At the first sight, Kuku Parameswaran comes across as a born artiste, carrying her slight frame with elegance and more importantly, confidence. Both seem to be her hallmarks, as she dwells forth on cinema and its making in Kerala.I am meeting Kuku for the first time; in fact she is the first Malayalam film personality I am interviewing for 'Varnachitram,' my blog on Malayalam cinema.
A day earlier, a couple of us have watched 'Neelathamara,' the much awaited remake of the MT Vasudevan Nair film of the same name, made way back in the 70's, by Lal Jose, one of the most talented Malayalam film makers of these times.
Out and out a director's film, the remade '...thamara' is a delight to watch, with elegant song picturisations, memorable lyrics and foot tapping music. But what struck the discerning eye are the period costumes, each of whcih faithfully captured the look and feel of those days gone by. A keen look at the titles reveals that designer responsible for all this sartorial excellence onscreen is none other than Kukku Parameswaran, a facet with which I was heretofore unfamiliar.
Now as we sit face to face, Kuku's eyes glint mischievously as she shares her experiences (behind the camera, for a change!) as official costume designer for the film that has won rave reviews for its director and cast.
Excerpts:
How did you step into the shoes of a costume designer in the first place, especially as most of the viewers know you better as an actress and TV anchor, and more recently as editor of a lifestyle magazine?
K: I have long been associated with Adoor Gopalakrishnan, whom I regard as my mentor and teacher, both as an actress and costume designer. In fact, I have been on Adoor's production team for quite some time now, including his latest film, 'Naalu Pennungal.' I have also been associated with noted writer-director Shyamaprasad in a similar capacity. I still recall the midnight visits to a noted fabric house in Ernakulam hunting for costumes and fabrics for the period film ‘Agnisakshi’.
‘Neelathamara’ is a remake. Did you watch the original film to gather ideas about the way the characters would dress, particularly as there is a modern twist to the remake’s storyline?
K: To tell the truth, I did not. Most of the costumes evolved from quite some intensive research. A deep familiarity with old Malayalam films as well as my studies of costumes at the School of Drama, Thrissoor too helped greatly.
Did you find it difficult to source the fabrics, many of which may hardly be available off the shelf these days?
K: A casual visit to the costume store of the film’s producer Suresh Kumar was in fact a godsend for me when stepped in as costume designer for ‘Neelathamara.’ Suresh rather graciously allowed me to browse through the thousands of costumes within that huge space, which helped me to get more familiar with what people wore during various times in Kerala. Which is an understatement, as fashion in Malayalam films often reflects the taste of the general public during any given period. This fact, together with my own eye for colours and designs resulted in salvaging many a tattered blouse and shirt, each of which was ‘rejuvenated’ with additional pieces and embellishments. The result is there, out on the screen for you to see.
How much was your contribution to the making of ‘Neelathamara,’ as designer?
K: I was involved to a great extent. In fact, I held detailed discussions with the director Lal Jose as well as Vijay Ulaganath, cinematographer, so that the costumes would be completely in sync with the scenes visually. I took care to understate the colours so that they would not dominate the frames.
To wind up, would you like to share your experience, working with MT and Lal Jose?
K: There is this strange misconception about MT that he is a very serious man, which I too shared, until ‘Neelathamara’ happened. Now I can say with confidence that MT is one of my very best friends. Lal Jose was an absolute delight to work with too. I am proud to say that I have given back for this film as much as I received, in terms of camaraderie and sheer experience.
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