ARTS ILLUSTRATED Volume 05 Issue 03. Bi-monthly Arts & Design Magazine. October & November 2017. ₹ 250/- Cover Artist Editor’s note

On September 6, 2017, I woke up to my newsfeed abuzz with reports of journalist and activist Gauri Lankesh’s murder. I did not know her – what she dreamt, what she felt, what made her laugh or cry. The little I did know of her were through her words – searing, scathing, unafraid words. And then some more through the many heartfelt and powerful tributes that poured in. But that did not matter. Someone, who simply voiced her opinions, doing the job she was meant to do as a free-thinking journalist, was murdered. Just like that.

And something in my everyday bubble of earthly life with all its vicissitudes – sometimes uplifting and sometimes debilitating – snapped... something. The madness had been let loose on our streets and retaining a semblance of sanity behind closed doors wasn’t a choice, however privileged, anymore.

When we set out to work on this issue on Sanity/Insanity, we were trying to explore the many meanings, old and new, these words conjured up. Through the stories and artists we encountered, we realised the landscape is vast, the perspectives many, and the definitions fluid. That’s what art does, sure, but here, even art preens and revels with the unexpected newness it meets. Like much of my practice to date, my work is primarily One of the fundamental metaphysical elements in my autobiographical, but an unusual biography at that. journey was the mirror. And one very critical sequence What we did not see, and what Gauri Lankesh’s murder brought into sharp focus, was the current of Coloured by a condition, I imagine and perceive connections from a popular film structured everything that I was to hatred that threatened to upset this sense of sinuous, fluctuating acceptance by creating hard lines between things that others most often do not. Over a go through eventually. This is the final fight sequence in and loud symbols slowly and steadily erasing nuanced ideologies. ‘Sanity’ had become a quicksand period of almost a decade and a half, I constructed and the film Enter the Dragon between Bruce Lee and the of right and ‘Insanity’ the frozen lake of wrong. There was no escaping the fervent righteousness of imagined life through a grand and heroic virtual journey. antagonist. This game of cat and mouse inside a hall of the former and the silencing of the latter. It was something I felt so strongly connected to that I mirrors succinctly sums up much of what I imagined I was didn’t give it too much thought as to how it would be living through. It was the perception of a powerful and Unless, as poet and childhood friend of Gauri’s, Mamta Sagar, wrote in her poem titled ‘For Gauri’: received by a few others. The cover for this particular scathing presence that constantly reflected my own ugly ‘With a heart brimmed with agony / let’s spread peace… let’s spread love…’ issue, therefore, has special significance and resonance image back to me and broke one self-image after the And, thankfully, for those of us wishing to sidestep the quicksand and the frozen lake, there is no to me as something that blurs the line between what is other in the process. considered sane and insane. escaping the collective grief and the rousing hope of Mamta’s words. This is one of the most intense autobiographical In the first chapter of my journey, I started by hitting a references and one that has been on my mind for a very stratospheric mental high and literally vomited out a massive long time. For this cover, I found the perfect context in ‘script’ over a series of a thousand e-mails or so (I am which to articulate this image. Rather than one print sincerely sorry to those who received it). This script was alone, which is how many of my pieces are reproduced, a grand remix of art, from song lyrics, poetry, film plots, it is important to me that this is a cover and will therefore literature and visual art taken from both high and popular be reproduced in quantity, a metaphor for a hall of culture. In the subsequent chapters of my journey, this mirrors of its own. ‘script’ structured my reading of reality. I tried to fit every event and encounter in my life into its ambiguous plot.

Praveena Shivram [email protected]

Avinash Veeraraghavan

Cover arranged by Rahul Kumar Cinema

The Line & the Circle

In conversation with -based director duo, Pushkar and Gayatri on their film Vedha that takes on the epic Vikram-Vetaal legend and converts it into a commercial format, all the while blurring the lines between the story and the teller

