Madhumita Sundararaman has joined the league of women filmmakers with her maiden film in Tamil, Vallamai Thaaraayo (Give me strength), which was released recently in India.
The film revolves around Nandita (Chaya Singh), who loves her childhood sweetheart Sekar, but is forced by her father to marry Anand (Partiban).
Anand is an understanding husband but Nandita is unable to forget Sekar and seeks divorce.
The separation brings an illusion of happiness in her life until Nandita realises on her visit to a home for special children that life is all about moving on and that happiness is a state of mind, not of attainment.
Madhumita has handled the subject quite well in a film that you can watch with your family.
The 24-year-old director, who is from Chennai, India, grew up in Indonesia where her father S. Sundararaman worked.
After graduating in multimedia design from the LASALLE College of the Arts, Singapore, Madhumita specialised in film direction from the New York Film Academy in 2005.
Her first short film, Untitled Red 2/3, was screened at The Hague during the “Night of Culture 2004” and won the BBC Award in the Best of the World category.
Another short film, Yours Affectionately, a Hollywood production, was screened in 2005 at the Warner Bros Premiere theatre.
It was nominated for Best International Short Film at the Cine India International film festival.
Madhumita was offered work at Universal Studios as creative director for a television show but she chose to return to India to make films.
Before taking up Vallamai Thaaraayo, she assisted director Gautham Menon on Pachaikili Muthucharam, a Tamil film.
Madhumita talked about her journey into the world of films.
Why films?
After I completed my schooling, I was interested in fashion designing and filmmaking. Since I am not good at drawing, I chose filmmaking.
Tell us about the experience of making “Vallamai Thaaraayo”.
The film is based on real-life events. [The events] happened to someone. I developed the screenplay. Partiban improvised on his character.
Initially I had apprehensions about working with experienced actors and artistes. I wasn’t sure how they would take instructions from a director making her debut. But they were all very cooperative.
There was no gender discrimination. I spent more time on pre-production work. So everything went as planned. We shot the film in 52 days.
Tell us about your Hollywood experience.
There cinema is respected as a profession and treated in an organised manner. I learnt the process of filmmaking not just behind the camera but also as an actor. You get a lot of practical experience too. Fieldwork teaches you all aspects of filmmaking. I worked on the sets of Pirates of the Caribbean-3.
We had guest lectures by well-known people, including Steven Spielberg. His films were screened and we had a question-answer session with him. The most important lesson on filmmaking at Hollywood is: If you can show it, don’t say it.
What was the film “Yours Affectionately” about?
I always wanted to do a children’s film — to narrate a story from a child’s perspective. This film revolves around an orphaned child.
She is adopted by her uncle and aunt, who are nice people, but she rejects them. The film is set in an Indian home and talks about her emotions. The cast was picked through auditions.
Natasha Parekh, who plays the child, had no experience in acting. She had done a couple of dance shows. Directing a child has its advantages since she has no preconceived ideas. I could mould her. But being a child, she was playful.
After each shot, she would run to play with her brother. Before every shoot, I had to brief her for an hour or two to make her understand the sad situations in her life.
After this film, Natasha was selected for a couple of films.
Tell us about the film “Untitled Red 2/3”.
This film dwells on womanhood — what makes a woman and her identity.
What was your most memorable moment?
My parents flew down from Indonesia to watch the screening of my film at Warner Bros. Their eyes filled up as they watched the film and realised that their daughter had grown up into a promising director.
How supportive has your family been?
They have encouraged me at every step and believed in me. I admire my father for his problem-solving attitude and fair dealing. He is able to place himself in another person’s shoes.
I would love to do that. My mother understands the sensitive side of me.
While studying in Singapore, I would often call her up in the middle of the night and tell her I couldn’t do it. She would always reassure me.
I got married last year. My husband Vijay Venkataraman is a freelance editor based in Los Angeles. We met through a common friend. It was an arranged match.
During the making of my debut film, he came down to India to help me. He is the film’s technical director. He appreciates me for who I am and respects my love for films.
If not cinema, what would you have chosen as your profession?
I think I would have made a good lawyer. I can’t stop talking and I win nine times out of ten.
How do you relax?
I enjoy cooking. It helps me unwind. I read books. My favourite is The Da Vinci Code. I listen to all kinds of music. I watch films.
I am a fan of film director Mani Ratnam and enjoyed his film Kannathil Muthamittal. Another favourite is the Iranian film, Children of Heaven.
What is next?
I am off to the United States on a short break to be with my in-laws. I have offers to do a Tamil and a Telugu film. I hope to take them up on my return.
Mythily Ramachandran is a writer based in Chennai, India.
