A.S. Sandeep Das
It will take up to three months for the editing work of that day. After shooting 60,000 feet of film rolls, editing them down to 15,000 feet is a lot of work.
E.M. explains the working of the ‘splicer’ machine which was used for editing in the past. Madhavan, E.M. Madhavan’s name on the title cards | Photo: Mathrubhumi, screengrab
CBefore the digital era of NIMA, E.M., who is a big man, cut and beautified film rolls for three decades and brought them to the audience. Madhavan. From Sathyan, Premnaseer, Jayan etc. to Mammootty, Mohanlal and Dileep’s films have reached the silver screen through Madhavan’s editing.
He worked as an associate and assistant editor in 300 films and as an independent editor in 30 films. The 77-year-old has stopped active film work since 2000 and is living a leisurely life at his residence on the Kootanad-Trithala road.
In Madrasi with a film dream
Films became a dream for Madhavan after completing his 10th class at Trithala High School. He reached Madras in 1968 at the age of twenty-three. The elder brother and then famous editor K. The only strength was the acquaintance between Shankunni. Because of that acquaintance, according to the elder, the two met at Vasustudio in Madras. When he informed me of his desire, he asked him to come from the next day.
P. At that time, K. Bhaskaran directed the movie ‘Kattukurang’. Shankunni, K. Narayanan and edited together.
Unpaid work period
The 70s and 80s were the era when Malayalam films were made on a low budget. Those who come to study cinema will be employed as apprentices. Accommodation and food should be at own expense. People of that time were ready to endure any hardship for film studies.
EM said that due to his closeness with Shankunniyettan, he sometimes got free food. Madhavan remembers. He started his editing career in January 1969 with the movie ‘Mooladhanam’. Madhavan remembers that he was simultaneously working on the movie Kapivalam at Vasu Studios and the movie ‘Kallichellamma’ at Gemini Studios in the afternoon.
Released in 1970, K.P. K from Kottarakkara’s movie ‘Raktapushpam’. Sankunni’s assistant. Later acted with Shankunni in more than 300 films. P. Bhaskaran, Sasikumar, A.B. Raj, M. Krishnan Nair, Sreekumaranthampi, Lisababy, Udygastha Venu, Jaycee, Joshi, Priyadarshan, Kochinhaneefa, Dennis Joseph, Thambi Kannanthanam, T.S. Sureshbabu, C.P. He worked with many directors like Jomon, Roy P. Thomas, Taha.
Film cut editing
It will take up to three months for the editing work of that day. After shooting 60,000 feet of film rolls, editing them down to 15,000 feet is a lot of work. It took all night work to complete the work by the release date. In the morning, reach the room to take a shower and eat.
From the lab, negative film reaches the editing studio as positive. Later, these are cut by looking at only the required parts and glued with a special machine. He still has the ‘splicer’ machine that was used for splicing film at that time.
In 1986, O.S. Madhavan became an independent film producer with the film ‘Katurumpinum Kathukuth’ directed by Girish. Subsequently, he became the editor of twenty-five films, including Mohanlal’s ‘Nadodi’. Madhavan retired from active film life with the film ‘Thekekara Superfast’ released in 2000.
Madhavan was born in 1945 to Pankunninair and Kalyanikutty in the house of Mangat at Trithala Mezhathur Irkupat. His wife is Prasanna. Children: Pramod, Prabitha, Prajita. Nephews: Vikram and Gopal.
Content Highlights: malayalam movie editor em madhavna’s life, em madhavan’s film career
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