{
  "id": 16143418,
  "title": "Sriram Raghavan at SCREEN Academy Masterclass: ‘Film logic and cinema logic are different’",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/23/sriram-raghavan-at-screen-academy-masterclass-film-logic-and-cinema",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-23T02:51:08.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Indian Express",
    "slug": "the-indian-express",
    "url": "https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/sriram-raghavan-screen-academy-masterclass-cinema-agent-vinod-ek-hasina-thi-10932592/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Sriram Raghavan, the celebrated Indian filmmaker, imparted his wisdom on the art of crafting thrillers during a masterclass at the SCREEN Academy in Mumbai. The event, organized by The Indian Express Group and SCREEN, aimed to identify and nurture the next generation of Indian filmmakers and storytellers.\n\nRaghavan, known for his work on thrillers like Ek Hasina Thi and Johnny Gaddaar, recounted a piece of advice he received from his first producer, Ram Gopal Varma, while working on his 2004 directorial debut. Varma, who had previously worked with Raghavan, told him, \"Just shoot it convincingly,\" when Raghavan was grappling with the challenge of executing a climactic twist and changing the setting of the film.\n\nRaghavan elaborated on the difference between \"film logic\" and \"cinema logic,\" stating that while convincing oneself is the hardest part, once convinced, the audience can be convinced as well. He also shared that Kundan Shah, a veteran filmmaker and his senior at the Film Institute of India (FTII) Pune, had advised him to imbue the lifeless plot of his 2007 sophomore directorial, Johnny Gaddaar, with the essence of life.\n\nAnother notable instance was the creation of the iconic single-take action sequence in Agent Vinod, featuring Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor. Raghavan, inspired by John Woo's technique in Hard Boiled, shot the sequence as a single take to reinvigorate his crew. Despite the film receiving mixed reviews, Raghavan emphasized that the song \"Raabta\" was a highlight.\n\nRaghavan cautioned aspiring filmmakers against relying solely on star power for casting and warned them to avoid overusing pop culture references, which he deemed a logistical nightmare. He advocated for focusing on the actor's interest and suitability for the role instead.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}