'Who Is A Filmmaker?' by K Balachander
Veteran filmmaker Mr. K Balachander, who passed away yesterday, was one of the most creative filmmakers in the country, having written, directed, acted in and produced films in 5 Indian languages and for over 40 years and introducing some of India's biggest stars including Rajnikanth and Kamal Hassan. He is also one of the few filmmakers who has been able to marry art and commerce in his films, without compromising on the film's voice, and is also known for espousing issues thought to be risky for a commercial filmmaker. The following is a transcription done by Satyen K. Bordoloi from an inspiring and insightful speech he gave at the 2nd convocation ceremony at L V Prasad Film and Television Academy, Chennai on 27th August, 2008. We hope it provides inspiration to filmmakers across the world.
Ladies & Gentlemen, Welcome to the Family of Cinema!
At the outset, let me congratulate each and every one of you who have successfully completed their respective courses in the chosen disciplines. Let me compliment you on receiving your diplomas and certificates and thus becoming officially qualified to be married into the family of Cinema! But let me warn you that it is only from now that your real education begins. For all of you who have chosen a vocation that is almost a way of life which is far different from most of the other options that are available today – far, far and very far.
An Engineer, for example, deals with facts. You however deal with fiction. A doctor deals with reality. You deal in imagination. A lawyer interprets rules. You create your own. A scientist deals with elements. You deal with emotions. Almost every other professional activity deals with the body and mind. You deal with the heart.
Every language that is spoken in the world has its own grammar. Cinema needs no language, leave alone grammar. Some of the finest films made in the world were from the silent era when Cinema had no sound. Lack of voice did not handicap the filmmaker then. On the contrary it made the visuals speak more profoundly in those silences.
Some of you assembled here will become very successful; some very famous; some very popular but believe me, all of you, each and every one of you will always be happy. Each and every one of you will always go to work – whatever be your discipline with a smile on your lips and a song in your heart, for, as it is said when you choose a job you love, you don't have to do an ounce of work in your life! You have all chosen a job that you love.
My advice to you from the authority of my age and experience is only this: Take everything as a challenge. Question everything that you don't believe. Change everything that you believe needs changing.
Do you know what differentiates you from the common man, the fan, the ordinary filmgoer? He watches Cinema for the WOWS, while you should watch Cinema for the HOW'S. While others may merely watch Cinema, you have to study it, for right now you are all equipped to understand and comprehend the soul as well as the science of Cinema better than the layman. When a normal person walks into a bookshop or a library, what does he see? He sees books, lot of books, but, we see ideas; we see thoughts; we see imagination; we see effort, we see perseverance; we see passion and above all we smell and sense the feel of joy and magic of creativity. We see the potential, the instrument to reach out unknown, unseen minds across time and touch them for just a little while with the heart. Which is why we never leave a Book half read – no matter how uninteresting or heavy it might seem to be, for it was born out of an idea and completed out of perseverance. It deserves our attention and respect. The same applies for a feature Film.
Please do not walk out of any film halfway because it is an insult to the maker, a brotherhood to which you now belong. For while most others go to Cinema for pleasure, you go to study. While most others go to Cinema to please their senses, you go there to satisfy your knowledge. While for most others it is a theatre, for you it is a classroom.
Just imagine how lucky you are! While other parents will caution their wards for watching too much of Cinema, yours will encourage you to watch Cinema. So watch Films- as many as you can. Watch the good, the bad, the ordinary and the indifferent. Study them, enjoy them, admire them, applaud them, discuss them, tear them, massacre them, decimate them but never ignore them. For, while others reach for the flesh and blood of Cinema you should aspire for its heart and soul. While others wait in the queues for three hours of popcorn joy, you search for a place in eternity for, believe me, when I say you are the luckiest and most blessed in the world. You are all merchants of joy. You are all creators of destiny. You are all painters, musicians, dancers, signers, story tellers. You are each one of these and all of them put together. You are all creators. You are in a special way almost God's.
To convert a thought into an idea, that idea into a story, that story into a script, that script into a screen play and that screen play into a visual and that visual into a moving picture – that is almost magic. That is what you are all going to become – magicians.
Cinema, my friends, is not merely entertainment, not merely dream merchandising, not merely suspended disbelief, not merely heroism, not merely romance. Cinema is not merely teaching or preaching either. Cinema is a slice of life, a sort of capsulated sample of a society. Cinema is a place of history, a sort of extended SMS of a civilization. Cinema is a baton and a torch from this generation to the next. Before sound and speech were recognized, before language was discovered, people still communicated. Before words were formed, people still conveyed through pictures, stationary pictures - now under your authority and your wand, pictures are moving. Go forth and move the world. Go forth and conquer the geographies and shores. Go forth and paint dreams with light in the dark. Please remember that you, as filmmakers, are the conscience keepers of society much more than politicians or religious heads and thus have more responsibility of not only diagnosing its maladies but also suggesting its remedies within the parameters of your ability and reason. Some diehard film pundits may not agree with me on this point of suggesting remedies. I leave it to your judgement. Take it or leave it. Remember, Cinema is a weapon, use it to protect society & not to maim it. Let this be your Motto.
Finally, I would like to say that Life is always a learning process – whatever may be your age and it is all the more true and apt in the case of filmmakers. Go forth, my friends, go communicate with truth and make precious your time and your space in this life. Good luck. I bless you all.
