On Kantara's set, I felt forces greater than us: Cinematographer Arvind Kashyap

"On the sets of : Chapter 1, I realised we were in the presence of something greater,” says cinematographer about working on the much-anticipated Rishab Shetty starrer. Admitting that he was once the quintessential urban-bred boy, indifferent to rituals and faith, he notes, “Kantara was a turning point — I realised some experiences go beyond logic and explanation.” In a chat with us, Arvind opens up about the surreal experience of filming Kantara: Chapter 1, witnessing Rishab Shetty in action, and more.

‘EVENTS ON SET TURNED ME FROM ATHEIST TO BELIEVER’
Recalling his time on the sets, Arvind describes experiences that went far beyond filmmaking. “There was always a palpable energy on set. Every shoot began with prayers and rituals, though at first I didn’t fully grasp their importance. Then something unusual happened. While filming at a particular location, I injured my right leg. I brushed it off as a coincidence until it happened again. Soon, I realised that every single time we shot there, the same leg was hurt. We consulted a religious expert, who revealed that the place was a sacred naga sthana (snake grove). He explained that the energy flow was being disrupted, and since I was capturing the visuals, I was bearing the impact. He advised me to offer prayers, assuring the deity we meant no harm. From then on, our shoots went smoothly. There were other incidents, too. During intense sequences, lights would suddenly shatter and equipment would fail until prayers were performed. It felt like unseen forces were reminding us of a power far greater than ours,” he says. “Even with Kantara: Chapter 1, we’ve been extremely careful. We’ve shot in uncharted locations, often where wild animals roam freely. With a large crew, the risks were many, but I feel it was the divine that kept watch over us. I now know there are forces the human mind cannot fully comprehend,” he says.
‘AUDIENCES WILL FEEL THE POWER OF STORIES THAT GO BEYOND CINEMA’
For Arvind, watching Rishab in action, both behind and in front of the camera, was an unforgettable experience. “The Kantara world is something everyone is looking forward to. But Rishab told us right at the start that we must not let people’s expectations get into our heads — we had to work as though it was any other film. As a director, he is completely in command, and handling thousands of hands on set is no easy task. As an actor, in a film that isn’t conventional and demands such intense energies, Rishab is something else. I feel lucky that I was the first to witness the sheer magic that takes over when he gets into the skin of the character. It happened during the last 20 minutes of the first Kantara, and now with Chapter 1, you’ll see that magic unfold again. Yes, the scale has grown bigger, but the challenge was to keep it rooted and relatable. Rishab has pulled off something unparalleled, and all those 20-hour workdays now feel worth it,” he adds.

‘AUDIENCES DON’T CARE ABOUT THE SCALE OF A FILM; THEY WANT TO LAUGH, CRY, AND BE AWED TOGETHER’
Now, looking back at his journey between Kantara and its upcoming Chapter 1, Arvind shares, “I’ve worked on all kinds of films, and Kantara has been my biggest yet. But in between the first film and Chapter 1, I did a small and fun flick called Hostel Hudugru, which became a runaway hit. That experience reinforced one thing — scale doesn’t matter. What the audience truly seeks is a community experience.” He adds, “Audiences want to sing, dance, cry, clap their hands and be awed together. All they need are stories that move them. Offers have come in other languages too, and I recently worked on a Malayalam film starring Prithviraj. When I started, I was just happy to have a camera in hand. Today, the best cameras in the world have been at my disposal. That journey alone has reinforced my faith in manifestation.”