Reflections of a star lens man

Having caught the attention of the nation for both parts of the monster hit ‘Baahubali’, cinematographer KK Senthil Kumar comes across as a down-to-earth man. For all the stupendous achievements in his career spanning 15 years, the 42-year-old cinematography student from Film and Television Institute of India, Pune, bears no airs of a celeb, a trait normally associated with some successful players in Tollywood.

There is no denying that Senthil, the eldest of three siblings, has enhanced the status of cinematography and taken it to newer vistas with his incredible work on myriad projects right from his 2003 debut with ‘Aithe’. Having been associated with several Telugu blockbusters over the years, especially movies made by the current toast of Indian cinema, SS Rajamouli, the master lens man has some news post ‘Baahubali: The Conclusion,’ much to the disappointment of all those who love his work.

He has taken a break from the hustle and bustle. He has not signed any new films, certainly not for now! “Yes, it has been pretty hectic all these years. I felt I needed a break so that I could spend time with family and friends and comeback refreshed all over again,” reveals the humble Bolarum resident, who is also thinking of a holiday with the family, though he is undecided yet.

He carries a smile that is at once alluring and draws the attention of every passer-by and is perhaps the envy of every actor. Reflecting on lessons learnt from box-office smashes like ‘Magadheera’, ‘Eega’ and ‘Baahubali’, among others of which he was an integral part of, he notes that every movie is a learning experience.

“Working with different kinds of directors provides for practical lessons as each has his own take on shots, angles and locales. Each is a spectacle in itself, from a cinematographer’s point of view. The story-line, after all, varies from film to film. As technicians, we tend to learn and unlearn several aspects of our own craft during filming.

For instance, ‘Baahubali 2’ was time-consuming because of its usage of VFX to facilitate a never before visual experience to the viewer. Impatience will be anathema in such precision-woven movies, particularly while working with an extraordinary maker like Rajamouli. He gives us the liberty to experiment until we get that perfect shot,” he points out.

He admits that he constantly keeps track of the latest technological marvels hitting the global market. It could be when he is abroad for shoots or catching up with the trends and innovations on the internet. “It is like this. I don’t use a gadget just for the heck of it. I go in for a camera only after I personally check out the features, and remain convinced about its adaptability for the sort of work I do.

It was likewise when Rajamouli approached me for ‘Eega’, which was a digital movie done on a small scale, when compared to ‘Magadheera’,” explains Senthil, whose creative outpouring bears testimony to his calibre for providing visual rhapsody with each and every shot.

By Sridhar K Penna