Vinod Deshpande: From Struggle to Success Behind the Lens

There was a time when the film business was done by showing albums of still photography. Further shooting could be done only when the director and actor would create the situation for the further shoot by looking at the previous still photos. As each scene is filmed, a photographer photographs the entire sequence. The same images were seen in continuity, used in publicity, and used in making posters. The technology of today's cinema has changed. But, along with cinematography, still photography has been going on since the beginning of cinema. Here we are talking about a still photographer whom we have seen shooting on the sets of many films over the years and has also seen shooting stars after the shoots. This is Vinod Deshpande! Nowadays, as a cinematographer, he has also ventured into writing and directing.

Vinod Deshpande has made a film 'Daulat'. This film made in Marathi is being discussed in film festivals. This is a film on an untouched subject in which an ordinary poor man gets rid of his poverty with the help of trees and plants, how - this is the beauty of this film.

Vinod's Journey: From Nagpur to Bollywood's Still Photography Scene

There is a long list of films shot by Vinod as a still photographer. “When I came to Mumbai from Nagpur with the idea of doing film photography. Was very young then. Father was a postmaster, he said - If you want to fly in your dreams then go to Bollywood and I came without any preparation. No place to stay, no place to eat, no filmy friend! Vidhu Vinod Chopra saw me doing photographs in an exhibition and he sent me to do still photographs of Sunil Dutt's film 'Yeh Aag Kab Bujhegi'." Vinod recalls. "After that, my pursuit of still photography did not stop."

'When will this fire be extinguished', '1942-Lovestory', 'Munna Bhai MBBS', 'Gadar Ek Prem Katha', 'Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam', 'Ab Tumhere Hawale Watan Saathiyon', 'Devdas', 'Mary Kom', 'Kuch Kuch Hota Hai', 'Sadak', 'Andaz Apna Apna', 'Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman', 'Yes Boss', 'Return of Jewel Thief', 'Beta', 'Mujhse Dosti Karoge', 'Hum Panchhi Ek' 'Daal Ke', 'Deewana', 'Janantaram Mamantram', 'Iss Raat Ki Subah Nahin', 'Toilet-Ek Prem Katha', 'Rudaali'...there are many more films for which I have done still photography. I did four to five Punjabi films, the English film 'Marigold', and then did many Marathi films and am the writer-director of "Daulat". Vinod says, "There are two or three more projects whose subjects are award-winning and different."

Photography has been a passion for Vinod Deshpande. He tells an incident from his childhood – “I had an attraction towards photography. Once one of our acquaintances happened to be looking at the camera and he snatched it from my hand - 'It is worth three thousand, if you drop it...!' Was this my insult or whatever, I thought in my mind that I had to buy a camera?
Along with studying, I did watchmanship. But, the salary was so low that it took me three years to collect Rs 3000. I had bought an expensive camera from that friend and took the camera to him to teach me. He was surprised to see the camera with me. Like a winner, I said that I had bought it. Then I learned from the same friend to load the reel in the camera and open the shutter. I mean there must be passion. The same thing was explained to me later by Dutt Saheb (Sunil Dutt). On the sets of my first film 'Yeh Aag Kab Bujhegi' where Rekha etc. were big stars. I was so engrossed in looking at them that I forgot to take photos. When I was asked for a still photo the next day, there was none. I told Dutt Saheb that I had forgotten to take photos while watching the shooting. Then Dutt Saheb took me aside and explained - 'When you are working, you are a star, there is no star bigger than you!'

Vinod Deshpande has worked with many big stars and directors in the film industry. "I have learned everything from everyone. Be it Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Karan Johar, Anil Sharma Santoshi, David Dhawan, and Ramesh Sippy, they all have their own style. Everyone is great. I will also try to provide work with my identity. You will see my work in 'Daulat'.

-Sharad Rai

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