Hemant Chaturvedi spent over 30 years working as a cinematographer in Mumbai, before moving away from that profession in 2015. His cinematography credits include films like Company, Makdee, Maqbool, 15 Park Avenue, Ishaqzaade, Kurbaan, Brothers, and even an animation film called Arjun The Warrior Prince.
He returned to full time still photography and only works on his own projects. Which range from Dhrupad Gurukuls, his project for the sesquicentennial of his Alma Mater, St.Xavier’s College Mumbai, to the photo documentation of India’s single screen cinema heritage, documenting old British era cemeteries, Zoroastrian Aram Gahs, abandoned Hindu idols etc.
The Single Screen Cinemas Project is the largest photo-documentation ever attempted on a subject like this anywhere in the world. Hemant has driven over 50,000km alone in his jeep, and after visiting 22 states and over 950 towns, he has photographed over 1150 single screen cinema theatres.
His other significant project, a documentary film called “Chhayaankan-The Management of Shadows” is his tribute to his cinematography peers, and an attempt to introduce the human element in a very challenging profession.
Hemant is 56, and lives in Mumbai.