Case Studies
Thangalaan, directed by Pa Ranjith and shot by cinematographer Kishore Kumar, is a historical movie based on true events that revolve around the lives of mine workers in the Kolar Gold Fields, Karnataka.
The movie was graded by colourist John Sriram at Lixo Pixels in Chennai, marking his first collaboration with the director and cinematographer duo.
Developing a look
Although Kishor Kumar had initiated some ideas for the colour palette in pre-production, Sriram’s primary involvement began once the film was shot.
“I joined the project during the post-production stage,” says Sriram. “I worked with the DoP to present some initial grading ideas, which were very well received. From here, Kishore gave me creative freedom to experiment with the colour schemes while ensuring they aligned with the director’s vision.”
The film, being a period drama, demanded a particular visual aesthetic. One of the key inspirations for the look of the movie was Martin Scorsese's Killers of the Flower Moon, which Sriram and the team used as a reference to create a similarly grounded, historical look.
“The illusionary world was graded with a rich, deep orange hue, paired with red skin tones to emphasise their surreal nature. In contrast, real-world scenes were more subdued and natural.”