Saritha Rao Rayachoti It was in my second viewing of upholder of morality. Vikram soon that Vikram needs to find to Vikram Vedha that I noticed the realises that his view of morality make his vintage bike work. The circles. But I’m getting ahead of has been a blinkered one. song, Karuppu Vellai, mentions myself. First, let me tell you a story. circling back to the beginning of In its first viewing, Vikram Vedha things. Simon, a key character in The generous King Vikramaditya, is a complex film about the line Vikram’s world, laments that the a man of his word, promised a – a blurred one – that divides blood on his hands is affecting his tantric that he would capture the good and bad, man and beast, son in a Karmic spiral – ‘the sins Vetaal or ghoul who hangs from cop and gangster. The blurred of the father will be borne by the a tree at the edge of a burning lines are not only in the core idea son’. There’s also the tenuous but ghat. The Vetaal evades capture of moral ambiguity, but also deliberate use of a popular by playing mind games with the appear in the narrative that cinematic device – the Mexican King. He narrates story after oscillates between Vikram and stand-off – where a set of story, and at the end of each he Vedha. The distinction between characters hold each other at poses a riddle to the king. If the protagonist and antagonist is gunpoint, equally vulnerable king answers it, the Vetaal goes obliterated. The movie pushes and equally dangerous to each free. If he doesn't, the Vetaal the envelope on the medium it other, like points along a surrenders. However, it is inhabits – there are blurred lines circumference. The story can prophesied that if the king knows between the story and how the also be viewed from the lens of the answer and yet doesn't reveal audience interprets it, and Stephen Covey’s concepts of it, the Vetaal would cause his between what one observes Circles of Control, Influence head to explode. and what one remembers. and Concern – Vikram’s reality does not reflect his belief about Vikram Vedha (Tamil), directed by In my second viewing, the circles what is in his control, what he Pushkar and Gayatri, follows the became apparent. At a pivotal can influence and what is of framework of this Vikram-Vetaal point in the movie, Vedha tells mere concern to him. His legend. Vikram, a self-righteous Vikram that this line between self-righteousness blinds him to cop has vowed to end Vedha the good and evil that Vikram the fact that the lines between gangster’s reign over the city. believes so fervently in doesn’t these circles are also blurred. Vedha evades capture by playing actually exist. In reality, they are mind games in the guise of stories both inside a circle. Their two Over an e-mail interview, the that he narrates to Vikram about worlds have not intersected – directors Pushkar and Gayatri their intersecting worlds. Vedha there is only one and they are gave us an insight into the circle presents one conundrum after both at the centre of it. they inhabit. But left me with a another, chipping away at lingering question: what if one Vikram’s cocksure belief in the In retrospect, this referencing finds that the line that encircles line between good and bad, and of circles happens often in the their world also encloses yours the superiority of the cop as the movie. A chain sprocket is all and mine

- Arts Illustrated October & November 2017 - Cinema - 116 - Arts Illustrated October & November 2017 - Cinema - 117 Excerpts from the interview excessive. Why the sustained references eternal flamboyance of the cop-gangster and how did you keep a check on genre that I am curious to know the ​Given the fact that it draws its their effectiveness? things you had to let go to ensure the inspiration from the Vikram-Vetaal story stayed true to your vision rather legend, do you think this cop and One reason for this could be than a genre? gangster story could stand on its own our deep fascination with the without the foundation of the ​​legend in 2,000-year-old myth and the rich Firstly, we did not approach this the viewer’s psyche? visual imagery it offers! On a story as a cop/gangster genre more serious note, after we fixed film. The typical cop/gangster To answer your question, we will on this structure of storytelling, story has an escalation of events, go into how the story evolved in we didn’t want to shy away from a tit-for-tat rhythm that provides the first place. It was one of those it. Instead, we embraced the the bulk of the second act. regular, random discussions we concept and referenced it This usually keeps the audience were having about the idea of throughout the narrative. It was engaged. The other genre right and wrong/black and white, a very conscious choice and after convention is the clarity of who the greys in between and, more we did a few drafts of the script, you are rooting for. It could be importantly, how these we went back and forth to check the cop or the gangster, but you categorisations change depending where else we can subtly infuse generally pin yourself to one of on whose perspective we are the imagery/referencing to them. Indian cinema and, to a looking from and at what point enhance the impact of the myth. significant extent, cinema from of time and space. across the world is still focusing Initially, we took it for granted on the protagonist/antagonist This long chat led to the Vikram- that everybody in would conflict for storytelling. We Vetaal legend, which has an know about the Vikram-Vetaal wanted to blur the lines between interesting structure of the stories. But, to our great surprise, these two; how we tried to Vetaal asking a morally our assistant directors (some of achieve this was by constantly ambiguous question at the end them born in the 1990s) had no shifting the perspective between of the story. We found this really clue of the tales. That’s when we Vikram and Vedha. So, initially interesting and decided to fit our decided to have the title sequence. when we look at Vikram’s world, thoughts into this structure in a This led to the idea of the film he’s sorted in his views: a diligent modern setting. itself being a story that the cop who steps out of the system animated Vetaal tells King for the greater good of the We wanted a milieu that had Vikramaditya and at the end common man and Vedha is hard emotions – betrayal, guilt, of the film, we have the Vetaal, portrayed as this sinister, cold- pain and death. Hence, the cop perched on Vikramaditya’s blooded gangster. But, when and gangster. We see the outer shoulder laughing away, teasing Vedha starts narrating his stories, ‘cop and gangster story’ itself as the audience with the final question. we glimpse into his world which an accessible and familiar path to We think it’s a gut feel on how is not just about blood and the larger play on morality. That much to push a conceit. It’s quite gore, but filled with deep was the core story that we wanted possible to get carried away, but emotional sentimentality. to narrate. our reasoning was that viewers appreciate making these connections. The idea of switching perspectives At different points through the movie, is not to just constantly keep the elements of the legend are strewn Overlaid on the legend is the core idea at audience engaged, but leave them through the narrative. This ​repeated the heart of every cop and gangster story with the question at the end: who referencing could have fatigued the – corruption and the blurred lines would they stand for after being audience, but you seem to have struck a between good and bad, right and wrong. presented with both sides of balance that stops well short of It’s so easy to get carried away with the the coin?

