MUMBAI: Luv Israni, who has produced KINK Season 2, is a renowned fashion and advertising photographer, filmmaker, and producer known for his exceptional visual storytelling. He started his journey as a photographer in 2005, shooting models, kids, portfolios, and magazine projects. It gradually transitioned to advertising campaigns and eventually filmmaking.
He said, "Photography was a journey for me. As a teenager and even before picking up the camera, I always wanted to be a filmmaker. Photography was my way of entering the world of filmmaking. I began with music videos and TV commercials, and today, I've moved into OTT platforms and feature films."
He shared that his work has always been shaped by his fashion sensibility. "I understand fashion styling, which makes people trust me with projects even as a director. For instance, when I directed digital films with Rakul Preet, they trusted me because of my photographic eye. When I did music videos for T-Series in 2019, they told me their singers had never looked the way I presented them. Even the singers, Sachet-Parampara with whom I shot the Bekhayali song from Kabir Singh mentioned they had never looked that way before," he said.
"When I work with anyone, I understand their style and enhance it. Platforms like Atrangii noticed this and gave me shows like Flaunt and now KINK because they know my style is different and impactful," he added.
However, Luv confessed that though he has transitioned from photography to filmmaking, his approach hasn’t changed much. He said, "Even in photography, I always see stories within a frame. The way I look at a frame is the same, whether it's a single photograph or moving images in filmmaking."
"In photography, you have one click to capture a story, while in filmmaking, you have the luxury of moving images to tell a more elaborate story," he added.
Talking about his shift to production, he shared that for him, the challenge has been that he thinks more like a director and a creator rather than a producer. He said, "While there are many producers who excel at understanding the financial and logistical aspects of production, I consider myself a creative producer."
"Today, while working on KINK 2, I am known as the sole runner of the show, which is challenging because I don’t think from a producer’s perspective. While shooting for Atrangii, my mindset was to create something of Netflix or Amazon standard," he added.
So how do you maintain a balance in your creative vision when collaborating with other creatives, including directors, writers, and actors? "Collaboration has been easier for me because I am part of the entire process. For instance, while working on KINK, my DOP never had to explain the lighting setup to me because I understand the creative aspects so well. There was no disconnect," he said.
"Also, I pay attention to every detail—like having my stylist work for three months to create a mood board for each participant. My goal is to make my actors look their best, and because I understand the creative process, I can collaborate effectively with others," Luv ended.
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