Chamkila: Animation as a dynamic storytelling tool in Diljit Dosanjh’s Netflix biopic

Fonseca echoed this sentiment, explaining, “I had to discuss with Suman before the set construction started because once it’s built, there’s little room for adjustments. We focused on orienting the set to maximize sunlight, especially since we were shooting in winter, and carefully considered the colour scheme of the set.”

Kanani discussed the significance of colours in the film, noting that sepia tones added to its realism, while bright colours emphasized Chamkila’s artistic mood. “Because it’s rooted in the grassroots of Punjab,” she explained, “Imtiaz was determined to capture a grungy, rough, and natural feel, which is why we incorporated watercolours extensively.”

Also read: How Netflix’s Qala, a period drama, melds architecture and art to bring a bygone era to life

Contrary to other post-production additions, Fonseca clarified that sepia wasn’t added in post-production. They followed the design mantra of “less is more,” focusing on organic elements. They strategically shot during certain times of the day to capture specific sunlight or used particular hues in production design and location choices to maintain authenticity.

Roy discussed the challenges of finding authentic locations, stating, “Imtiaz prefers shooting in real locations, but it wasn’t feasible in this case due to changes over time or logistical constraints, like the office in Ludhiana where Chamkila is based.” Consequently, they had to construct sets from scratch in Film City, which posed a challenge because shooting on set can sometimes appear too perfect, as Fonseca noted.”Natural locations often have restrictions like buildings or wires that add realism,” Fonseca explained. “But in our case, we had to create those imperfections artificially.”

Alas, the primary goal of the visual design then was to realise Imtiaz Ali’s vision of Chamkila but also to view him from the myriad ways from which he can be seen avoiding bogging him down to one narrative, therefore letting the audience discover themselves in discovering Chamkila.