I couldn’t devote 4 years to Baahubali: Ravinder

Unlike other filmmakers who just took work from me, Trivikram guided me on how to lead life. Once I finish my day’s work, he advises me to go home instead of hanging around the sets. In many ways I can call him my mentor

– Ravinder Reddy

Ravinder Reddy has been the art director for many of SS Rajamouli’s films like ‘Chatrapathi’, ‘Vikramarkudu’, ‘Magadheera’ and ‘Eega’ but he missed out on the maker’s magnum opus ‘Baahubali’ which is on the verge of completion. Ask him why, he says, “He wanted me to devote four years of my time on the project. I felt it wasn’t a smooth proposition financially, so I declined it. I’m a family man and I should earn, right? In the meanwhile I did seven movies.”

The fine arts graduate from JNTU, who burst on to the scene with Chandrashekar Yeleti’s ‘Aithe’ 12 years ago, is currently awaiting the release of ‘S/o Satyamurthy’, for which he has teamed up with his favourite director Trivikram once again. He says that he designed close to eight sets for the movie. “The first half will be high on colours while the second half, which is shown as transpiring in Madurai, looks raw. Majority of the second half unfolds in a lavish house set I’ve erected,” he says.

Rating Trivikram high, he points out, “I share a close bond with him. Unlike other filmmakers who just took work from me, Trivikram guided me on how to lead life. Once I finish my day’s work, he advises me to go home instead of hanging around the sets. In many ways I can call him my mentor.”Explaining why some art directors are not getting their due, he says, “They are dancing to the tunes of cinematographers. Instead, if they meet the requirements of a film, they will get their due.”

So, where does the problem lay? “The problem is that some directors are too reliant on cinematographers, who in turn ensure that art directors meet their wishes. It’s a dicey place for an art director to be in. I haven’t faced this situation yet but I keep hearing such stories very often.”He says he doesn’t watch films to stay updated.

“Given my experience and my inclination towards observing the society, I can work for ten more years without watching other masters,” smiles Ravinder, who also own a company – Sarayu De Design Studio – which is into interior designing. His next releases include Nagarjuna-starrer ‘Soggade Chinni Nayana’, Dil Raju’s film with Sunil and Sukumar’s ‘Kumari 21F’.

By Nagaraj Goud