- Arts Illustrated October & November 2017 - Cinema - 118 - Arts Illustrated October & November 2017 - Cinema - 119 We were very clear from the We would like to believe that we beginning that the female are both the creators of the characters should not just be a puppets and their masters; but, function of family/relationship. the delight is when the puppets Only when they are involved in assume a life of their own in the the plot will the characters have little world we created. any relevance. This extends not just to the women but to any We think the word ‘realism’ or character that does not affect ‘realistic films’ is overrated. While the plot, in the sense that the the pitching needs to be natural story will progress even if the and there needs to be a suspension character that is removed is a of disbelief, we also strongly redundant character… there believe in the audience as our needs to be a function in the plot. co-creators. We want to make That said, Priya clearly serves an them privy to the world we’ve ideological purpose to the film. created, to look at the characters While Vikram is self-righteous, from their point of view, open to thinks in black and white, Vedha their interpretations. is completely grey with a twisted sense of morality. Priya is the In that sense, there’s a constant one who stands in the clear space effort towards breaking the fourth

between them. She believes in the wall and creating a sense of Gayatri and Pushkar Both the actors get scenes and songs that complicated story which can itself was Vedha saying, “Shall law of the land. She sees the familiarity and ownership, only are signature elements to their screen appeal to the larger audience and I tell you a story?” Now Vedha wrong in Vedha, but believes he to be broken down by a plot/ persona. In fact, they are ​also introduced not be just a niche film. Yes, it becomes a character within those too needs representation. She character twist they didn’t differently – Madhavan is casual in his was oddly liberating, as you say. stories. This idea really excited goes to the extent of criticising see coming. ‘entry’ while Vijay Sethupathi makes a So the choice of how Vikram us. This was another line we her righteous husband who may statement by swaggering into the police and Vedha were presented was to could blur, the line between the falter in the court of law. While And, finally, between the two of headquarters. Madhavan gets a show that both these sensibilities narrator and the filmmaker. with Chandra, we wanted her to you, who would be mostly Vikram, romantic song and Vijay Sethupathi gets can coexist and at the end of it be this passionate, fiery character the ‘righteous’, and who would the gangster’s den song. There is a there is very little difference The story had to work on two with the ultimate moral ambiguity. be most-Vedha, the equally deliberate harnessing of two different between the two. levels within the context of the She gives in to temptation and righteous ‘other’? schools of cinema and audience film. It had to show Vikram the betrays the love of her life; but it’s sensibilities. Would you say the Vedha’s narration of stories to Vikram world from which Vedha comes, just her human frailty. Priya and We are just simple, happy, shiny challenge of bringing this together was doesn’t toe the conventional route of his moral compass and his emotional Chandra were constructed as people with neither the angst of oddly liberating as filmmakers? flashbacks from a single character’s anchor points. The stories are characters who have their own Vikram nor the jaded quality of point of view. It seems like an inspired also a carefully sequenced set arcs that cross paths with those Vedha. We think we are One of the big dichotomies that use of the third person flashback. Did of events that Vedha reveals to of Vikram and Vedha rather ‘Happy Existentialists’! exist in Indian cinema, to put it you have any concerns about whether the Vikram to plant clues in his head. than being intertwined with bluntly, is mass versus class. audience, accustomed to first person Vedha does this for his own selfish them. This is what creates The so-called lowbrow versus flashbacks (although badly constructed), reasons: for Vikram to figure out dramatic tension. highbrow cinema. When we were would understand it or was this your the answer to Vedha’s questions. talking about the base concept of Vetaal moment with the audience? For you, as filmmakers, where did you blurring the line between good The women in the movie – Priya and situate yourself in this narrative – as and evil, the idea of blurring the The way we see it is that they are Chandra – are more than just characters puppet holding the strings, or as line between this perceived mass not ‘flashbacks’ from Vedha’s who are associated with the the one who made the puppets in the and class also took shape. Here past. They are stories! The protagonists, they are much like erasers first place? was an idea that intrinsically beauty of using the Vikram- that smudge the line dividing Vikram offered us a way to actually do Vetaal structure was that. We and Vedha’s worlds. How hard was it both and question the existence were convinced that this would to keep their character arcs independent Stills from the 2017 film Vikram Vedha by Pushkar of this divide. It offered a way not be a large leap for the of the main protagonists? Or was that and Gayatri. within its setting of telling a deep, audience to take, as the set-up a concern at all? All Images courtesy of Pushkar and Gayatri.

- Arts Illustrated October & November 2017 - Cinema - 120 - Arts Illustrated October & November 2017 - Cinema - 121 ARTS ILLUSTRATED Volume 05 Issue 03. Bi-monthly Arts & Design Magazine. October & November 2017. ₹ 250/-