Voicing the search for identity

He started his career as a wedding photographer and then switched to fashion photography, but his creative bone and zeal for potent images made him a short filmmaker.

V K Subhash, the man behind ‘Chaaya’, the short film which got into the  Short Film corner at Cannes Film Festival 2011, is a success when it comes to delivering his messages short and crisp, or at least the awards he won says so.

“‘Chaaya’ is not my first work to be screened at the prestigious Cannes. I had done a couple of other works which were screened at the festival. But, these movies were taken to the Cannes by 1Take Media. So, I could not claim the credit for the works,” says Subhash, who is now venturing into feature film making. Even after a year, ‘Chaaya’ still garners awards.

“The theme of ‘Chaaya’ is identity crisis. The protagonist is in search of his father’s picture. Today’s generation, irrespective of East or West, is in search of its identity. The theme is evergreen,” Subhash says. The short film was screened at International Film Festival of India-2011 at Goa too.

“A still from ‘Chaaya’ was used on the inside cover page of the official catalogue. That is definitely a privilege,” adds Subhash. He never forgets to thank A V Anoop of AVA Productions who was ready to produce ‘Chaaya’ despite it not being a money-minting project.

Subhash, who entered the world of cinema as a cinematographer, makes no bones about the fact that short films are a path towards mainstream movies.

“There is no disagreement. Most of us consider short films as a medium towards movies.

However, I am passionate about short films in the same way I am about movies,” says Subhash whose next venture is a feature film ‘The Wedding Ring’. So, does short films have a space and a future? “Definitely, short films have their significance.

But, nowadays most short films are an imitation of movies. The nuances and methods of feature film making are copied as such while making short films. This results in failure to communicate the message properly,” says Subhash, who was a jury member at the Lohithadas Short Film Festival held at Maharaja’s College recently.

Subhash, who considers short films as ‘pocket cartoons’, feels that technological innovation has enabled everyone to be a short or micro film maker. “But, if you are talented, you will come to the fore. I had no godfathers in the industry but I always got my due,” he adds. The cinematographerturned- director is upbeat about his new project ‘The Wedding Ring’. “It will be an international project. The movie has pleasant elements that will attract the regional audience as well. I plan to take it to the Cannes. I am sure the movie will be liked by all,” says Subhash, who has cranked the camera for a couple of feature films, including ‘Kanni’, a Tamil movie directed by Roopesh Paul, which was screened at the Cannes.

Subhash, who has worked in the advertising industry, has done a couple of micro films, including ‘Hunter and prey’, which won the Golden Leaf Award at the International Micro film award in 2007.