‘When
a
film
goes
beyond
the
specified
level
of
audio
standards,
it
starts
affecting
the
psychological
behaviour
of
the
audience.’
Suriya
in
Kanguva.
The
Suriya
starrer
Kanguva
has
been
receiving
a
a
lot
of
backlash
regarding
its
sound
levels.
Even
the
actor’s
wife
Jyothika
admitted
that
the
sound
was
‘jarring’.
The
film
has
since
corrected
its
sound
levels,
but
Oscar-winning
Sound
Designer
Resul
Pookutty
tells
Subhash
K
Jha,
“We
have
to
give
the
audience
an
emotional
ride,
not
a
physically
hurtful
experience.”
A
sizeable
section
of
the
audience
find
the
sound
level
of
Kanguva
and
Matka
to
be
intolerable.
I
have
not
seen
either
film,
so
I
can’t
comment.
I’m
busy
making
Pushpa:
The
Rule
an
earful
experience.
The
feedback
that
is
coming
on
social
media
about
the
loudness
of
these
films
are
unwelcome
for
any
sound
designer.
Why
do
you
say
that?
We
work
under
tremendous
pressure
with
little
time
to
explore
the
possibilities
of
our
craft.
What
is
happening
is
unfair
to
us
as
a
community
and
to
the
audience
at
large.
When
a
film
goes
beyond
the
specified
level
of
audio
standards,
it
starts
affecting
the
psychological
behaviour
of
the
audience.
Please
explain.
A
person,
who
has
a
migraine
for
example,
will
have
a
terrible
time
or
one
who
has
tinnitus
will
have
no
choice
but
to
walk
out
if
the
sound
level
is
too
high.
Film-makers
should
know
fans
will
come
and
go,
the
audience
will
stay
forever.
It
is
their
responsibility
to
give
the
audience
visual
and
auditory
experiences
that
are
pleasurable.
Allu
Arjun
in
Pushpa:
The
Rule.
What
are
the
permissible
levels
of
sound
for
cinema?
There
are
Dolby
standard
levels
and
spectrum
that
we
work
on
when
we
mix
films.
There
are
specific
norms
and
auditory
curves
that
we
are
supposed
to
follow
so
that
we
don’t
hurt
audiences’
ears.
Each
film
would
have
its
aural
requirements?
Exactly.
Having
said
this,
each
film
will
have
its
own
demands,
it
all
depends
on
the
narrative
graph
of
every
film.
What
are
the
cutoff
points
for
the
sound
decibel
in
cinema?
85
db
SPL
at
maximum
levels.
But
the
overall
sound
levels
in
films
these
days
go
as
loud
as
100
db,
which
hits
the
threshold
of
hearing.
Technicality
aside,
shouldn’t
film-makers
be
mindful
of
sound
levels?
Absolutely.
We
have
to
give
the
audience
an
emotional
ride,
not
a
physically
hurtful
experience.
