Exclusive | Adoor Gopalakrishnan on cinema as art, OTT vs big screen, Malayalam cinema now, more

Few filmmakers in India have contributed to the evolution of cinema as deeply as Malayalam auteur Adoor Gopalakrishnan. Over a career spanning more than five decades, he has consistently argued for cinema as an intellectual

and ethical practice, not mere spectacle. With just 12 feature films, Gopalakrishnan has won 16 National Film Awards, next only to legends Satyajit Ray and Mrinal Sen, firmly cementing his place among the most influential filmmakers in Indian cinema.

Ahead of the Nalanda Film & Literature Festival, where Gopalakrishnan is one of the speakers, he talks to CNBC-TV18 about literature’s influence on his work, the changing language of cinema, the rise of OTT platforms, and the responsibilities filmmakers carry.

Looking back at a body of work — that includes Swayamvaram, Elippathayam and Anantaram — Gopalakrishnan resists retrospective evaluation. He says he rarely looks back at his films as milestones.

‘Entertainment does not mean that it has to be stupid entertainment’

"I feel very honestly, I don’t look back," he says. "I have made only 12 feature films, and that too with long intervals. Every time I did a film, I imagined that I couldn’t have done a better film at that time."

What has evolved, he explains, is his craft and clarity. "As I progressed in terms of experience, understanding about things, even my technique became more refined, more sharp, more meaningful."

He says his films are not designed as entertainment in the narrow commercial sense. "When I make a film, it is meant for audiences who have some understanding about things," he says. "Entertainment does not mean that it has to be stupid entertainment. I don’t attach that kind of entertainment to my filmmaking."

Gopalakrishnan believes cinema cannot be separated from other art forms, particularly literature. Cinema, he thinks, exists in constant dialogue with literature and the visual arts. "These are all very closely connected," he says. "I expect people to have some initiation in the art forms, including cinema, whether it is literature or painting or any other art form."

A lifelong reader, Gopalakrishnan says his reading spans both fiction and non-fiction, though his creative work today leans more towards fiction. Literature has also directly shaped his films.

"I have adapted stories from some of the masterworks in Malayalam," he says, referring to writers such as Vaikom Muhammad Basheer, Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai and Paul Zacharia. "Normally, I prefer to work from my own ideas and scripts. But there are times when I do not find enough interesting subjects. That is when I go back to literature."

Auteur’s take on contemporary Malayalam cinema

On contemporary Malayalam cinema, Gopalakrishnan offers a measured assessment. He acknowledges the presence of interesting work, but also points to inconsistency. "There are very interesting films made by young people," he says. "It’s a mixture of many things."

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What concerns him is the shift that often follows early success. "When they make reasonably good films and get accepted, then their next aim is to go for huge films — with stars, cars and things like that," he says. "That is where the watering down of original ideas happens."

He also rejects rigid definitions of realism in cinema. For him, realism, like literature, allows for multiple forms. "It is like literature," he says. "You can have realistic novels, surrealistic ones, and many other traits. You cannot say one is better than the other."

What matters, he insists, is execution. "Even when you are making the most realistic story, it can look very boring if you make it badly," he says. "It depends on the technique, whether it is presented in a novel way, whether it is relevant, whether it connects with life."

What about OTT?

His strongest views emerge when the conversation turns to OTT platforms. Gopalakrishnan remains firm that cinema is not meant to be consumed on small screens. "Cinema is not meant to be seen either on television or on platforms," he says. "Cinema is meant to be screened in a darkened room, in a regular theatre, where the technical quality is perfect."

The theatrical experience, he believes, is integral to how cinema works. "There is a whole ritual about going to see a film," he says. "You make a choice. You reach the theatre at the appointed time, prepared to watch a film of your choice. The attitude is very different."

While he acknowledges the wider reach OTT platforms offer, he questions what is lost in the process. "A film is judged on several counts, not just the story," he says. "How a story is told, how innovative it is, how it is presented, all these matter. In a film that becomes a work of art, everything should be of the highest order."

Nalanda and new plans

Talking about the Nalanda Film & Literature Festival, Gopalakrishnan says Nalanda represents more than a venue, it represents a historical legacy of learning. "Nalanda has a history," he says. "It was the first university anywhere in the world. Bihar has every right to attract people from all over to discuss theatre, literature and arts in general."

Literature, he adds, remains foundational. "At a very basic level, it is a celebration of learning," he says. "Literature is probably the one form of artistic expression which is above every other art form."

For young filmmakers, his advice is direct. "They should study filmmaking, and they should read a lot," he says. "There should be no boundaries in terms of reading. You have to read everything: books, newspapers, anything acceptable to you."

And even now, Gopalakrishnan is not finished with cinema. “I am starting a new film,” he says. “I am planning to begin shooting by the middle of next month.”

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