Ravi K Chandran on ‘OG’ and Working With Pawan Kalyan: 'He Really Respects Technicians'

Sujeeth’s OG follows the life of Ojas Gambheera (Pawan Kalyan), a Samurai-trained overlord who emerges from exile when Bombay and his found family are in danger. The Telugu film has all the fixtures and fittings of a commercial action entertainer, but with an edge. Its stylistic choices, accentuated by cinematographer Ravi K Chandran and composer Thaman, lend authenticity to the film, which is largely rooted in Japanese action sensibilities. 

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter India, the seasoned DOP says the film’s aesthetics were intentional and intricate. “We wanted to make it look like a Tarantino film,” he says. OG, which is mostly set in Mumbai of the 80s and 90s, had to reflect that in its lighting and production design as well. “There’s usage of harder light in a '90s, 80s style of filmmaking,” Ravi says, alluding to the sharply written police station sequence in OG, where Gambheera’s grasp over Mumbai city is depicted through an action set piece. “It looked like a regular police station. What to do? I wanted to change the lighting. I told PK sir I needed some more time to tune the lighting, and he told me to take my time,” he recalls. 

With the help of production designer AS Prakash, the cinematographer quickly brought some plywood to create dappled light for Pawan Kalyan’s entry sequence. “With this, we were able to create the effect of a man walking from darkness into light. PK sir removed his watch and had it in his hand when he came inside. That looked fantastic on camera. Sujeeth got excited, and he took more shots. He built everything with just his walk. People on set were turning in just to see who was walking in,” he smiles. "For the interval block, we wanted a dry sugarcane field, but all of the fields were green. We bought a portion of land and dried it. The production designer did a wonderful job."

Similar intricacies went into designing Gambheera’s entry into Mumbai, a sparkling idea reflected through a quiet sunrise in the background of the Gateway of India. “OG stepping into Bombay was the idea. I wanted to show this differently. We put the camera upside down so the image is inverted. We had to be there at 4.30 am to start shooting. A lot of people said he [Pawan Kalyan] was not going to come that early for the shoot. But once we told him about the shot, he said he would come because he was a morning person. He was at the spot at 4.30 am and was waiting in the car for us to set up the shot and the sun to rise.”

A lot of the style that the film called for was readily brought in with the lead actor’s presence. “When PK sir walks on set, you feel the difference. You feel he is born with style, and you don't need to do anything.” The film, which has been in the making for a few years, has additional camerawork by Manoj Paramahamsa. “We had to wait for many years to finish the film, but it was all worth it. PK sir got busy with politics. Meanwhile, I was shooting Sudha Kongara’s Parasakthi, and Sujeeth was shooting smaller scenes with other actors and characters. We used this time to develop Emraan Hashmi's character too.”

OG marks Ravi’s second film with Pawan Kalyan. He recalls how the actor’s flair for direction brings a lot of respect to the way he treats technicians. “He really respects technicians. When he knows people are doing their job correctly, he is ready for the game.”

But the actor is constantly thinking about people, even when he's working, Ravi adds. “Whenever we've had a chance to talk, he has always spoken to me about what to do for people. He has said, “In movies I save people, but what am I doing in real life? I want to do something for people. That’s why I entered politics.” These are the conversations I have with him privately. Even during casual conversations, he's thinking about this.”