Of late, people look beyond actors and are aware and appreciative of the technicians working in a film," Sabu Cyril says. "I remember watching, as a college student, a film called Raja Paarvai [produced by Kamal Haasan]. It was very good aesthetically. Then I heard my seniors talking about the film, as it was different from the normal Tamil films. We learnt that the art director of the film was Thotta Tharani.

"I am an art director because of Thotta Tharani, who is 10 years senior to me. Now, we have become competitors," he smiles.

In the picture: Sabu Cyril's work