Renganaath Ravee is a sound designer who has made a mark in seven languages and has worked in some of the major hits in Bollywood and Kollywood. Currently active in Mollywood, he was nominated for his work in four films Angamaly Diaries, Ea. Ma. Yau, Veeram and Bhayanakam. It was his work in the Lijo Jose Pellissery-directed Ea. Ma. Yau that clinched the state award for him. The second-time state award winner is understandably happy but his happiness is more about the fact that his director Lijo too won the coveted state award. “Lijo is someone who has consistently strived to go off the beaten track and that has paid rich dividends,” he mentions.
Coming back to his award, Renganaath had some hope of winning because his friends from the industry had been very vocal about it. Well, since he was nominated for four films, that expectation would not have been too off the mark. “Most of my well-wishers were hoping that I win the award for Angamaly Diaries since Ea. Ma. Yau has not been released yet,” he adds.
Explaining the treatment given with respect to the sound designing part of Ea. Ma. Yau, Renganaath says, “There is no background score in the film; the sound is the vital part of the film and it is only towards the climax that the background score has been used. That was Lijo’s decision. From the beginning it was planned as a film without music but one giving importance to the sound factor.” There are some portions that have been Renganaath’s idea, about which he says, “There are some brass band portions in the film that have been recorded live using two bands from Kochi.”
