First Person: Five Filmmakers Who Have Inspired Ram

Director Ram, famous for his films Kattradhu Thamizh, Thanga Meengal, Taramani and Peranbu, speaks about five filmmakers who inspired him.

"It is very difficult for me to name just five directors, and I cannot rank them as everyone is equal, and I have learnt something from each of them. I can talk about a lot of young directors as well, but these five directors will always be the ones who guide, inspire and control me when I write scripts." 

Stanley Kubrick

I love all his films, especially Eyes Wide Shut. This is because I learnt the importance of the 'thesis' for a script, and how to create characters and dialogues.

David Lean

I love his Lawrence of Arabia and Doctor Zhivago. The main thing I learnt from him is the technique of using landscapes as a metaphor in a film. 

Roman Polanski

His debut film Knife in the Water is my all-time favourite film. He is an extraordinary director who shows the intimacy between a man and a woman in a gripping way, and from a spy's point of view. I also learnt to find conflicts between the characters and many others from him. 

Balumahendra, my director

I learnt how to make a film in a minimal way, after watching his Veedu. 

Bharathiraja

I grew up in a city like Coimbatore, and I saw rural areas only through his films. His films gave me the confidence to bring to screen such characters.