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Yamini Yagnamurthy, known for her innovative visual storytelling in films like Sillu Karupatti and Sanikakitham, brings her distinct style to the period comedy-drama Raghu Thatha, Directed by Suman Kumar and produced by Hombale Films.
During her second year of B.S.C Visual Communication, Yamini firmly decided to pursue a career in cinematography. To gain financial independence while working towards her dream, she focused on portrait and commercial food photography. This practical experience not only honed her skills but also supported her journey as an aspiring cinematographer.
Yamini’s career took a significant leap when she had the opportunity to work under the mentorship of the legendary P.C. Sreeram. Learning from one of the industry’s best opened new doors for her and solidified her foundation in the craft.
For ‘Raghu Thatha’, Yamini aimed to capture the vibrant aesthetic reminiscent of the Shivaji films era. Given that the film featured more characters and a wider color palette, she wanted to connect the audience with nature by incorporating greens and blues into the visual scheme. She chose Cooke Panchro/i Classic FF lenses to achieve this, praising their vintage warmth and ability to create soft, yet contrast-rich shadows, which complemented the film’s period setting.
Yamini embraced specular lighting techniques to enhance the authenticity of the era, using hard sources that allowed natural shadows to play across actors’ faces. The film’s interiors, with their low ceilings, presented a challenge, as the extra light often spilled onto the background. To counter this, Yamini focused on achieving greater separation between subjects and their surroundings during the shoot, planning to correct the spill light in post-production through the DI (Digital Imaging) process.
In terms of composition, Yamini favored wider lenses like the 25mm and 35mm, which allowed her to capture the expansive period setting and accommodate the film’s rich visual details. She thoughtfully composed the film for multiple aspect ratios, including 1:2.35 for theatrical release and 1:2.1 for OTT platforms, ensuring a seamless visual experience across formats, she added she also used few segments 1:1.33 aspect ratio as a part of narrative.
Working with Hombale Films, Yamini appreciated the support they provided in realizing her vision, even acquiring the limited Cooke Panchro/i Classic FF lenses available in India. Reflecting on the project, she found the experience of blending comedy with a period setting both challenging and deeply fulfilling.
