“On the sets of Kantara : Chapter 1, I realised we were in the presence of something greater,” says cinematographer Arvind Kashyap 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.