In an unprecedented move National-award winning sound designers Subhash Sahoo and Aloke De have decided to take legal action against a film critic for his supposedly defamatory remarks. Sahoo who has done the sound design of such important films as Vishal Bhardawaj’s Kaminey and Omkara as well as the sound of many films directed by Sudhir Mishra and produced by Karan Johar, and Alok De the National Award winning sound designer of Gangs Of Wasseypur, have decided to take stern legal action against the film critic of a Mumbai tabloid for what Sahoo thinks are deeply defamatory and ill-informed remarks. The offensive review of the film Koyelaanchal has the critic making this comment on the sound quality: “While the use of live (sync) sound is brave, nobody was hired to clean the ambience track. As a result, every indoor verbal exchange sounds like people chatting inside a cramped toilet.” Sahoo feels the remark casts serious aspersions on his abilities as a sound designer. “The critic is commenting on the film’s sync sound when the entire sound of the film including the dialogues and music is dubbed. It is very damaging. I’ve been getting anxious calls from fellow-technicians all day. The critic has written what he has without the least knowledge of sound technique. Should he commenting on the sound quality unless he is qualified to comment on technical aspects of a film? How can he comment on the technical aspect of cinema when he doesn’t know the difference between dubbed and sync sound? One can only break rules when one knows the rules.” Continues the fuming sound designer, “I’ve spent 20 years doing sound designing in the film industry after graduating from the Pune Film & Television Institute. I’ve received 2 National Awards, Filmfare and other awards. I head the Sound Association of Western India. I’ve worked in 75 feature films with 55 renowned directors. Out of these 35 films were done in a sync sound. Because of sound designers like Resul Pookutty, Nakul Kamte and I sync sound was recognized as a tenable technique in Indian cinema. How can someone who can’t tell the difference between sync sound and a dubbed soundtrack comment on my work?” Subhash Sahoo feels it’s time for film criticism in India to get more informed. “Or otherwise don’t comment on technical aspects. If you do please ensure you know what you are talking about. Or else face legal consequences.”