Tough task to maintain blue tint: Colourist for 'Shivaay'

Mumbai: It was a tough task for the team working on colour gradation of the Ajay Devgn-starrer "Shivaay" to maintain the blue tint says an expert from Prime Focus, the company which delivered Digital Intermediate (DI) services for the film.

"Grading 'Shivaay' was particularly challenging as the film is shot at multiple locations and in varied climatic conditions, often leading to inconsistent lighting conditions. Colour grading was crucial in this respect as it helped to maintain the overall tonality of the film.

"Another tough task for our team was to maintain the bluish look throughout the film, especially in shots where the sun shone brightly in the day and when it produced golden light during the magic hour. The team ensured the continuity by adjusting the colour temperature from warmer to colder while also matching the colour of shadows on snow to reflect the exact time during the day," Ashirwad Hadka, Senior Colourist at Prime Focus said in a statement.

Talking about how colour grading helped correct some of the shots in the film, director of photography Aseem Bajaj said: "There was a brothel sequence we shot in Bulgaria which didn't turn out as per our expectations. The intensity of the neon lights did not match the foreground lighting making the frame look bleak and flat.

Bajaj also shared that during the grade, he and Ajay, who has directed and co-produced the film, had briefed "Ashirwad about how we wanted everything in the environment to pop up with the neon look."

"To achieve this look we initially isolated the highlights and by careful modulation of exposure, contrast and shadows we eventually arrived at the desired effect," he added.

"Shivaay", which released on October 28, is a story of a mountaineer who has to overcome severe challenges to protect his daughter.

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