Cinematic Engineering: How Visual Effects Define Director Shankar's Auteur Identity in Indian Cinema

In the transition of Indian cinema, auteurism is again asserting itself in the digital era, with visual effects (VFX) as an increasingly significant aspect of directorial vision. This study considers the work of director Shankar, a pioneer in Indian cinema, as he employs VFX in the two films examined here, Enthiran (2010) and 2.0 (2018), in a manner that is increasingly reminiscent of how Western directors have utilised this tool over the past several decades. This study does not consider the advancements in VFX in the context of increasing budgets and increasing payoffs at the box office. It looks instead at how these technological advancements have allowed director Shankar to carve out a distinctive auteur identity in Indian cinema. This study, from the perspective of Auteur Theory, regards director Shankar as a kind of digital auteur. The research argues that his techniques of narration go well beyond those of directors who use visual effects as something to wow the audience with. The study investigates key sequences in two of director Shankar's films, Enthiran (2010) and its sequel, 2.0 (2018), that are not just driven by visual effects but are also made meaningful through their use. The research contributes to a contemporaneous discourse on visual effects and the theories of authorship and uses those two topics to comment on contemporary Indian cinema. Keywords: Auteur Theory, Indian Cinema, Director Shankar, Visual Effects, Enthiran, 2.0, Digital Auteurism, Cinematic Identity