Technicians Roundtable | Sneha Menon Desai | The Hollywood Reporter India | Presented By District

The Hollywood Reporter India's Deputy Editor Sneha Menon Desai hosts an intimate roundtable bringing together six of Indian cinema's most influential technicians who shaped the look, feel, and impact of 2025's biggest films. Cinematographer Arvind S. Kashyap discusses the gruelling 200-day shoot of Kantara: A Legend - Chapter 1, while colorist and producer Sidharth Meer opens up about the distribution challenges facing independent cinema and his festival calendar slam spanning Sundance, Berlin, Cannes, and Venice. Production designer Banglan reveals the jugaad magic behind crafting worlds for both Kantara and Lokah, and costume designer Sheetal Iqbal Sharma breaks down the 30-plus look tests required to create Saiyaara's refreshingly relatable aesthetic for YRF. Casting director Nandini Shrikent reflects on assembling the ensemble for Superboys of Malegaon, while editor Nitin Baid shares the surreal experience of receiving notes from executive producer Martin Scorsese on Homebound.

From Sneha's probing questions about AI tools and fair pay to candid confessions about interdepartmental clashes, the conversation traverses everything from Arvind's sleepless 23-hour workdays to Sheetal's battles with actors who refuse to dress like villagers. Nitin recalls watching Jafar Panahi's A Simple Accident at Cannes and tearing up alongside the filmmaker, while Sidharth and Vinesh discuss the Kannada industry's unique equity model that gives technicians ownership stakes in their films. The roundtable captures a transformative moment in Indian cinema where technicians are finally stepping into the spotlight, demanding recognition, fair compensation, and creative respect.