Y.Sunita Chowdhary
Natty Subramaniam, cinematographer and actor is in the news for his role as SP Kannabiran, a mean cop in Karnan. Throughout a chat with Klapboardpost.com, Natty gives credit to director Mari Selvaraj for etching a powerful character that stands out in the story. How did he bag the role and what was the brief given to him? “Kalaipuli S Thanu is the producer of this film. He was the one who distributed my film Milaga earlier. He called me one day and said that Mari Selvaraj wants me to meet and listen to a role he has in mind for me. I met him and he explained only the portion written for me. When asked when he would narrate the complete script, the reply was ‘when the time arrives I’ll tell.” I was made to understand that two villages are squabbling and someone from one village breaks a bus. As a cop, I go there and lose my temper on people who don’t believe in law and believe in self respect etc.” Natty says unlike other movies where cops look well built, with bi-ceps and triceps, he is here a very normal looking man. He went by the brief given by the director and pulled it off. Only later did he understand why Mari didn’t tell him the complete story, even in the climax, till he was asked. The director didn’t want Natty to be prejudiced and allow any form of empathy for the villagers. The character sketch was clear and Natty understood its parameter. He quips, “As a cop I go to a place and someone pulls my uniform, I will definitely get angry right?” We ask him about a beautiful scene wherein he stops his car and goes to a pond to pull out a fish. He adds, “There is nothing happening and he couldn’t find a solution and he was irritated. The people broke the police station and he can’t understand the psychology. He goes there to sort out the issue and wants to come out of the situation. He sees the damaged bus and he is warned that they will do that to his car too. That is the impact and he questions himself why he is doing all this. He then sees a man fishing, he takes the ‘tala paga’, realises that he has to show what he is, what his power as a cop is. I underplayed it, that is where Mari Selvaraj is so strong.”
When the movie was released last month, he reveals everyone yelled at him and he had to Tweet people not to hate him. It was just another role. But again that is the power of the character, the writer, and the manner in which the actor conveyed the vision of the director. A cinematographer by profession, acting came to him naturally, also we can say by observation on the sets. He recollects the metamorphosis, “These days there is crowd funding but back then, when we wanted to make a film and see a friend as a director, we all pooled in money and that is for Nallai. There was a role supposed to be done by Prashant Narayanan and I did it. That was because the production was delayed due to some reasons and I had to do that one role; once that came out and people noticed my work and well wishers suggested I take it up as an alternate career. Post that film, I have done many films and whether it runs or not is a different criteria but I get appreciated for my performance. As a cinematographer we have different points of view and share it with the director. When you work as a cinematographer, you almost co direct the film. We share our perspectives. Those experiences helped me in my acting. Some films as a DoP, we support low budget films, lens it accordingly with script being the key. That is how we learn the craft. I have been pursuing both careers and I am concentrating on good scripts. On the flip side, all new directors work with me, at the end of the day all of them are your friends and then we sail together.”
Natty didn’t take his role for granted, he did rigorous floor workouts, a habit that he picked up in his early teens. He even hit the gym, which he is generally not used to and looked fit for the character, “I was paying the police so just some crunches and planks and reduced the tummy.” There were many animals, from elephant, horse, mule, pig, dog, cat, vulture to worms and butterflies …all used as metaphors and the expression fabulously conveyed. The actor adds, “Man has to gel with nature but we are not looking at what the soul is searching for. There is so much ego, categorisation in the society which is all irrelevant and the message is to let us live in harmony with nature.” The film released on April 9, and despite the 50 percent occupancy due to lockdown, Karnan has been a money spinner. Now people are enjoying the film on OTT. Natty is getting congratulatory calls even after a month and of course, there are brickbats as well for being an abusive policeman. He has some interesting films in the pipeline but stresses, cinematography is his first love, any day!
