Cameraman Madhie is a top notch technician who has worked for films like, Mirchi, Run Raja Run, and Srimanthudu. His work in the recently released Ghazi has become the talk of the town. On this occasion, we caught up with him for an exclusive interview. Let’s see what he has to say.

How did you get to know about Ghazi?

During the success meet of Mirchi, I was narrated a few lines about this film. Things were quite bleak during that time and when the project finally materialized, my inclusion was obvious.

Response to the film?

Mahesh Babu called and congratulated me for Ghazi. The interesting aspect is that Mahesh asked me as to which language he should watch the film to get the right feel. Without a hesitation, I said Telugu as this is the first time something like this has been tried in Tollywood.

How difficult was it shoot on a submarine set?

Firstly, we did not have any reference points to draw inspiration from. Whatever was showcased was our imagination and hard work. We used practical lighting and one of the biggest challenges was that we could not use the latest technology as we had very less space to shoot. We created out own set ups for movement on the set and made things quite simple and easy.

Shooting for the most difficult scene?

If you remember, there is a scene where the power goes off in many parts of the submarine after the collision. Post that incident, all the scenes that come in are were shot in a very difficult manner. Even though there was no lighting on the submarine, we needed to make things clear for the audience through some makeshift lighting. This was a difficult task altogether.

Working with Sankalp Reddy?

There are advantages and disadvantages when you are working with debutantes. The biggest advantage is that they have some new and fresh ideas which give us more energy to give our best. But at the same time, we need to explain how the scene will be conceived on the screen. The way things are written on paper and executed on screen are totally different. We need to balance that and it is a bit difficult during the initial stages.

Shooting with Rana and other Bollywood stars?

It was a huge honor for me to work with such stalwarts. The discipline, experience and the depth they bring in the proceedings are just too good. Rana worked very hard for this film and needs to be credited for his sincerity and belief in the project.

Working with PVP?

I already did a Tamil film with them which did not do well. During that time, I promised them that one day I work on a project which will bring a huge name to everyone.

The entire experience of working on Ghazi?

It was a huge learning experience for me as I interacted with some of the top technicians in the south. We once again proved that there is so much talent in the south which is untapped always. Talented technicians like Shivam who did the production design and actors like Rahul Singh, who played a Pakistani did superb jobs in the film which is a collective team work.

Upcoming projects?

I am quite excited and will soon start working for Prabhas’s new film which will start in March. The film will have a huge canvas and will be shot in multiple languages and in different countries. I can’t wait to join the sets.

Interviewd by Avad M