Keep your eyes and ears open to the latest technologies: Mahesh Narayanan

Cinema is the most popular art form that combines both creativity and technology. A young filmmaker who is making a name for himself with hi bold experiments in this field is Mahesh Narayanan.

At a time when it was not possible to even imagine a huge set and shooting a film with many people due to the COVID restrictions, it was Mahesh Narayanan and his friends' confidence in, and knowledge about, technology that became the driving force behind their ability to create the thriller C U Soon with just an iPhone and only the interiors of a flat.

Although he started his career as a film editor, Mahesh later ventured into story, screenplay writing and directing movies.

Mahesh is the most promising face of modern Malayalam cinema, striving to make the film experience more creative and brilliant through the efficient use of technology.

Who is Mahesh Narayanan?

Born in Vaikom, Mahesh was raised and educated in Thiruvananthapuram. His father Narayanan was an engineer at Fertilisers and Chemicals Travancore (FACT) and his mother Geetha was an Ayurveda doctor. After graduating from University College with a degree in English Literature, he joined the Adyar Film Institute in Chennai to study film editing.

It was his learnings in Adyar that made Mahesh a film technician. Lenin Rajendran's Rathri Mazha, released in 2007, was the first film edited by Mahesh Narayanan. The film won five state awards, including for the best director.

It was while he had established himself as an editor with hit films such as Beautiful, Vishwaroopam and Ennu Ninte Moideen that Mahesh wrote the story for Rajesh Pillai's Mili.

Then in 2017, the first film directed by Mahesh Narayanan came out — Take Off. The film offered a visual experience that was never seen before in Malayalam cinema. Take Off, whose quality was at the level of any international film, gained both critical acclaim and popularity at the same time.

The movie won the Special Jury award at the 48th Goa International Film Festival and also almost all the major awards of that year. Mahesh bagged the state award for best debut director for Take Off. The film also won two national awards and five state awards.

Mahesh Narayanan was active even during the COVID-19 lockdown, experimenting with many innovative film technologies.

Released on Amazon Prime, his film C U Soon became India's first 'screen-based' film. The film, which tells the story through screen grabs of video calls, was selected for the 42nd Moscow International Film Festival.

Mahesh Narayanan says that although he started his career in the era of celluloid, he is trying to reinvent and adapt himself with the changes in the film industry.

"I'm a person who started editing in the days of Celluloid. Then when the film went digital, I embraced that change. When a new technology comes, I do not like to turn away and say I will not accept it. We have to keep our eyes and ears open to the technologies of the new age," said Mahesh Narayanan.

Mahesh Narayanan at Manoramaonline Techspectations

Mahesh Narayanan is participating in the First Shows Manorama Online Techspectations 2020. Manorama Online, which gave the digital face to Malayali's reading habits, is organizing the third edition of the national digital summit on November 27-28.

The third edition of the digital meet, taking place in the backdrop of the global economic crisis triggered by COVID-19 pandemic, aims to explore new opportunities for returning to the path of growth.

The theme of this edition is "Digital-led 2021: Define the New Normal". Techspectations is also a confluence of leaders of the technology sector, heads of prominent brands, statrtups and industry stalwarts who will share their experiences.

First Shows, the soon to be launched OTT platform, is the title sponsor of the summit. "Amrita Ahead" the Amrita University's online degree programme, is the knowledge partner.

For more information, visit www.techspectations.com