“Rangeela had one of the worst camera works of my career,”- Ram Gopal Varma

This article was last updated on April 16, 2022

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The 1995 film Rangeela directed by Ram Gopal Varma with A.R Rahman’s music was the perfect formula for success. The lead cast including Urmila Matondkar, Jackie Shroff and Aamir Khan did complete justice to the film and shone with their performance. Even 25 years later, the film is held with high regards. However, RGV feels that the film had the worst camera work. In an exclusive conversation with Bollywood Hungama, Ram Gopal Varma explains why he feels that Rangeela had the worst camera work.

Talking about the camera work in Rangeela, Varma said, “I think Rangeela had one of the worst camera works of my career because Urmila was looking good, the film worked. Camera work will be a different understanding because I am a technician. You look at a film, you like it, you like everything about it.”

“For example, in 2013-14, I happened to meet some directors in the South. I asked him this question. He said that he just saw a film, I don't want to name it, I asked how it is. He said the film is okay, but Resul Pookutty's work is fantastic. I asked him how many films you watch in a year. He said two per week, which means eight films in a month and maybe 50 in a year. Can you tell me a film you saw last time that had bad sound effects? He doesn't know. Then I asked him about a film with fantastic sound effects. He doesn't know, because they didn't get the so called award. Then I asked him if he knows of Resul Pookutty's record post the film or his 75 films before Slumdog Millionaire. I am not taking away the work of Resul Pookutty,” he said, explaining the importance of technical aspects in films.

“My point is I have never seen a film in my life or anybody where they said the film is good but some particular part is not good. It doesn't work like that. If a film is good, everything is good. But I look at it specifically, because I am a technician. I look at it beyond what it is. I don't look at the overall effect. Because the ability to single out each aspect of the particular film is what’s working,” he added.

“For example, Gordon Willis, cinematographer of The Godfather was assumed as the 10 top camera works of all time. Now, nobody knows that Gordon Willis has done more than 90 films, because the films didn't work. I am not trying to undermine someone's work. I am just trying to explain the way I would look at photography or other aspects. For example, in Department, I believe even if it was shot with very proper cameras, even then the film would be a flop . The problem is with me and not the cameras or the technical style I had developed. It's the function of the screenplay or the lighting which makes the film fail,” he further said.

ALSO READ: 25 Years Of Rangeela: Aamir Khan reveals why Ram Gopal Varma removed a scene from the film that showed conflict between the male leads

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