RRR: I like films like Krrish 3, Ra.One and Enthiran, says production designer Sabu Cyril

National Award-winning talks about his much-praised work in RRR which has now begun streaming on ZEE5 and Netflix

A still from Krrish 3; Sabu Cyril

Sabu Cyril not only worked with SS Rajamouli on RRR but also on the Baahubali franchise. The acclaimed production designer, interestingly, says, Rajamouli knew that RRR wouldn't be as big as the Baahubali films. “He enjoys a challenge, and I relish it too. We discussed the film for six months before it went on the floors. The pandemic meant that it took us three more years to finish the film. We couldn't bring foreigners into India during that period; so, during the break after the first lockdown, we went to Ukraine and shot there for a month," he tells Cinema Express.

Rajamouli told Sabu Cyril about the period the film is set in, and they both collected references. “Though the action would be over the top, we still had to recreate the colonial era. Even the CG work ensures that the film is rooted in some realism,” Cyril observes.

How did he plan his work for RRR? “It all comes down to believability,” Cyril states. “The subject and emotions of a film are important. Sometimes, films in which we do an excellent job don’t even get noticed! For RRR, everything was shot on sets, and we used extensions to increase the scale. For the interval fight sequence, we used everything from water fountains to rigs for cars, and miniatures.”

Speaking about the research work he put in for RRR, Cyril tells Cinema Express, "My job is to make sure that I bring to reality what Rajamouli imagined while writing. I think I have done that. Rajamouli is open to suggestions. There is a lot of back and forth as far as the ideas are concerned. It’s all about teamwork ultimately. People often ask what our job is, given that everything can be made with CG these days. They don’t understand that even in those scenes, we have come up with lighting and texture references and perspective."

What kind of films interest him? He says he likes futuristic films and the ones like Krrish 3, and Ra. One and Enthiran. "They give me the chance to create something on my own. For period films, we have to put in effort when it comes to research. Irrespective of the film, hard work is the key."

Cyril goes on to say he has done films like Kanchivaram (2008), and though they are not lavish in scale, they too demand a lot of work. "My budget for that film was just Rs 1 lakh. In cinema, actors were first noticed. Today, directors get noticed too, and so do cinematographers. Art direction is being slowly understood, but having said that, what I do is something only the cast and crew can truly understand. As for the audience, they notice my work when they compare it with another designer’s work in a different film. Ultimately, as long as they enjoy the film, our job is done. We will continue to make the extraordinary seem ordinary."

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