunity to learn heaps from her and it inspired me to keep learning.” Amaran further states that he worked only on the portions that were shot in Ooty. His next project will be Thupparivaalan by Mysskin, in which he will be teaming with the director after a gap of five years.
