Beginning with visual communication and moving on to film processing in the Tamilnadu Film Institute, cinematographer Srinivasa Reddy has solid educational background.

His first film stint was assisting cameraman Muthu Ganesh in 'Netaji'. What honed his talent was his working on advertising commercials and music albums with Amitabh Singh in Mumbai.

His first film as a cameraman was 'Alayam'. We met him on a drizzling evening when he was busy with his shooting.

How come you landed the chance to do 'Alayam' even without a long track record?

The main reason is Pavan who was originally retained to do camera work for 'Alayam.' Since he got a chance to work on 'Pazhaniyappa Kalluri,' he recommended my name to Vadivudayan, the director of 'Alayam.' That is how I got this chance.

We hear that shooting for 'Alayam' has been happening in risky places?

Kashi is the backdrop for the film 'Alayam.' Every place has its time to bring out its best. For Kashi, it is February and March. It is winter in Kashi and there will be a light fog cover.

Just to shoot in this period we waited for one year. Sea gulls from Australia migrate to Kashi only during this period. These seagulls would flock to the Ganges river and spread themselves as a white mat without any gap to see the water.

The other wonder of Kashi is the sunrise. On the one bank is the city of Kashi and on the other, no village, no structures. The sunrise would be a beautiful sight.

Isn't Feb-March the time for the monks to crowd into Kashi?

Kumbhmela takes place in Allahabad in January. After that monks visit Kashi in Feb-March. That is the time when Kashi is filled with monks and devotees. That again is unique to Kashi. We have captured it for the film 'Alayam.'

Was the entire film shot in Kashi?

Important scenes were shot in Kashi. As indoor scenes need not be shot there, we shot them in Pondicherry.

How about songs?

One song was shot in Ladakh. Ladakh would be full of fog in the beginning of the year. One would not know the location. After June and July, the rain would wash away the mist and the mountains would get their colour back. That is the right time to shoot there.

Another song was shot at a place which goes from Shimla to the Chinese border. We stayed in tents for three days at a height of 15000 feet and 2 degree cold.

Won't it be easier to shoot abroad without these difficulties?

There is no room for that thought. We went through these hassles and shot in Ladakh only to show that there are places here equal to those abroad! We intend shooting another song sequence in Rajasthan desert. There will be a fog cover over the desert only in December. So, we have to go there now.

It is the trend now to use a particular colour tone identified with the nature of the film. Have you done anything like that?

One can use colour grading for Sci-fi films like 'Matrix'. For films like 'Alayam' natural flavour is very vital to get the audience into the script.

As the shots were taken on locations, we have brought in the natural colour of the place in the film. The challenge in cinematography is to capture the natural colour to the screen!

There have been complaints by cameramen that 'flat light' has to be used to make the picture bright as the projector quality is bad in Tamilnadu theatres. Do you face a similar situation?

You will lose the quality of the film if we have to shoot to adjust for the quality of projectors. We see to it that whatever colour is seen in theatres like Satyam, should be seen similarly in all theatres. We only do what is required for that.

When is the release of 'Alayam'?

After talkie, post production is happening now. Two songs are yet to be done. After that, the release is expected in the first or the second month next year.