Over the last two decades, cinematographer Sudeep Chatterjee has lensed some of the most breathtaking films to have come out of India. Known for his frequent collaborations with Sanjay Leela Bhansali, ranging from Bajirao Mastani (for which he won a National Award ), Sudeep is a master when it comes to captivating visual swings, always in full harmony with the director's style. (Also read: Exclusive interview | Anik Dutta on Aparajito winning 2 National Awards: ‘One would not be overjoyed.
..’ ) In this exclusive interview after being appointed as New Cinema EOS Ambassador for Canon, the ace cinematographer spoke about his creative choices, growing up in a Bengali household in Kolkata, having concerns with Dhoom 3 , and his deep love for still photography.
Excerpts. So much of your work is completely in sync with the vision of the director. Where does your creative process begin from the script stage? Even before reading the script, I first think of the film when I get a call from the director and we meet.
When he tells me about the film. It is not a narration, but an introduction where you get a very strong idea about what kind of film he wants to make. That becomes a very strong core to fall back upon.
Because initially there are certain things he stresses upon, which become a guideline for me. Eventually I rely a lot on that interaction with that director because it is very important that I bring his vision to life. Then the next stage is reading the script.
This is whe.