Vision of The Paradise beyond imagination

Imagine you are a cinematographer, making your debut in a film that is being shot in the picturesque locales of Kashmir.

- AVINASH RAMACHANDRAN

Imagine you are a cinematographer, making your debut in a film that is being shot in the picturesque locales of Kashmir. You are spoiled for choice, with lush green cover, snow-capped mountains, dusty brown terrain, and foamy white brooks, among other naturally beautiful locations. And yet, cinematographer CH Sai decided to do away with any such distractions that didn't serve the purpose of storytelling. "Amaran is a biographical drama. A story about the late Major Mukund. There was no need to capture the beautiful landscape of Kashmir, its skies, etc. I am a cinematographer who just wants to tell a story through my lens, and nothing more," says Sai, who delivered a phenomenal blockbuster right at the start of his career.

In addition to hard work and talent, any debutant who yearns for success in any field also needs someone to back them and vouch for them. On that front, Sai, an erstwhile assistant of noted cinematographer Ratnavelu aka Randy, had the unshakeable conviction of director Rajkumar Periasamy by his side. "My director was convinced after seeing my portfolio, and it was his conviction that brought everyone else on board with the idea," says Sai, who strongly believes that his work should speak louder than his social media posts. "I don't believe in the necessity of putting myself out there, in terms of social media, etc. Our work should speak," he adds.