“My dream is to come up with an Oscar award winning film in Hindi or Marathi as a Director or a DOP”

“My dream is to come up with an Oscar award winning film in Hindi or Marathi as a Director or a DOP”

TUSHAR VIBHUTE tells JYOTHI VENKATESH

Believe it or not, Tushar Vibhute, the shy and introvert cinematographer, as he likes to call himself, had made his debut way back in 2003 with the Marathi film Vachanbadh, but has been a cameraman in just 5 films in a span of 30 years ever since he had embarked on his career as an assistant cinematographer in the film industry.

“The reason for my poor score of just five films in a span of eighteen years since I had made by debut as a DOP in the industry, because of my simple way of life. I did not aim to manipulate my way through to camps, bitch about my colleagues or crush others to realize my lofty ambitions or usurp other DOP’s assignments and was always happy with whatever I was ordained to achieve.”

Tushar Vibhute confesses that it took him a long time to turn independent as a DOP. It was difficult in those good old days to make a mark as an independent DOP after being an assistant to bigwigs among the DOPs and he did not want to turn an independent DOP "unless and until" he was able to learn the craft fully on the sets.

Tushar Vibhute explains that in those days to become a DOP in the film industry independently, one had to pass out from ‘FTII’ by doing a course for three years in ‘Motion Picture Photography’ or be a ‘graduate from J J School of Art’ and be proficient in photography, but in order to enroll in ‘FTII’ for the course one had to learn Physics and chemistry in the 10^th as well as 12^th standard (HSC). But Tushar had absolutely no interest  in learning neither Physics nor for that matter Chemistry and hence decided to join the ‘J. J School of Art’ in Mumbai itself, where he had passed out with ‘A grade’ marks in the final examination in 1990.

Devdas Bhandare was an assistant art director in films in Mumbai and it helped him a lot that he happened to be a good friend of his and even today continues to be one and hence Tushar Vibhute was able to get a break as an assistant cameraman with Ashokji Gunjal in the Aamir Khan, Rajnikant starrer Aatank Hi Aatank since Devdas had spoken about Tushar with Ashokji in 1990. “I began as an assistant with Ashokji Gunjal and later on with his son Rajeshji Gunjal too", Tushar quips.

Tushar Vibhute, who says that both Ashokji as well as Rajeshji are not alive today, was advised by Ashokji. “Look at my son Rajesh, He is doing well. So do not waste time and energy to pursue study of Cinematography at the Film & Television Institute of India, in Pune.” Tushar Vibhute assisted Ashokji Gunjal in films like Aatank Hi Aatank and Hasti.  

After Ashokji Gunjal passed away, I started assisting Rajeshji Gunjal. At that time, Rajeshji was assisting to Binodji Pradhan & Pramodji Pradhan. And he used to take me along to the shootings of Binodji’s, Promodji’s films. And when Rajeshji passed away all of a sudden, Tushar Vibhute joined DOP Karimji Khatri as his assistant.Tushar Vibhute had assisted Karimji  in films like Border, LOC Kargil,  Binani Hove To Aisi(Rajasthani film), Chand Sa Roshan Chehra, and Shabnam Mausi.

Says Tushar Vibhute, “I was fortunate enough to have worked as an assistant with Binodji in films like Kareeb,  Mission Kashmir, Puli (Telugu), and Delhi 6. And With Pramodji, I worked in films like Chain Khuli Ki Main Khuli and Chor Aur Chand.”

To cut the ten years story short, Tushar at last made his debut as a independent DOP with the Marathi film Vachanbadh, produced and directed by Tapan Das, as he had worked as an assistant DOP on the sets of his earlier Marathi film Sangharsh Jeevanacha. Unfortunately for Tushar, though Tapan had also made the Hindi version of the same film- Waqt Karta Jo Wafa, it could not be released due to various reasons.

Tushar Vibhute has vivid memories of his stint with the film Singh Is Bling. “I worked as an operative cameraman in Singh Is Bling with DOP Dudley Sir. With other things, I learn from Dudley Sir on how to play with BLACKS in FRAME”.      

Tushar continues. “I always do my work very diligently for each and every frame thoroughly and ensure finally after D.I. (digital color grading) it appears perfect in every respect. Look here. I am not at all egoistic as a DOP. I have never sought after work. I come from a very simple home and I do not know how to tom- tom about myself or my work. It was Ashokji who taught me my craft. I was basically groomed by him when I was a raw newcomer while his son Rajeshji taught me a lot of nuances about lighting as such, like what exactly is source light and what exactly is soft light” and I am grateful to them".

Which are the five films in which you had done as an independent DOP? I ask Tushar Vibhute. Without batting his eye lids or trying to remember, Tushar replies. “As I said, it is 30 years since I had entered the film industry as an assistant cameraman. I have done films like Vachanbadh, Makdacha Lagna, Shahid Bhai Kotwal all in Marathi, &Waqt Karta Jo Wafa, and Dhaara in Hindi as DOP, and as an Operative CameramanSaanjh Parva (Marathi) and Singh Is Bling in Hindi.

Says Tushar Vibhute modestly, “Karimji taught me how to hold the meter & read the meter and its calculations. “From Binodji learn precise light placements, & how to maintain the light.  Binodji & Promodji are perfectionists to the core.  I learnt a lot of creations, techniques as well as skills learnt from both. I make it a point to visit Pramodji & take blessings on Gurupoornima.  Nowadays whenever I get time, I meet him. I think that as a DOP one should always try to execute a shot the way the director envisions it, because a director is always involved for a longer time with a film than the DOP”.

Tushar Vibhute concedes that as a DOP, he always makes it a point to share his own ideas with his director as far as camera placements, movements and lighting are concerned, but it is always the director who has the final say for the shot.

Tushar Vibhute signs off by stating that his dream is to fetch the prestigious Oscar award for India with a film which he is either directing or for which he is the DOP in the near future, whether it is in Hindi or for that matter Marathi, which happens to be his mother tongue. By the way, DOP Tushar Vibhute’s next film  Kenghat, starring a bunch of new comers is being readied for an early release this year.