Shaji N Karun: ‘I Wished He Had Made More Films’

‘Whatever he has shot or directed and left with us over the last few decades have so much depth and emotion that we can cherish them for generations to come.’

IMAGE: Mohanlal in Shaji N Karun’s Vanaprastham, which was edited by A Sreekar Prasad.

With Shaji N Karun’s passing on April 28, it almost seems that an era has come to an end.

His colleagues describe the master film-maker and cinematographer as ‘tremendous artist of a very high order‘.

Accomplished Film Editor A Sreekar Prasad worked with Shaji Karun on various occasions, and tells Subhash K Jha, “The best part of his story-telling was the subtext and the metaphors he brought in organically in his films.”

How would you evaluate Shaji N Karun’s contribution to Indian cinema?

Shaji Karun was such an inspiration to me, not only in the way he made his films but the way he looked at the cinema as such an artistic expression.

How long had you known him?

I had known him for 25 years, ever since I edited his film Vanaprastham. I have continued to be a part of his cinematic journey until he left us.

He has been a mentor, friend and well wisher to me.

IMAGE: Shaji N Karun watches a film. Photograph: Kind courtesy Shaji N Karun/X

How was he on a personal level?

He was such a soft-spoken man that people could hardly hear his voice while working.

Many a time when we were editing, I could understand his mind and wavelength but his own assistants would sometimes not hear his soft-spoken words.

I had to brief them sometimes.

He was so gentle in the way he communicated.

But in filmmaking, every shot or detail had so much to say.

What according to you made Shaji Karun a storytelling genius?

The best part of his story-telling was the subtext and the metaphors he brought in organically in his films.

How closely did you work with him?

We used to think alike, that cinema was an art and that artistic expression would remain in history for perpetuity.

That is why films had to be made with a view that it could be watched over years and decades like books or paintings and not just entertain for a few days only.

His visual sense was such a blessing to watch, it is sad that he is no more.

I had always wished that he made more films in his lifetime.

But whatever he has shot or directed and left with us over the last few decades have so much depth and emotion that we can cherish them for generations to come.