‘Whatever
he
has
shot
or
directed
and
left
with
us
over
the
last
few
decades
have
so
much
depth
and
emotion
that
we
can
cherish
them
for
generations
to
come.’
Mohanlal
in
Shaji
N
Karun’s
Vanaprastham,
which
was
edited
by
A
Sreekar
Prasad.
With
Shaji
N
Karun’s
passing
on
April
28,
it
almost
seems
that
an
era
has
come
to
an
end.
His
colleagues
describe
the
master
film-maker
and
cinematographer
as
‘tremendous
artist
of
a
very
high
order‘.
Accomplished
Film
Editor
A
Sreekar
Prasad
worked
with
Shaji
Karun
on
various
occasions,
and
tells
Subhash
K
Jha,
“The
best
part
of
his
story-telling
was
the
subtext
and
the
metaphors
he
brought
in
organically
in
his
films.”
How
would
you
evaluate
Shaji
N
Karun’s
contribution
to
Indian
cinema?
Shaji
Karun
was
such
an
inspiration
to
me,
not
only
in
the
way
he
made
his
films
but
the
way
he
looked
at
the
cinema
as
such
an
artistic
expression.
How
long
had
you
known
him?
I
had
known
him
for
25
years,
ever
since
I
edited
his
film
Vanaprastham.
I
have
continued
to
be
a
part
of
his
cinematic
journey
until
he
left
us.
He
has
been
a
mentor,
friend
and
well
wisher
to
me.
Shaji
N
Karun
watches
a
film.
Photograph:
Kind
courtesy
Shaji
N
Karun/X
How
was
he
on
a
personal
level?
He
was
such
a
soft-spoken
man
that
people
could
hardly
hear
his
voice
while
working.
Many
a
time
when
we
were
editing,
I
could
understand
his
mind
and
wavelength
but
his
own
assistants
would
sometimes
not
hear
his
soft-spoken
words.
I
had
to
brief
them
sometimes.
He
was
so
gentle
in
the
way
he
communicated.
But
in
filmmaking,
every
shot
or
detail
had
so
much
to
say.
What
according
to
you
made
Shaji
Karun
a
storytelling
genius?
The
best
part
of
his
story-telling
was
the
subtext
and
the
metaphors
he
brought
in
organically
in
his
films.
How
closely
did
you
work
with
him?
We
used
to
think
alike,
that
cinema
was
an
art
and
that
artistic
expression
would
remain
in
history
for
perpetuity.
That
is
why
films
had
to
be
made
with
a
view
that
it
could
be
watched
over
years
and
decades
like
books
or
paintings
and
not
just
entertain
for
a
few
days
only.
His
visual
sense
was
such
a
blessing
to
watch,
it
is
sad
that
he
is
no
more.
I
had
always
wished
that
he
made
more
films
in
his
lifetime.
But
whatever
he
has
shot
or
directed
and
left
with
us
over
the
last
few
decades
have
so
much
depth
and
emotion
that
we
can
cherish
them
for
generations
to
come.
