Remember the ripples that the film “Goli Soda” created way back in 2014? A humble film, it boasted a heartfelt narrative about teenage boys forced to fight back when cornered, catapulting ace cinematographer Vijay Milton as a filmmaker to watch out for. Reflecting on the film, Milton likens himself to a 13-year-old who, through that cinematic journey, was also forced to fight back against odds. “It seems like a blunder that children commit so courageously because I don’t know where I got the courage to start such a project and how I managed to complete it,” Milton reminisces.
One aspect Milton cherishes from that period is the fervent energy brought in by the actors and assistants despite the lack of basic amenities for a film shooting. “I didn’t provide them with the basic amenities required for a film shooting. I’m saying this because I endured all that because I had a dream I was running after, but they didn’t have to do that. They blindly just followed me.”
Fast forward ten years, and Milton no longer faces such logistical hurdles. He now crafts films for notable stars like Shivarajkumar and Daali Dhananjaya with significantly enhanced production values. Despite delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Milton’s latest venture, “Mazhai Pidikkatha Manithan,” is finally set to release, under the banner of Infiniti Film Ventures, alongside lead star Vijay Antony.
The first thing that grabs attention is the title — “The Man Who Despises Rain”. According to Milton, the title was non-negotiable as it immediately evokes a sense of mystery about the character, which he claims is central to the film’s niche. “In fact, Mazhai Pidikkatha Manithan is inspired by ‘The Equalizer’, starring Denzel Washington. In that film, the mystery behind the lead character hooks you, and they drip-feed the information throughout the film. I have tried something similar,” Milton elaborates.
Milton aimed for a poetic action film, and the promotional materials reflect this ambition. The promo features dialogues hinting at an underlying biblical poetry, which Milton credits to his affinity for Russian literature. “My father inculcated a reading habit since I was six or seven, and I eventually stumbled upon the translated versions of Russian literature. Those days we used to get these big novels in Tamil for as cheap as ₹2. Because they are translations, the way the characters converse in these stories would be a bit biblical,” explains Milton, who used creative licenses to imbue his film with this particular flavor.
Addressing the modern audience, Milton acknowledges that a section of Gen-Z viewers might be quick to dismiss anything emotional or poetic as ‘cringe.’ “That wouldn’t happen here. I was conscious not to advise anyone to do anything because that might get termed as ‘cringe’; I just want to have a conversation with the audience on a more mature level, and I have tried to be as concise as possible.” Milton also aims to challenge the normalization of bloodshed in modern cinema, focusing instead on portraying the intensity of anger without gruesome fight scenes or explicit violence.
“Mazhai Pidikkatha Manithan” holds special significance as it is Milton’s first film since working with superstar Shivarajkumar in the 2022 Kannada film “Bairagee”. This experience prompted him to introspect his filmography and adapt his style to suit a star’s image. “My style is a bit too earthy and realistic. Even when it comes to punch-dialogues, I would prefer to write them in more natural modulation.
. But when it comes to big stars, it should be a notch higher, and I have realized that I failed to do it in my films.”
Milton appreciates the grounded approach of prominent stars like Vijay, Vikram, and Shivarajkumar, who exhibit humility on set and prefer proximity to the action over the comfort of a caravan. This approach, Milton observes, makes handling these stars just as seamless as managing young teenagers during the making of “Goli Soda.” Vijay Antony, the hero of “Mazhai Pidikkatha Manithan,” mirrors this grounded attitude. “He is someone who clearly understands who he is. If, say, he believes he is 8; he wouldn’t agree if you said he’s 9, and he’d politely disagree if you call him a 7. In a field like cinema, it’s a commendable quality because people might massage your ego or make you feel lesser than you are,” Milton emphasizes.
Despite his nearly two-decade-long career and experience working with superstars, Milton believes his core as a filmmaker remains unchanged. “For every new movie, I take five assistant cameramen and five assistant directors. I give them a notebook and ask them to note down five things to correct in myself and five things they want to change in this office. What they all tell me is that I stay the same always.” The control freak in Milton ensures that he supervises every detail on set, from the minutiae of a nail on a wall to the design of an actor’s costume.
Maintaining this level of control helps Milton juggle the responsibilities of both director and cinematographer. “I annoy technicians on set with instructions to get what I want. I didn’t want to do it to another cameraman; that would feel like I was misusing them. Mani Ratnam once said that we have to make the technicians feel like they own the film and that they would do their best. I struggle to do that.”
As innovative advancements continue to transform cinematography, Milton remains aware of his limitations, focusing on how his cinematography serves the narrative rather than matching the technical brilliance of his peers. “A good artist would know when someone has bested them in their field. Even from an advertisement or a reel on Instagram, I can tell what I know and what I don’t know about what the artist has done.”
Reflecting on the impact of failure, Milton candidly admits that he has never been able to detach himself from his films. “Fellow filmmakers would advise you to detach yourself from the film, right after it gets a censor certificate. But I have never been able to do that; to date, I haven’t come out of the failure of my debut directorial, ‘Azhagai Irukkirai Bayamai Irukkirathu’. It’s quite tragic to pour your love into something, only for it to not get recognition.” However, for a cinematographer, the business aspect of a film doesn’t significantly impact their growth in the industry. “New-age filmmakers don’t care about the box office success, but only what you have done in that film. Craft matters more now.”
As Milton prepares for the release of “Mazhai Pidikkatha Manithan,” he remains steadfast in his dedication to storytelling, balancing the artistic and pragmatic demands of filmmaking while staying true to his unique vision.
