As the largest film industry, Bollywood is attracting international cinematographers
Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara was shot by Spanish cinematographer Carlos Catalan (below)
Remember the road trip that Hritihik Roshan, Abhay Deol and Farhan Akhtar embark upon in 'Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara' (2011)?
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The charm of the Spanish countryside, the fun of smashing tomatoes at the La Tomatina festival, the drive through long winding roads and the adrenaline rush during the bull run gave us new vacation goals. This stunning imagery was captured by Spanish cinematographer Carlos Catalan, who first came to India to shoot Zoya Akhtar’s debut film, 'Luck By Chance' (2009). The cameraman has since become a regular part of her crew.
Large influx
An increasing number of international cinematographers are being hired to work on Bollywood films. This influx is not surprising. As the largest film industry in the world, it is natural for Bollywood to attract talent from all over. “The scale of a Bollywood film is huge. All the years that I spent in this industry have pushed me to the limit and taught me something new,” says Catlan.
Polish cinematographer Pawel Dyllus is the director of photography of Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s Mirzya
While there is no dearth of good cameramen in India, a lot of directors feel that a foreign eye always brings in a fresh view. Debutant director Shujaat Saudagar, who is currently busy with his upcoming film, Rock On 2, hired the services of Belgian cinematographer Marc Koninckx, who had earlier worked with Bharat Bala on Maryan (2013). Saudagar says, “An international director of photography (DOP) comes with new ideas and sees things in a different perspective. They look at India with a fresh eye. We shot most of our film in the northeast and wanted to capture its essence in its natural form.” Koninckx adds, “If an Indian DOP comes to Paris, he will capture the beauty of the city like no other French cameraman, as he is new to the environment and doesn’t set any restriction around his vision. When I came to India to shoot for Rock On 2, I knew that the film was about rock music and songs are an essential part of Indian films. To shoot the songs, understanding the music culture and capturing the beautiful landscape was an immersing experience.”
Rock On 2 has Belgian cinematographer Marc Koninckx
Director Shakun Batra, too, recently worked with American cinematographer Jeffery F Bierman in Kapoor & Sons says, “There was no conscious decision to hire an international DOP. I was in touch with a lot of local cinematographers, but we weren’t able to work out the dates. I had seen Jeffery’s work and contacted him. Once we sat together, I thought he could understand my vision. My brief to him was simple: that I wanted to capture all the characters without over-dramatising them and he did a brilliant job with it.”
Grabbing the opportunity
Swedish cinematographer Sophie Winqvist, who worked on the Bipasha Basu-starrer Aatma (2013), has an Indian connect, which encouraged her to work on a Bollywood film. Her mother worked in an NGO in Tamil Nadu and once she visited her, she fell in love with the place. In 2004, she worked as an assistant in 'Dil Jo Bhi Kahey' (starring Amitabh Bachchan) in Stockholm, where she became friends with cinematographer Binod Pradhan and other crew members. "After working on the film, I came to Mumbai and stayed for five months. During that time, I worked on a short film and visited a few film shoots. The city fascinated me and I kept coming back. Later, a friend showed a music video I had shot to director Suparn Verma, who contacted me, and that’s how I became a part of Aatma and Bollywood," says Winquist from Sweden.
Swedish cinematographer Sophie Winqvist worked on Bipasha Basu-starrer Aatma
Adjusting to Indian sensibilities
For Koninckx, understanding the culture on the sets of Rock On 2 was more important than anything else. "The cast and crew of the film made it easy for me. I never felt like an outsider and even language was never a barrier. In fact, I speak a little Hindi now," he quips.
Winqvist says the biggest takeaway of working on a Bollywood film was learning to do jugaad. "There were times when I would be stressed, but everyone in the crew would say, 'Ho jayega madam. Tension mat lo. Kuch jugaad kar lenge’. I had to let go of a lot of control and learn to laugh when things constantly changed. I still have my beloved studio in Bandra and miss being there as well as my friends."
The flipside
While a lot of foreign technicians easily adapt to Indian ways of working, some still find it difficult. Polish cinematographer Pawel Dyllus, who worked as a cinematographer on Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s upcoming film Mirzya, says it was initially tough for him to settle down in an alien environment. "In the last three years, I barely spent around six months in Poland. I was either working in Armenia or in India. So, I was hardly in touch with my family. At times, I really felt homesick."
Dyllys adds that with time, one learns to settle down. "Every film comes with its own sets of issues and you have to learn to deal with it. I like to be in an action and every film is a big adventure for me."
"For most of us, it is the opportunity,” says Koninckx. It’s a competitive market and it isn’t easy to get a break in Bollywood. It’s a great place for us to work and learn as I would have never got this kind of experience back home.”
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