Sometime this month, I’ll be interviewing Thota Tharani and I’m inviting you to join in this collaborative podcast. If you have any questions for him, please ask them in the comments section. I’ll pick up select questions and ask him on your behalf.

Here’s a little about the man.

Thota Tharani is an Indian Film Art Director and production designer. He is a recipient of the National Film Award for Best Art Direction. He is highly sought after in the South Indian film industry. He has won the award twice in 1989 and 1997. He has received the Padma Shri in 2001. Most recently, he is the art director of Sivaji: The Boss . He has been the art director for very well known India films from the ’50s till date.

Thota Tharani has been involved in the art of set design since he was just twelve when he helped his father. Be it the creation of a realistic set of the Dharavi Slums or the colourful transparent bus of Kaadhalan, Tharani succeeds in creating the right ambience and the right tone. His realistic sets for Nayakan are awe inspiring and the grandeur of the sets he created for Thiruda Thiruda or Mudalvan add to the flavour of the films.

Most recently, he was the art director of Sivaji: The Boss and Dasavatharam.

He has completed more than 100 feature films as a Set Designer and Art Director. His expertise in magnificent and larger than life sets has been well appreciated and awarded. With all his name and fame he still believes in designing on paper and is also very particular about designing on inch graph paper so that all the designs are on scale and can be easily erected.