Muppozhudhum Un Karpanaigal A TOUCH OF HOLLYWOOD

A TOUCH OF HOLLYWOOD

Cameraman Shakthi and director Elred Kumar tell CT why they think MUK will click with the audience

V Lakshmi

When cinematographer Shakthi signed up to do
Muppozhudhum Un Karpanaigal (MUK), one of the major driving forces was its script. "After Renigunta, I wanted a nice script to experiment with, and that's when I was approached for MUK. It's a romantic thriller, and gave me a lot of scope to try out new techniques," he says.
He continues, "I did a lot of homework for some of the scenes. For instance, I worked out the shot where Atharvaa falls on the bed next to Amala two days in advance before we shot it."
The fact that the film is being produced and directed by Elred Kumar, who has earlier produced several hit films, was an added bonus, he says. "Kumar gave me full freedom to choose the frame, the shot and the lighting, and even got me high-end cameras. He wanted a classy product that he could showcase to the audience," he adds.
The film has seen the use of some high-end equipment. Shakthi says, "We shot a fight sequence using the 1200 lens, and shot on the chopper for five whole days. We hired the panavision camera, which is usually used only in Hollywood and few Bollywood movies, and lights from the Hollywood Studio in LA, only because the script demanded it."
Shakthi asserts that the film will also be noted for the locations in which it has been shot. "It's probably the first time that a Tamil film has been shot in the Grand Canyon. We got special permission to shoot there and the officials had blocked the roads and restricted the tourists on the days we were shooting. We also shot at the Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, a first for a Tamil film," he claims.
Director Kumar signs off, saying, "The songs and trailers have been received well, and the censor has also cleared MUK with a clean 'U' certificate. The audience can look forward to a visual treat on February 17, when the film hits screens."

A still from the film; (inset) Shakthi and Elred Kumar