DoP Rathnavelu lauds director Sukumar’s work style

CHENNAI: Sukumar is widely regarded as one of the most visionary filmmakers in the Indian film industry, known for redefining storytelling through his distinctive cinematic style and strong directorial vision. With multiple blockbusters to his credit, including the massive success of the biggest Indian film, the Pushpa franchise, Sukumar has carved a niche for himself through immersive and authentic visual storytelling that makes every frame feel grounded and real.

Recently, acclaimed cinematographer Rathnavelu, who has previously collaborated with Sukumar on films like Rangasthalam, spoke about his strong visual storytelling approach. While discussing his work on Peddi, he explained how he focuses on narrating the story through visuals and framing rather than relying heavily on dialogue. He shared that working with Sukumar, he feels he has an advantage, as the director similarly emphasises visual storytelling, making the collaboration creatively aligned and expressive.

Talking about filming for Sukumar’s production Peddi, he shared, “Only one shot of straight hard light falling on his back to reveal his community. I don’t want to emphasise, but I thought that is also a point because it’s written in the story. So instead of putting the camera on the face or to go the mid shot, the camera will follow the glass or pot. As a cinematographer, I try to tell a story from a story point of view.”

Praising Sukumar for his strong visual sensibility, Rathnavelu shared, “With Sukumar, I have that big advantage because he also tries to emphasise visually. With so many dialogues, a cinematographer has to make the film look good, convey the tone, and convey the mood. It’s a very tricky thing, actually, I feel, especially south Indian cinema, there are lots of dialogues that are stacked up. After their acclaimed collaboration Rangasthalam, director Sukumar is once again set to reunite with Ram Charan for a much-awaited new project, which has the working of #RC17 and the film is all set to go on floors later this year. Sukumar has firmly established himself among India’s most influential filmmakers with the massive success of the Pushpa franchise starring Allu Arjun. The film went on to become one of the biggest Indian films, setting new box office and cultural benchmarks.

Meanwhile, anticipation is also building for Sukumar’s Pushpa 3: The Rampage, further amplifying excitement around his upcoming slate.