While film studio executives who are focused on marketability may have the world believe otherwise, the stories which can be labeled as “romance” are vast and diverse; not at all restricted to the modern Rom-Com template. Love in the Rain is very much NOT a Rom-Com but rather a unique and intriguing tale of modern day romance full of the complexities which accompany our times. While the essential elements for the story were present as envisioned by director/writer Rajendra Thakurathi, it wasn’t until he brought editor Vishnu Perumal aboard to recut the film (replacing the previous editor’s work) that the true personality of the story came into focus. The outcome of this partnership produced a great deal of attention for Love in the Rain as well as a Best Editing win for Vishnu at the Tripvill International Film Festival, Honorable mentions in Editing from the Oniros Film Festival and Top Shorts Film Festival. The film also won Best Romantic film at the Open Window International film Challenge. Content is paramount but this is equal to an artist’s ability to convey the story in a way that is emotive and intriguing to its recipient. What Thakurathi was able to achieve with the cast and crew of Love in the Rain resonated profoundly with audiences but it would have most likely been an uneven smattering of fascinating moments without Perumal’s sculpting of the potential for greatness in its raw form.
What Love in the Rain avoids in terms of diverse scenery, it more than makes up for in heart gripping intensity. Meeting in a restaurant one evening, two spouses discuss the history and future of their relationship. College friends who married out of legal convenience and benefits, Michelle (MTV Movie Award winning actress Briana Evigan, known for Step Up 2: The Streets, Step Up All In, Sorority Row) and Manish (Vibish Sivakumar of 2014’s Academy Award Winning Best Picture of the Year Life of Pi) appear to have no reason to break up and equally no reason to stay together. It’s an unusual set of circumstances that not many people find themselves in. After their marriage of convenience, Manish’s career moved him out of state while Michelle stayed and continued her life. The secret Manish has kept to himself until this point is that he actually developed romantic feelings for Michelle; a feeling that she does not reciprocate. Though this particular scenario is uncommon, the feeling of unrequited love in a marriage is not. While the film’s director felt that the actors’ performances were exceptional, it was the chemistry between them which was not realized in the previous edit. Rajendra was certain that creating a palpable sense of emotional connection between the characters and the audience, one which helped the viewer to perceive that these characters still cared deeply for each other in spite of their impending legal severing, was the heart of the story. The fact that the film takes place in one setting and during one conversation further insisted that the unspoken emotional environment was essential to the film. Having been a fan of Vishnu’s previous work such as The Devil I Know, The Tipping Point (Miami Short Film Festival nominee), and others, Rajendra was convinced that Vishnu was not only a great editor but indeed is an insightful storyteller.
Without the physical change of environments and introduction of multiple characters, there is a hyper awareness of the film’s two main characters which could lead to a sedentary and unstimulating “back and forth”; not a comment on the performance of the actors but instead on the stagnant surroundings. Dialogue in itself only generates so much interest. It’s our investment and connection with the way the characters are feeling which unearths our own experiences and emotions. Vishnu credits Rajendra’s foresight in his directing of the film’s first scene a number of different ways; something which allowed the editor a wide variety of choices with which to assemble the ideal performances to manifest a powerful and unspoken longing between the two characters when they first see each other. Of course, any great director & editor duo comes with its moments of artistic difference and discussion. Multiple endings were filmed for Love in the Rain and the final version of this was a matter of compromise for both…and for the benefit of the film. Vishnu relates, “The final scene was a bit challenging because we didn't really know what message to leave our audience with. Initially we had Michelle's character have a change of heart in the end and chase after Manish. I thought this move was a bit cheesy and lacked any sort of motivation on her part, so I initially edited the ending in a somewhat ambiguous tone. Rajendra was adamant on the original ending and, after tweaking Michelle's performance through various moments throughout the film, Michelle's change of heart towards Manish was finally warranted.” What shines through in this film is the very tangible sense of reality that exists in complicated romantic relationships without confining this story to an overused template. Vishnu’s win for Best Editing from the Tripvill International Film Festival does much more than praise his work on Love in the Rain, it announces to the community that he exceeds the moniker of talented technician to that of intuitive artist who cultivates emotion.
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