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The Malayalam horror fantasy film ‘GU’, directed by Manu Radhakrishnan, has been termed as a surprise package, captivating audiences with its unique blend of horror, fantasy, and myth. At the heart of this visual spectacle is the work of cinematographer Chandrakanth Madhavan, whose journey into the world of cinematography began at a young age.
Chandrakanth’s fascination with visuals started when he was just 15 years old after being gifted a Handycam. His early experiments in filmmaking and his knack for building projectors and other devices made him a known figure in his school. His ingenuity further shone during his first year of college when he built a jib for the popular exhibition CETX, an event held once every ten years. The jib gained significant popularity and marked Chandrakanth as a talent to watch.
With a deep interest in cinematography but no formal training, Chandrakanth found a unique way to break into the industry. He began building rigs for cinematographers, eventually catching the eye of the renowned DOP Rajeev Ravi. Impressed with Chandrakanth’s rigging techniques, Rajeev took him under his wing as an assistant cameraman and camera rig specialist. Their collaboration continued with projects like the critically acclaimed film ‘Thondimuthalum Driksakshiyum’.
One of Chandrakanth’s notable projects includes his work on the Sri Lankan film ‘Paradise’, directed by world master Prasanna Vithanage and shot by Rajeev Ravi. Chandrakanth’s innovative rigging on a car, using old trolley wheels and joining pipes, exemplified his ability to bring Rajeev’s vision to life in challenging scenarios.
Chandrakanth’s debut as the Director of Photography (DOP) in ‘GU’ presented him with a new set of challenges. Describing the film, he says, “’GU’ is a horror fantasy subject with an unusual triangle script involving children, horror, and myth. I decided to treat the children’s episodes with colorful tones, the horror scenes with more blacks and backlighting, and the mythological segments involving the character Gulikan with subtle, blended reds in costumes and backgrounds.”
One of the most challenging aspects of ‘GU’ was managing scenes with large groups of characters. “We had scenes with as many as 17 or at least 12 characters in a frame. Blocking these scenes to avoid them looking like a group photo was crucial. The Cooke S7/i lenses were incredibly helpful, providing a perfect angle of view without distortion in wide shots,” Chandrakanth notes.
The technical demands of the film saw Chandrakanth shooting most scenes at ISO 2500 and T 2.8, using the Sony Venice camera with the Rialto extension for confined spaces. One particularly memorable sequence involved a night shoot on the Bharatha Puzha river, where Chandrakanth aimed to capture the ambient feel of a super moon. “I shot the night exteriors without pumping lights into the wide shots. The Cooke S7/i was incredible, giving the right look and depth.”
Having worked extensively with Rajeev Ravi, who experimented with various lenses, Chandrakanth holds a special place for Cooke lenses in his heart. “Before shooting ‘GU’, I tested the Cooke S7/i using a torchlight for illumination. The results were so satisfying that I knew they were the right choice for the film. In the future, I look forward to trying out the Cooke S8/i lenses.”
Chandrakanth Madhavan’s journey from a young enthusiast building projectors to a sought-after DOP is a testament to his passion and innovation in cinematography. His work on ‘GU’ not only highlights his technical prowess but also his ability to tell compelling visual stories. With such promising talent, the future of Indian cinematography looks brighter than ever.