This has been a long overdue gratitude post for the folks at Jugaad Motion Pictures. The first production house I worked with professionally and began my career as a cinematographer.
I was approached by my senior from college, Pranav (truly grateful my man) to shoot a small project with Supreet and Heem for Jugaad. After we wrapped up, we headed to the office to back up the files and when I entered Dar and Aditya Varma were in the office and promptly Dar said why don't you come and shoot the behind the scenes for a music video we're doing. I was really excited and couldn't wait to move around with these talented bunch of people. I learnt a lot while I was there for those 4 days.
The first day I was acquainted with Vedika - the supremely talented lead actor, Jiggy and Tamanna - the cool cat choreographers at Dar and Dheer's home. We then went to see the set getting prepped and the pre lighting took place as well.
The music video was shot in three days and I have to confess a lil blunder on my part as well, I was still in college when I was given this project and it was an opportunity that I really didn't was to miss, and on the first day of shoot, I was running late, I overslept a bit and it was almost like a scene straight out of Mr. Bean, where I'm attending calls, apologising and saying I'm on my way, while I fill my mouth with Listerine and catch a rickshaw at the same time. When I got there, I remember Dar just look at me and say first and last time Nikhil. And after that my only motivation and hope was to do my best and not disappoint.
For me the OG Jugaad will always be the one I first worked with, Dar, Dheer and Sakshi and Ananya. Bossman Aditya Varma, Long haired Jackie to short hair Jackie. Hemant, Yash, Pranit, Supreet, Heem, Pranav and Diggy (OddGod).
The one thing I really liked while I shot BTS for projects was this ability to be a fly in the room, to try, meet and converse with as many people from the various departments and learn from them, observe them as they go about their tasks, to hide in plain sights and overhear people as they come up with some wild solutions to problems. To just enter and exit spaces like "yeah, I'm just doing my job" but with the intention to grasp and capture all the lil moments a film set can offer.
Thank you again for the lovely opportunity and for the continuous support you have offered time and again. Here's to many more together.
PS - If you watch the main music video, I am one of the charismatic workers in frame.
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