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Veteran Artist Thota Tharrani Honored with Prestigious French Award
15 Nov
Summary
- Veteran artist Thota Tharrani awarded French government's Chevalier de L'ordre des Arts et des Lettres
- Tharrani credits directors like Mani Ratnam and Priyadarshan for challenging his creativity
- Tharrani prefers traditional pencil-and-paper method over modern technology in production design
On November 15, 2025, veteran artist and production designer Thota Tharrani was conferred with the French government's prestigious Chevalier de L'ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters) award. Tharrani, who has worked on numerous acclaimed films, says the award is an encouragement for his dedicated work over the years.
In a recent interview, Tharrani discussed the evolution of production design in Indian cinema. He noted that while the term "production designer" became popular only in the last 5-10 years, art directors like him have always played a similar role. Tharrani also shared his preference for the traditional pencil-and-paper method, stating that he doesn't see modern technologies like AI as inherently good or bad, but rather as tools to enhance one's creativity.
Tharrani credited directors like Mani Ratnam and Priyadarshan for challenging his creativity and bringing out the best in his work. He also spoke about his recent art exhibition, which aimed to capture the behind-the-scenes workers and extras who bring cinema to life.
