Sukanya Verma in Mumbai
Some movies are like a neatly wrapped present. Gorgeous and full of mystery.
There's a catch too: a disappointing possibility that you'll not like the contents. Still, what the heck, oh how beautiful it looks?
Similarly, 2010 boasted of some exceptionally good-looking Hindi films. Here's the cream of the crop.
Raavan
Director of Photography: Santosh Sivan and V Manikandan
You don't need to be 'Dus sar wala' to appreciate the surreal quality of Raavan's lyrical, sheer, watery visuals. Too bad Mani Ratnam's overbearingly theatrical attempt to draw a contemporary distinction of good from evil through the parallels of a mythological villain failed to evoke the same reaction.
Guzaarish
Image: A scene from GuzaarishDirector of Photography: Sudeep Chaterjee
Even his worst critic will admit that Sanjay Leela Bhansali brings certain artistic allure to his creations. There's much to treat the eyes with in his recent offering, Guzaarish, right from the lovingly lit frames in hues of black, blueand red to the infectious energy radiating out of Hrithik Roshan's glassy eyes and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's plum lips.
Anjaana Anjaani
Image: A scene from Anjaana AnjaaniDirector of Photography: Ravi K Chandran
One can rely on Ravi K Chandran to make even the most mundane look marvelous through his lens. So imagine what he'll do if the locations are as fancy as New York, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and San Francisco?
After filming the somber textures of My Name is Khan across the changing landscapes of the United States, the resourceful cinematographer returns to infuse dynamism into this humdrum romance featuring big-screen hotties -- Ranbir Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra. The results are sharp, stunning and oh-so-slick.
Kites
Image: A scene from KitesDirector of Photography: Ayananka Bose
Considering the lavish scale of Rakesh Roshan's Kites, it's only fair the film should look like a million bucks too. And thanks to Bose and Basu (Anurag), it does.
Basu's vision, Bose's execution and Hrithik Roshan and Barbara Mori's collective magnetism against majestic locales or dramatic interiors is much too attractively packaged to go unnoticed.
Aisha
Image: A scene from AishaDirector of Photography: Deigo Rodriguez
Trendy clothes, stylish ladies, hip hairstyles, glossy make-up, straight out ofcatalogue furniture, sprawling bungalows, Aisha's label fetish makes Jane Austen's elegant picnic parties look pale in comparison. Everything is impeccably fashionable andcrammed with eye-candy in this Sonam Kapoor-led chick flick.
Karthik Calling Karthik
Image: A scene from Karthik Calling KarthikDirector of Photogrpahy: Sanu Varghese
If it's Farhan Akhtar, it's got to look cool and happening. Whether he's behind the lens or facing it, FA aspires to lend a crisp and detailed appearance to hisurban stories. And so whether it's office, mall, home or outdoors, everything's just picture-perfect about this mild thriller.
Once Upon A Time in Mumbaai
Image: A scene from Once Upon A Time in MumbaaiDirector of Photography: Aseem Mishra
Retro in tone and texture, Milan Luthria's OUATIM aims to recreate the dramatichighs and kitschy sentimentality of the 1970s. And because it achieves that gripping, glazed effect without adopting the in-your-face approach of say, Action Replayy, more power to lens man Aseem Mishra.
I Hate Luv Storys
Image: I Hate Luv StorysDirector of Photography: Ayananka Bose
Lovely young folk squabble and smile over matters of the heart while working onan equally rosy reel romance set in up-market Mumbai and breathtaking New Zealand. It's a Karan Johar movie; it's designed to look great. And so DOP Bose seizes the trappings of a pretty, lightweight romance with his luminous lighting to highlight Imran and Sonam's super fresh screen presence.
Band Baaja Baarat
Image: Movie poster of Band Baaja BaaratDirector of Photography: Aseem Mishra
The LED lights probably pinched most of the budget set aside for BBB given the dazzling light-works and splatter of rich colours spend all their screen time lending electric glamour to the numerous wedding celebrations staged within this breezy Yash Raj flick.
Tees Maar Khan
Image: A scene from Tees Maar KhanDirector of Photography: P S Vinod
If there's one filmmaker who understands showmanship in its traditional most sense it's Farah Khan.
As in her previous works, Tees Maar Khan too bears the sprightly lady's stamp as she splashes the screen with high-contrast colours and larger-than-life ambiance around the chutzpah and charisma of Akshay Kumar's titular hero to contest Katrina's first-of-its-kind oomph.
Comment
article