Shanti Bhushan Roy was such a valuable asset to the “Drying For Freedom” team. The shoots we were doing for Drying For Freedom in Mumbai and New Delhi saw us often shooting observational scenes out in the streets and other settings that required for us as a team to be dynamic and able to overcome the various challenges that come from such a shooting style. It’s hard to imagine how we would have constructed the film without the keen eye for variety shooting and the beautiful interview setups Shanti provided us. He instantly understood the ambition of the film and was able to make contributions and was very comfortable when he was shooting them. This to me is such a valuable skill for a cinematographer to have. He very quickly grasped the ambition of the film and was also able to help and advise us from an aesthetic point of view on how to make the absolute most of what we were shooting. It is a collaboration that I strive for in any shooting scenario and I was so glad to work with Shanti Bhushan Roy- who took great initiatives, was quick, and had a great instinct for shooting.

Shanti is intuitive, fearless, patient, and talented. He has a wonderful eye. I recently re-watched the footage he shot for me and I was grateful for his persistence in sensitive situations. He also has a genuine affection for people, and it shows in how he captures them. It was a pleasure to work with him!

Shanti Bhushan Roy was our creative Director of Photography who always makes a difference with his astute creativity and constantly adds that "Little Extra" to my expression- He brings his vibrance, the play of light and shadows, the merging of contrasting colours and layers of foreground actions and objects with background, amalgamating into one another; that a simple narration takes the form of the visual treat. With the expert visualization of Shanti Bhushan, not only the moving of humans and objects but every property in the frame comes alive and starts participating in storytelling. I have personally experienced Shanti behind the camera. I need not wait until the end of the post-production to relish the film, the process of shooting becomes an end in itself, which compels me to enjoy every moment of the journey. He has spoilt me as I constantly look for that "little extra" and Shanti being behind the lens, never disappoints. He is one of those DOPs who would insist to be part of the film from the conceptualization till the end of the film at every stage. He breaths and makes all efforts to understand each character, their movement, the nuances of landscape and the characters, the colour in sky, the sparkle of the river, the speed of breeze - he just wants to understand your mind, your heart. it is indeed a pleasure as none can depict beauty if one doesn't appreciate it - Shanti is blessed with this ability. Probably he is born with it. I look forward to many more beautiful collaborations with Shanti so that at end of the shot. I look towards him and with the flick of his eyes as he confirms the "shot is ok". I go to the next and he says "moving on". I eagerly wait for his next beautiful frame!

I have had the opportunity to work with Shanti Bhushan Roy on two projects that are extremely dear to me. The first is the world-renowned television show "Satyamev Jayate" and the other is my feature-length documentary, "Rubaru Roshni". Shanti has an exceptional ability to enter the story and thus become an important collaborator in the storytelling process. His agility in dynamic and evolving situations and flexibility with filming at often less than ideal locations with available light makes him an excellent cinematographer for documentary film making. What I find to be the hallmark of Shanti’s work is his invaluable talent for discovering beauty and drama even in the mundane. Steeping himself in the moment, he unearths visual gems that add power and character to the narrative.

Since our first casual meeting together, Shanti Bhushan Roy came across as a warm, well qualified & calm person and later when we saw his various work as DOP, we were pleased to know he is also an extremely sound Cinematographer. I loved our collaboration as our camaraderie and communication have been smooth. What worked best for us his joyful nature and calmness along with his astute creativity in trying circumstances. I would like to exploit and explore all the limitlessness that Shanti Bhushan Roy has to offer as he has an immense depth which needs to be explored. I wish him great success and also want him to become a big producer.

Shanti Bhushan Roy is a pleasure to work with. A calm exterior and interior make him the perfect DOP for any director. He is capable of not just delivering good frames and smooth operations but keeping “peace” on a set. Technically sound and always open for ideas and suggestions. A great quality that he possesses is being open to criticism. That is a virtue that will take him far in his career. I have enjoyed working with Shanti Bhushan Roy!

