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whose films have earned prestigious National Awards, brings his evocative visual language to Firefly (2025), a Kannada film that explores themes of depression, grief, and self-discovery. Produced by Niveditha Shivarajkumar and directed by Vamshi Krishna—who also plays the lead—the film follows Vicky, a young man trying to make sense of emotional turmoil in an outwardly perfect world.
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Kalathi’s long-standing relationship with Cooke Optics began early in his career. “I shot a portion of my very first film using Cooke S4/i lenses,” he recalls. “Even then, I was drawn to the way Cooke glass renders skin, light, and emotion with warmth and clarity.” That formative experience laid the groundwork for his acclaimed visual style in films like Dollu (Best Kannada Film, 68th National Film Awards) and Mahaan Hutatma (Special Mention, 66th National Film Awards).
For Firefly, Kalathi chose the Cooke S7/i full-frame lenses paired with the ARRI Alexa LF to achieve a seamless interplay of surrealism and realism. “Firefly was about capturing a world that’s both vibrant and somber—where perfection taunts the protagonist’s inner battles,” he explains. “The Cooke S7/i lenses, with their stunning focus fall-off and signature warmth, let me weave a visual poem.
which mirrored societal expectations and the protagonist’s quiet alienation. “The director wanted symmetry, but for me, symmetry meant a perfect challenge,” says Kalathi. “I constructed a world where the background feels vibrant and structured—almost utopian—while Vicky appears emotionally disconnected in the foreground. That contrast became the emotional heart of the film.” His approach was inspired by Vincent van Gogh’s paintings—artworks that combine vivid color with psychological weight.
further deepened the emotional texture of the film. Wide 18mm and 25mm lenses captured the expansive, ordered world around Vicky, while the 35mm and especially the 50mm lens brought intimate, delicate closeness to his interior journey. “The 50mm lens became my favorite for close-ups,” Kalathi notes. “It gave just the right fall-off to isolate Vicky’s emotional states while maintaining a lyrical softness.”
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Lighting was pivotal in sculpting the film’s mood.“I used hard light to show resilience and confrontation,” he says, “while colored light mapped shifting emotions—green for disgust, pink for subtle love and hope. The lighting had to be poetic, not didactic.”
Adding to the film’s significance for Kalathi was the opportunity to shoot legendary actor Shivraj kumar, who plays an important role in Firefly. “It was an incredibly inspiring moment for me,” he reflects. “Shivanna has a magical screen presence—just the way he walks into a frame changes its energy. He complimented my lighting on set itself—it was a surreal and humbling experience. To receive appreciation from such an iconic actor is something I will always carry with pride.”
Critics have hailed the cinematography in Firefly as “a quiet storm of visual emotion,” praising the use of pastel tones, controlled aspect ratios, and the film’s “candy-floss world” that cleverly masks deeper emotional conflicts.
With Firefly, Abhilash Kalathi once again proves his gift for crafting deeply human visual narratives. His growing body of work—including Baanadariyalli, Love 360, and the upcoming BRAT—marks him as one of the most expressive and emotionally resonant cinematographers in Indian cinema. His continuing collaboration with Cooke Optics ensures that his lens not only captures images—but soul.
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