Kalidas Jairam and Megha Akash, starring in director Balaji Tharaneetharan’s Oru Pakka Kadhai, had a torrid time shooting in the heat of Kumbakonam. It wasn’t just the sheer heat and humidity. The team apparently had to film scenes in the famous temples there. Considering footwear is not allowed within temple precincts, the unit had to work bare-footed during the entire six-day shoot.
Kalidas Jairam and Megha Akash in Oru
Pakka Kadhai
The temple floors would often get unbearably hot, according to the director. The crew tied pieces of cloth around their feet to keep the feet from burning up. While the crew could take breaks now and then, the actors, Kalidas and Megha, bore the brunt, Balaji says.
“Being in front of the camera, they could not even afford to show their discomfort. Yet, they were professional and aced their shots without a grimace, even though their feet was being scalded,” says Balaji, who tried to make things easy by shooting quick scenes.
An interesting incident happened while the unit, a few days later, was shooting inside a house in Adyar. The scene required that a sizeable crowd of almost 150 junior artistes gather on the road outside a house, and protest. The cinematographer entered from the end of the road with a hand-held camera, to capture the proceedings in a candid manner. As nobody could see the camera and there weren’t too many lights either, passersby who noticed the large crowd began to get curious. They thought something was actually happening inside the house.
“Before we knew it, cars started slowing down, and bike riders and pedestrians joined the crowd of junior artistes. They demanded to know what was going on inside,” says Balaji. The crowd kept swelling. “Our camera captured the entire scene. We never expected this! But as it added to the scene, and made it even more natural, I let the camera keep rolling,” he adds. It was only when Balaji yelled ‘cut’ and the junior artistes began dispersing that the crowd realised it was a film shoot.
“Our shooting was enhanced by their presence and we included the footage in the film,” he says.
Source: The New Indian Express