Cinematographer, director and producer Shyju Khalid is among the pivots swinging a new wave in Malayalam cinema. The 44-year-old was largely responsible for giving actor Fahadh Faasil the “raw common man look” in Maheshinte Prathikaaram, Kumbalangi Nights and Joji. His camerawork in Ee.Ma.Yau, Sudani From Nigeria, Anjam Pathiraa and Nayattu has been appreciated and noticed widely, so much so that offers from the Hindi film industry are pouring in. He tells Sreedhar Pillai what goes behind the lens, technically and cerebrally.
The new age Malayalam cinema, with its realistic characters and relatable storyline, has struck a chord with theatre and OTT audiences across the globe.
I’m happy that I could do 16 Malayalam films in the past 10 years since I started, and most of them got critical acclaim and were hits. The new age and the internet are full of visuals and today’s audience will lap up good content. My camera will always try to convey the film’s theme and bring alive the characters in a realistic manner.
You seem to have a knack for picking perfect scripts and working with the right people like Dileesh Pothan, Shyam Pushkaran and Martin Prakkat. How do you choose your films?
I do films that attract me. The script should have that emotional connect and the director an understanding of the milieu. The characters must be relatable to the viewers and should work with them. Let us take my last two films Joji and Nayattu; the characters were well-etched, believable and the audience got the feel it can happen in real life, which made the films come alive.
The style of filmmaking is different, with emphasis on limited lighting and stark realistic characters.
Today’s realistic new wave requires a different pattern and has to be in sync with the story and mood of the film. Take Ee.Ma.Yau, a foggy look after heavy rain in a coastal village is part of the milieu. We were lucky to shoot that when it was actually raining. I don’t believe in having stylish frames just for effect. I started after college as a wedding photographer in the Fort Kochi area where I grew up, and did not go to a finishing school to learn cinematography, which I picked up working with my mentor Sameer Tahir.
Has the digital medium changed filmmaking in Malayalam cinema?
It has played a major role in popularising the new wave. We were able to better the product and experiment during shoots, and it has enabled a lot of fresh talent to emerge, which would not have been possible on celluloid.
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Why haven’t you done a film with superstars Mohanlal and Mammootty?
I have not got any offers. Both are fantastic actors and if the right script comes, I will jump at it.
How has it been working with Fahadh Faasil?
FaFa (Faasil) has always been willing to take the road less travelled. The characters he has played have made him a big star theatrically and on the streaming platform.
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