It is all about giving your best shot, extreme dedication and patience. And if all this comes from the heart sincerely, there is every reason for you to be a winner. Aseem Bajaj is one such achiever for whom years of hard work is finally paying him now. The multi-award winner cinematographer added another feather to his cap when he took home the coveted trophy of the best cinematographer at the Asian Festival for 1st films. The striking part about his achievement is that despite everything at his disposal he preferred to chalk out his own line. Well, he is the son of theatre veteran and noted emeritus of NSD, Ram Gopal Bajaj. Aseem pursued theatre under the aegis of group Act 1 set up by N K Sharma, another veteran. The list of alumni of this troupe reads Manoj Bajpai, Ashish Vidyarthi and several others, although he was involved mostly with backstage and production work. During his years of tryst with the stage, he learnt the basics of music and lighting under Ashok Bhagat. But this is what happened to him when he came to Delhi. Aseem decided not to pursue education beyond 12th and nurture a dream he saw when he was 9 years old, becoming an actor. Chameli won him four awards including Filmfare and IFFA and in his own words, this is just the beginning for him. Here is wishing Aseem lots of luck.
Aseem Bajaj
Movies
Bandit Queen
The movie tells the story of the bandit queen Phoolan Devi who was sent to prison in 1983 and got free in 1994. For five years she was prosecuted by the Indian police and turned into a legend (like a modern Robin Hood) by the Indian press. Although the press…
Chameli
Lamington Road on Bombay’s Western Railway is the nearest railway station that takes one to Kamathipura, notorious for it’s red-light, in particular, and a crime-prone area in general. It is in this area, on a stormy rainy day, that wealthy Aman Kapoor’s car breaks down. His efforts to call for…
Fun Facts
and it's why I don't do certain films.
I am a great fan of comic books
Quotes
It is the imagination, not the equipment that creates memorable cinema.
I essentially deal with emotion, character and drama - things that you can't really quantify. And the process of executing those things is intuitive and organic.
No matter what technique, in or out of camera the cinematographer develops, his fundamental purpose is to support & enhance the dramatic and the narrative flow of the film. Cinematography is one of the many things that are merely the handmaiden of drama and that is the most ultimate truth.
No one will ever go see a film because Cinematography is magnificent. My greatest goal in making feature film is the exploration and revelation of the landscape of a human face.
My lighting is not realistic. "Realism doesn't interest me! I strive for an unrealistic approach. It's very important to me