Tamil Nadu - Chennai

“Literature and cinema have different rules”

CHENNAI: Speakers, at a function on Saturday, highlighted the relationship between literature and cinema, two forms of creative work.

Amshan Kumar, film maker, said there was a perception in certain quarters that cinema was inferior to literature, which was not correct. Ashokamitran, Tamil writer, said both forms had different rules. While literature was meant for individual experience, cinema envisaged providing collective experience. Giving examples of feature films based on literary works, he said when a literary work was adapted into a film, certain modifications became inevitable. They were speaking at the function after the screening of “Visaranai Commission,” a film based on a novel authored by Sa. Kandasamy, veteran Tamil novelist-writer. A. Raja, Union Minister for Communications and Information Technology, said the film had several socially-relevant messages. Mr. Kandasamy said the novel, written in 1994, fetched him Sahitya Akademi award four years later. It was only then that the State government decided to purchase the book for its libraries. He appreciated Doordarshan for having funded the film. Mr. Vasanth said he had enormous freedom in making the film, unlike in the case of producing other films. “I could focus only on the quality of the product, without having to bother myself about possible response of the audience.”

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