The audience watches a film for its appeal, for the entertainment, to delve into a completely different realm and get absorbed into it and in doing so, one forgets about the goings on in his or her own life. That’s the beauty of cinema. While some films are just made for the sake of entertainment and nothing much should be made out of them, there are others who have a deep meaning entrenched in them that allows the views to be captivated into its world and experience a wholesome immersion into a time and space that catapults one’s being into a frenzy known to film enthusiasts alone.
Any film good or bad is not just because of the actor, there are many other heroes behind the camera who toil day and night to make it what it is. Be it the director, the cinematographer, the art director, the sound recordist, the gaffer, the focus puller, the story, script and dialogue writer so on and so forth. It wouldn’t at all be an exaggeration to state that all of them are visionaries in their own right. Nandan Lawande is one such radical cinematographer who is making waves in the tinsel town. Although quite new in the block, Lawande is making his presence felt with his award winning visuals that have captivated the audiences worldwide.
Lawande who is currently based in Los Angeles, California had his roots in Goa, India. With a keen eye for stunning visuals, he pursued cinematography and gained quite the expertise in lighting, composition and movement. And equipped with this knack of his, he went on to work on some high-profile projects which made the top filmmakers and musicians and brands sit up and notice.
This paved the way for his collaboration with the cream of the industry.
Characterised by its bold language, emotional depth and technical precision Lawande’s work adapts seamlessly to different genres, whether it is a feature film, a foot tapping music video or luxury brand commercials. His sheer pledge to craft visually compelling narratives has already carved him a strong position in the cut throat world of Hollywood cinematography.
Some of his projects include – “Processing Charlie” which is a strikingly arresting black and white feature film that demonstrates Lawande’s use of light and shadow to drive emotional depth.
“Vande Bharat Via America” is another one of his upcoming project that stars Malhar Thakkar in the lead and has been extensively shot in Los Angeles. The film is set to have a worldwide theatrical release in June 2025. The music video “Tell Me” shot by Lawande that features Karan Aujla, One Republic and Bollywood actress Disha Patani has garnered millions of views worldwide and is also currently trending on YouTube globally.
The young cinematographer has already managed to leave an indelible mark in the world of commercials with his creation of multiple adverts for global skincare brands.
Nandan’s incredible journey from indie films to international success is nothing short of inspiring. With the number of film projects lined up for him in the United States of America as a cinematographer, he will surely prove to be a force that would shape and transform the face of visual storytelling on a global scale.