I had the privilege of working with Shanti for my documentary film project. His craft is insightful and evocative, operating from a strong spiritual core. I found these qualities to be key assets for a hybrid film that we were making together. Apart from his creative instincts while filming, Shanti is extremely personable as he strikes a deep rapport with the subjects of the film. I could trust him to film on my behalf in my absence; he is truly a director's Cinematographer! I look forward to collaborating with Shanti once again soon.

Shanti Bhushan Roy was the DOP (Outdoor) for Satyamev Jayate. These shoots took place in remote parts of practically every state in India under extremely challenging circumstances. Shanti captured both the subject and the locales in a very real and gritty way yet underlining the beauty of the Indian landscape. He has a rare talent for documentary work.

It didn't take time for tensions to evaporate as the two of us slipped into the relationship of the Director and Director of Photography (DOP) of the film, which we are making presently. We started to understand each other very quickly and it didn't take us too long to realize that our creative spirits waltz to a similar music. We are both compassionate and honest therefore we didn't waste time in learning to trust each other. Shanti is patient and when given his space he is an auteur incomparable. What I like the most about him is the fact that during work, more than he discusses the subject of the film, he wants to know the people he is working with at the most vital place of their being, which is their heart. That's Shanti's oeuvre and the basic truth that drives his creativity. He's like a rainbow, a blend of all the colours, which when they come together bear the darkness of black as well as the light that fills the colour white. I trusted Shanti with one of the most important films of my life because he gave me the breadth of space to rely on him unconditionally. We laughed, we cried, we fought, we battled, we toiled, we sweated and we gave our blood to a project that bears quintessence. Shanti Bhushan Roy has great aptitude for exploring the unseen, he is an ardent and enthusiastic spirit with unquestionable talent. Working with him has been a beautiful experience.

Shanti is a director's cinematographer with a keen listening ear. It was an effortless communication on how we wanted to shoot the film. He understood the limitations of our low budget production and was very enterprising & resourceful in creating a DIY lighting set-up. We had shot handheld non-stop for more than three weeks in a grueling schedule; he was always very energetic and meticulous without any hint of exhaustion. In the post-production also, he made his expertise available on several occasions with enthusiasm. I hope to collaborate with him again in the future.

Shanti played the stellar part in making the story simple and believable through camera and lighting. The unique experience was that we had to shoot the whole thing in one and half shifts, but the camera kept giving trouble. We started several hours late but still had just the night to finish. Shanti showed remarkable stamina and kept his eyes on the ball as the shoot went on for twenty-four hours on a hot and sultry day in May. I wish Shanti the very best and cannot wait to jump into another exciting venture with him. In the meanwhile, tea and conversations will keep brewing.

What makes Shanti Bhushan special as a DOP is the humanity he brings. Aesthetics, technical know-how come easily to him as it does to many others of his ilk but what gives him an edge, is how he tries to make the frame tell a human story, portray the emotion of the characters in that scene. Shanti's focus is more than just making the frame pretty, it's getting the audience to live the story. And that's very unique.

Shanti Bhushan belongs to that somewhat rare breed of cinematographers- who take non-fiction work seriously as a practice. With his many years of experience shooting documentary, he understands instinctively that natural light can often be far more eloquent and expressive than artificial lighting. He is used to working in small units with minimal resources, while still being able to achieve visuals with distinct character. His use of lensing is conscious and dramatic, lending a lyrical feel to even the most mundane situation. He combines technical competence with a gaze that is sensitive and humane, and sees poetry in the everyday and prosaic.

