Editor Kishore: A Passionate Journey in Film Editing
Editor Kishore, He studied Visual Communication at Loyola College due to his deep interest in keyboard music playing. His music master suggested him to pursue Visual Communication, leading him to choose the field. During his first year, he started taking videos and editing them by himself, which helped him gain knowledge and develop an interest in editing. Which started as fun soon turned into a passion. He also began editing for his college mates.
In his second year, he started an internship and, upon completing college, immediately joined as an assistant editor for T.S. Suresh. Over time, he worked on 10 films under Sureshʼs guidance. Kishore handled most of the films, and his last project with Suresh was “Inam.ˮ Recognizing his talent, Suresh encouraged Kishore to work independently, giving him the confidence to do so.
After stepping out on his own, Kishore began working on short films and later worked on his first feature film, “Nisaptham.ˮ He acknowledges Sreekar Prasad, the renowned Indian film editor, as his mentor. Although he never directly worked with him, Sreekar Prasad greatly influenced his career, and Kishore occasionally worked on trailer cuts for Prasadʼs films.
Actor Siddharth approached Sreekar Prasad for an assistant for his film, and Kishore was recommended. He then met director Milan and actor Siddharth, who were both impressed by his work. This led to Kishore working on the horror film “Aval,ˮ which he considers his breakthrough. He describes “Avalˮ as a technically brilliant film and a great experience in the horror genre.
He had known Kiruthiga Udhayanidhi since the Vanakkam Chennai days, where he worked as an associate editor on the project. Director Kiruthiga Udhayanidhi approached him for a music video project. From there, his journey with Kiruthiga Udhayanidhi began. This collaboration led to him editing the movie “Kaali,ˮ starring Vijay Antony. He also worked on “Paper Rocketˮ and “Kadhalikka Neramillai,ˮ featuring Ravi Mohan. He continues to collaborate with Kiruthiga Udhayanidhi on an upcoming big project, which will be officially announced soon.
Kishore has continued working with Milan, and after “Aval,ˮ they worked together on “Netrikannˮ and the “Villageˮ series. His experience working on the Village series was a completely new learning experience. He highlights that Milan always strives for unique storytelling and puts great effort into delivering something fresh to audiences.
Currently, Kishore is working on a Hindi series for Amazon Prime and collaborating with Don Pictures, led by Atleeʼs assistant. Discussions are also ongoing for a Malayalam film. It took four years for him to establish himself solidly in the film industry. Even though his home is in Perambur, he rarely visits, spending most of his time at the office, handling 4 to 5 films simultaneously.
He also worked with Santosh Sivan on few projects. Kishore graduated from Loyola College in 2010 and worked as an assistant editor until 2015. In 2016, he edited his first film independently. Recognizing his talent, Santhosh Sivan encouraged Kishore to work independently.
As a child, he didnʼt watch many movies, sticking to Doordarshan and Podhigai. His first theatrical experience was watching “Padayappa.ˮ However, his interest in films grew once he started college, particularly after becoming an assistant editor. Now, watching films has become an essential part of his life.
His inspiration is Sreekar Prasad, whom he considers his mentor. Kishore admires Prasadʼs work ethic and dedication, stating that he still shares a great bond with him.
He emphasizes that patience is essential in editing. Not everyone can become an editor without effort, hard work, and determination. He advises aspiring editors to enter the field only if they have a genuine passion for it. Editing requires keen attention to detail, ensuring each scene is perfect and impresses the director.
According to him, editing defines a filmʼs outcome. While scripts and direction bring a story to life, editing demands the most effort to perfect it. He believes that an editor must play with characters, enhance scenes, and sometimes turn a poorly shot scene into a seamless one. While AI can perform basic tasks like copy pasting, a dedicated editor can bring out the best in a film by refining every second with passion and patience.
Kishore also edited the film “10 Hours,ˮ starring Sibi Sathyaraj, which received great appreciation. His work was widely recognized, and many directors personally praised him for his skills. He considers this film one of his most cherished projects.
We noticed a tattoo on his hand that says ‘mom’ and were curious about its significance. Clearly, he loves his mom—as do we all. He lost her in 2016 due to cancer, and she was the one who encouraged him to pursue editing in the film industry, a field that was completely foreign to their family background.
Editing is a time-intensive process, requiring countless hours of reworking and fine-tuning. Even after finishing a project, changes are often needed later. Some films demand last-minute editing magic, as seen in “Kadhalikka Neramillai,ˮ where edits were made just before the release. Kishoreʼs upcoming film is a romantic comedy with a beautiful script, but he remains secretive about the cast and details.
He describes “Kadhalikka Neramillaiˮ as a deep, meaningful story where every scene holds significance. He strongly believes that only a female director can portray female characters with such power. He also praises Kiruthiga Udhayanidhi for her humility and openness to creative input.
Sometimes what you write on paper does not work out at the edit stage. This the fun part. Shaping the narrative, joining the dots, bringing all the arcs together. “Everybody wants to direct. Everyone wants to act, but not everyone wants to edit! Editing is a rigorous process” – Kishore Stated
Additionally, Kishore has had the honor of working with A.R. Rahman, describing him as a legend. He admires Rahmanʼs dedication to music and how he meticulously provides notes for every sceneʼs track. This experience was incredibly inspiring for Kishore, reinforcing his passion for filmmaking.
He speaks in detail about his journey, emphasizing that hard work, patience, and passion are the keys to success in the editing field.
