How art director Manoj Kumar brought Sabdham's sets to life

CHENNAI: A young man eager to see his name on the big screen one day, RK Manoj Kumar discontinued his Visual Communication degree to enter the Tamil film industry. After a year, he realised he found fulfilment in art direction rather than filmmaking. Since then, he has contributed to many films in uncredited roles. Now, after ten years, his dreams have finally materialised as he makes his debut as an art director with Aadhi Pinisetty-Arivazhagan’s horror-thriller, Sabdham.

"It took me five years to master the nuances of colour palettes, and my mentor was V. Selvakumar, who has worked on Madrasapattinam, Maharaja, and more. I am grateful because only a few individuals like him extend a helping hand to aspiring youngsters to achieve their goals," says Manoj Kumar, who is originally from Chennai.

Discussing how he secured the opportunity to work on Sabdham, Manoj delves deeper: “I served as an associate art director on Arivazhagan’s Borrder, which is yet to be released. When Sabdham was on the horizon, I approached him for a chance. To assess my skills, he presented me with a one-liner about the film and asked me to prepare model sets within three days. At that moment, I had no idea that those 72 hours would be life-changing.”

Having worked tirelessly and meticulously designed the 3D model sets with intricate details, the filmmaker was impressed by his efforts and brought him on board.

Sabdham requires extensive technical detailing and stands apart from typical horror films produced in the Tamil film industry. “We employed sound-related equipment for the film. I had to consult numerous books to grasp the workings of the actual properties to replicate them. All the properties depicted in the film can be operated using mobile phones. It was quite challenging, but teamwork led us to success. I needed to evolve to create something distinct from what already exists to engage a global audience,” he recounts.The shoot for the film began in 20 days, but the sets were not finalised until the night before the first day of the schedule. “Arivazhagan sir was understandably sceptical as I was a newcomer. To prove my capabilities, I worked tirelessly through the night and presented the outcome to him. After seeing the sets, the first thing he asked was whether I had slept at all. I was quite surprised to hear that from a director, and he was entirely satisfied with the set designs. It’s quite challenging to convince our director because he never settles for less. Everyone was pleased with the erected sets, including Aadhi sir,” shares the art director, whose first film as an associate was Siddharth’s Enakkul Oruvan, followed by notable projects such as Ponniyin Selvan, Iraivi, Hero, Imaikka Nodigal, and Maari, among others.

Navigating the industry for a decade without any film background was not a bed of roses for Manoj. “It took time for me to earn my parents’ trust that I could achieve my goals by following my passion. All the sleepless nights, painful tears, empty pockets, and hunger transformed into joy upon seeing my name on the big screen during the release of Sabdham. Even after all these struggles, not once did I contemplate leaving the industry,” he smiles. “The joy on my parents' faces during the film’s preview remains unforgettable,” he adds.

One particularly challenging scene for Manoj was the sand art sequence in the film's second half. “The sand art needed to change in sync with the musical tunes. We referred to YouTube videos to learn how to execute it. However, it took us some time to perfect it,” he explains. Manoj couldn’t fathom the excitement surrounding the film as it marked the return of the Eeram team. “Eppo kalyanam maathiri, people were inquiring about the project’s release date,” he laughs.

The moment Manoj felt elated was when director Shankar and cinematographer Manoj Paramahamsa praised him for his work. “The appreciation I received from Selva sir is beyond words. Tears streamed down my cheeks when he mentioned that much more is on the way for me,” he shares, his eyes misty.

Currently, Manoj is working on Tharshan’s Surrender, and Arjun Das’s Bomb. “I aspire to explore different genres and wish to work with Mani Ratnam, Prem Kumar, Karthik Subbaraj, Pa Ranjith, Sudha Kongara, Basil Joseph, Dhanush and Vineeth Srinivasan, one day,” he expresses, with his desire to work with debutants as well.

Manoj believes that art direction deserves significantly more recognition as it often remains underrated. “People have become familiar with colour palettes and the subtleties of sets by watching international films. They should also grasp the value of art and its contribution to a film's success. Makers should consider releasing a behind-the-scenes video of erecting the sets. This would pave the way for technicians to be recognised for their relentless efforts,” he states.

 • Manoj (right) with Arivazhagan (middle) behind the scenes

Without divulging too much, Manoj concludes by telling DT Next that he is currently involved in a period drama with a major star playing the lead role.