Shanti and I have worked on two documentaries together; I was fascinated by his process and dedication to the films, leaving his fingerprint both physically and creatively in every part of the filming progress. The gaze in which I viewed the world, I feel my perspective was always there in some way through his images, within framing choices or through the mood of the light or his unorthodox solutions. This also comes because of his ability to LISTEN, and his unique sensitivity to what is going on in front of him to be able to pick up on small cues, fleeting facial expressions, telling hand gestures – the little things that reveal characters and moments. His skill at capturing the “emotion of the moment”, acting as a fly-on-the-wall and being as unobtrusive as possible in order to capture the subjects in a raw, unguarded state is his greatest strength. Our journey has not been without its share of our share of outbursts, but at pack up, over the mandatory ale, it’s been his ability of reasoning it out cordially, ready to face the next day with a clean slate. Over the years this bond has developed into a unique friendship, which I don’t know how to describe. I do not meet him too often but I do share my life tribulations with him and there is a sense of tremendous respect that I have for him because I know that as a cinematographer He’s always got my back.

My experience working with Shanti Bhushan has been a good one. Besides being a good cinematographer, he also keeps the spirits high during a shoot. After discussions, Shanti always has valuable inputs regarding the shot and he will not give up the shot till he is satisfied. Shanti works wonderfully under pressure keeping a calm exterior all the while maintaining production requirements.

Shanti Bhushan Roy was great fun to work with. He has a naturally creative and inquisitive soul - this shone through in his cinematography on our documentary Drying for Freedom. Both my Director and I will forever value his unique contribution to the project.

I met Shanti Bhushan Roy during the making of our first film together "Wedding Anniversary". I was very pleased to see his shot designs and lighting which he follows up with his excellent sense of composition. There is a very beautiful pattern in the way he frames a sequence of shots; it is a pleasure to work with such material at the edit table. I find a beautiful combination of drama and realism in his cinematographic style, in a fine balance. That shows the maturity of his craftsmanship. The most important thing in film making is to understand the script and do justice with lighting, composing or choreography of a shot which needs to go with the film completely and Shanti is extremely good at it.

I know Shanti for more than six years and I find it very difficult to describe him in words. He is a very dedicated Cinematographer, uncompromising with his art and craftsmanship. The best part is you could argue with him, he would agree and disagree but he would not let arguments make any negative impact on the work. He would remain focused and composed like 'Arjun of Mahabhartha'. His light needs to be perfect, the source needs to rightly placed and the movement of the camera needs to be immaculate. He would push his team for perfection. He is a perfectionist. He excels there. Above all this he is a very sweet person. I simply enjoy his company for hours and hours. One can discuss all sorts of issues under the sun from global problems to funny anecdotes to script ideas. You have got his ears always. A lovely human.

Shanti Bhushan Roy is the best Cinematographer I have ever worked with. His amazing capabilities to have a quick grasp on any script, total understanding of the ambition of the film & wonderful visual designs as per the script, landscape & production requirement amazes me constantly. He is very sharp, agile, helpful and fun-loving. His camera angles, movements and compositions are unique and mesmerizing. He makes the ordinary look big & amazing and his skills are unparalleled. He is evolved and profound in his being & his craftmanship.

Any type of film making endeavour is a collaborative effort. A documentary is that much more because you are usually dealing with the 'Here & Now'. As a sound person whenever I have had issues with the frame, lighting, etc. Shanti has always tried to accommodate me. Which makes working with him such a pleasure.

Amongst Shanti's various qualities, what I admire the most is his ability to understand the screenplay and all its nuances in absolute detail. His detailed breakdown of the script and planning of all the requirements in terms of gear and light starts there. He inspires you to work hard and work in detail. His understanding of the cinematic medium is so good that he makes all the team members excel. His detailed work could be seen in every frame of our feature film "Wedding Anniversary". He trusts his Production designer and works very closely with the art team along with other teams to achieve not only the Director's vision but strives to go beyond. His pre-production work is very detailed and what I like about him is his layering of the image, the play in each shot with composition, lensing, foreground-background, colours, light and shade. He has a unique class and flare. A brilliant Cinematographer who understands the nuances of all the departments of Filmmaking. He is so supportive that you can go to him for any troubleshooting - he would not only happily participate but also would make things happen. A Director's delight and a happy person. I would like to be his collaborator always.