Satya Hegde looks back on 25 years in cinematography

He has shot some of the biggest Kannada hits in recent decades

Satya Hegde is a firm believer of spontaneity on the sets. A good scene is coming together of different creative energies and a cameraman can’t take exclusive credit for it, he says.

The ace cinematographer, who broke through with the blockbuster ‘Duniya’ (2007), has reached the milestone of 25 years in the Kannada film industry. Having begun as an assistant to renowned cinematographer BC Gowrishankar in 1995, Satya’s works were lauded in ‘Manasaare’ (2009), ‘Myna’ (2013), ‘Rhaate’ (2014), ‘Kendasampige’ (2015) and ‘Act 1978’ (2020).

Directors appreciate his out-of-the-box thinking and efficiency. In a free-wheeling chat with Showtime, Satya thanks his well-wishers in the industry. He sees the landmark as a start of a fresh journey and wants to work with new filmmakers. Excerpts:

How was it to work under seniors like Gowrishankar and Ashok Kashyap?

Gowri sir never had a complicated approach. He always gave value to story over spectacle. I learnt the art of simple lighting from him. Ashok Kashyap taught me to thrive in crisis. He was a master of shooting with minimal resources.

Describe the experience of filming ‘Duniya’.

‘Duniya’ was possible because of a passionate team. We had a director (Suri) who wanted to prove himself with his first film. Our hero (Vijay), after doing many trivial roles, was eager to show his abilities. After the failures of my first three films (‘Taali Kattuva Shubhavele’, ‘Yashwanth’ and ‘Masala’), I was desperate to exhibit my talent.

We took many risks that paid off. I dropped the idea of using a tripod and shot the entire film handheld. We showed the actors as they are and completely avoided make up. It wasn’t the digital era, so I had to be meticulous with my shots. Editor Deepu S Kumar and Suri cleverly used almost all the shots.

Songs in ‘Myna’, ‘Manasaare’ and ‘Inthi Ninna Preethiya’ look like visual poetry. How do you approach song-shooting?

Even if a film flops, people recognise the music and visuals of its songs. If you have a good budget, it’s natural to think of foreign locations. I always proposed an alternative plan of exploring places within Karnataka and creating magic in the songs. Luckily, people like Suri and Yogaraj Bhat had great patience for hunting locations. I am also lucky that I got good songs. It’s all about using the production design to good effect and blending the visuals with choreography.

You won the State award for your breathtaking cinematography in ‘Rhaate’. What are the challenges of shooting in the wild?

The biggest task while shooting in a forest is to break the monotony. After a couple of scenes, everything looks the same. So inside the forests, you need to
find new elements like a special tree or a waterfall or some objects
that can be incorporated into scenes.

‘Kendasampige’ had many terrific drone shots…

Till then, in Kannada cinema, we would get aerial views using helicopters. Since it was a road film I needed wow elements in it. It was expensive but Suri was interested as well. It was a drone customised by an engineering student and we got it late, after the shooting was over. Yet, we recreated the scenes using the drone. People loved them.

You have done seven films with Suri. Tell us about your rapport with him.

We love unconventional filmmaking. In ‘Duniya’, we created memorable scenes even in busy locations. In ‘Jackie’, we were successful in showing the star Puneeth Rajkumar as a common man. In ‘Kendasampige’, we wanted to work with the passion of newcomers, shedding the success tag. Hence, Suri chose a unique script with two rookie leads. Suri craves for freshness. For example, the way he looks at a graveyard is different from the rest of us and I like that attitude.