Cause and special effects
Life of Pi is a visual treat. The scenes of a thunderstorm in the middle of the sea and a ferocious tiger roaring with a life-like quality made for a spectacular moviegoing experience. But would it have been the same without 3D technology? Are real-life effects merely adding value to the plot or taking over the plot itself?
And, with the hype surrounding the alleged 3D releases of Dhoom 3 and Prabhu Deva’s dance flick ABCD, are fans more excited about seeing their favourite stars on screen or seeing them with real-life proximity?
Ang Lee for one, though new to the concept, was very sure of making Life of Pi in 3D. “When I proposed the idea to the producers, they said that it was going to be a rather expensive affair, but I am glad we went ahead with it and I believe it has been worth every single penny. The story of the movie was such that it lent itself to a 3D experience. The lashing of the waves, the thunder and lightning would just not be the same without the effects. It made the experience a lot more engaging and interactive,” says the filmmaker.
“Movies with special effects deserve to be watched in 3D as it really does make a lot of difference. But our problem is that we have on an average, over 900 theatres and only 70 are compatible with 3D technology. We need more screens for this,” says G. Dhananjayan, Chief of South Business, Disney UTV Studios.
Vikram Bhatt, who prides himself on being the one who re-introduced Indian cinema to 3D after its long-drawn sabbatical post-Chota Chetan, says that it definitely attracts a larger audience. Vikram who has made 3D films like Haunted, Dangerous Ishq and Raaz 3 in recent times has always admitted to making all-out entertainers and affirms that the effects are here to stay. “Neither of the 3D movies that I made were very high budget. But they managed to pull in crowds due to their life-like effects,” he says.
However, not everybody has a similar story to share. Shirish Kunder’s Joker met a disastrous fate at the box office and he blames it partially on the technological backwardness. Shirish says, “The effects played a huge part in the story-telling. If one part fails, it reflects poorly on the rest of the movie.”
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