For you ol’ friend

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Surya Prakash, one of AP’s most well-known artists, and Sisir Sahana have been friends for long. After watching Surya Prakash work for years, (Prakash is the resident artist at L.V. Prasad Eye Institute, and Sisir too had his studio there for years) Sisir asked him one day if he could make a film on him and the senior artist agreed.
Talking about the movie, Surya Prakash says, “It took two weeks to make the film. All the phases in my life and work were captured.” Incidentally, the entire crew of the film is from the institute.
They began shooting at Prakash’s village in Khammam district. “We hired a big van and travelled to my village. Before we reached I had requested my friends to help shortlist a few young boys and older men who could play me and my father in the film.” Interestingly the boy who was finally chosen for the part was interested in painting in real life too.
Once the village part was wrapped up, it was time to come back to the city and find a 17-year-old who could play the teenage Prakash. “Sisir found a boy at the institute itself, bought a simple white shirt, a pair of chappals and a cycle. Then they went to the old city to shoot scenes around the automobile junk sites, because I used to go there as a youngster and draw inspiration from all the parts lying there. I would paint them,” adds Surya Prakash. The film captures all these significant parts of Surya Prakash’s life.
One person he is particularly looking forward to meet in the US when they travel there is one Mrs Binder, a collector who bought his works in the 70s. “She and her husband bought my paintings 35 years ago,” says the artist.
Once back from the US, Surya Prakash will get busy painting a series of works dedicated to his recent holidays in Venice. “I have been to Venice two times in two years and wanted to paint a series based on my trips, but it was not happening. So, before I leave I want to finish all my pending work and even have five to six paintings ready to be sent to galleries, so that I can dedicate my time to my Venice series when I get back.”