TEACHERS AT KALEIDOSCOPE – WHAT DO THEY THINK?

By Milana Prakash (Team Creative)

As we take a trip down memory lane this week and revisit some of our favourite timeless classics, we decided to interview Ms. Lavanya Varadrajan, who is fondly known as Lavanya ma’am by her students at the BMM department. Lavanya ma’am, who was a student of Sophia herself, and an ardent film enthusiast, is known for her wit and impeccable sense of humour. Over a quick chat, we asked her the following questions and here’s what she had to say!

1) What are your favourite classics and why? 

A film I admire very much is ‘A Man Escaped’ (1956) by Robert Bresson. It is simple, quiet and spare, but achingly lovely. And it uses music very, very effectively. Also, ‘Do Bigha Zameen’ (1953) by Bimal Roy. We don't represent rural India with such dignity or pathos anymore.

2)  If you could star in your favourite film (Classics) whose role/what role would you want to play?

Balraj Sahni's turn in M. S. Sathyu's ‘Garam Hava’ was riveting, as was Naseeruddin Shah's performance in Sai Paranjpye's ‘Sparsh’; and of course Sanjeev Kumar in practically every film he did.

Another big whopper of a performance for me was Jim Carrey's in ‘Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind’, though the film doesn't qualify as a classic.

3) What do you think about Kscope as a fest?

I think it's a great opportunity for us to see the student workforce of the College shine. The campus just buzzes with excitement and purpose for a few weeks. Everyone looks busy and important!

4)  What is one Kscope Team you'd want to be a part of? (There are 21 teams in all that constitute the Kaleidoscope workforce).

I'd like to try my hand at all of them, truth be told. I wouldn't get very far with most, though.

While she never fails to impress us with her modesty, Lavanya ma’am sure has given us an absolutely intriguing set of films that one should definitely watch.