Story can fail, innovative technique can never fail: RGV

May 16, 2012 Subhash K. Jha

Mumbai, May 16 (IANS) Director Ram Gopal Varma says that he shot his forthcoming thriller "Department", his most expensive film so far, by using a new technique and is confident that his experiment will yield favourable results when it hits the screens Friday.

"For too long our cinema has been stuck in a particular visual language. 'Department' changes the visual imagery completely. It is the most expensive film I've made," said Varma.

"The kind of technology I've used made it possible for me to re-invent the cinematic language. I've used five-six cameras, not to cut costs as people believe, but to shoot my characters in angles and positions not seen before in films.

"In 'Department', I want to change the complete image of the visual medium and how audiences look at the characters. The audience would feel the enhanced impact of what the characters are trying to express. What I've tried to achieve in the visual style of 'Department' is beyond anything attempted in our cinema," added the 50-year-old.

Produced by Viacom 18, the film talks about the conflicts of interest in the police department and stars Amitabh Bachchan, Sanjay Dutt and Rana Daggubati in pivotal roles.

Varma feels novel technique can never fail.

"Story can fail. Genuinely innovative technique can never fail. When they made 'The Blair Witch Project' with hand-held cameras, the Hollywood studios felt the audiences would be put off. When Steven Soderbergh shot 'Traffic' with hand-held cameras without using lights, producers felt audiences would get put off... Technical innovation can never go wrong. That's what I feel."

He says that he didn't have a hard time convincing his producers and the actors about the technique.

"At the end of the day everyone I work with knows my work experience and my passion for innovative technique. My story-content may have failed in the past, but not my technique.

"In fact, when I told Mr Bachchan about my new technology, I warned him it would be unlike anything he has done. But he caught on so fast that in no time we were on the same page. I was amazed at the speed with which all my actors understood what I was doing," said Varma. Click the Movie button below for more info:
Department