Cinematographer Kishore Boyidapu Interview:
Teamwork and Planning Helped Us Finish Memu Cop’lam in Just 17 Days
A cinematographer is not just someone who handles the camera they are the visual architect of a film. They transform a director’s imagination into cinematic reality while also ensuring the producer’s vision is achieved within budget. Among the young cinematographers making a strong impact with their visual storytelling is Kishore Boyidapu, who has steadily built an impressive career across Telugu cinema, Bollywood, and even Hollywood projects.
Recently, Kishore received appreciation for his work in the Zee5 series Memu Cop’lam, directed by Pradeep Maddali and starring Naga Babu. One of the biggest highlights of the project was completing the entire shoot in just 17 days. In this candid interaction, Kishore opened up about his cinematic journey, experiences in Hollywood, technical evolution in cinematography, and his future plans.
Cinema Was Always Around Me
My full name is Durga Kishore Kumar. Since my family was closely connected to the film industry, cinema naturally became part of my life. My father used to take our photographs and tell stories through them, and that inspired me a lot as a child. From a very young age, cameras fascinated me, says Kishore.
Starting From the Ground Level
Kishore began his journey in 2002 as a camera assistant in Ravi Prasad’s unit. After gaining experience for a few years, he shifted to Mumbai to explore bigger opportunities.
My first major project there was Slumdog Millionaire. That experience opened many doors for me. Later, I worked on nearly 15 Hollywood films, including Mission: Impossible 4. Those projects gave me enormous technical exposure and discipline.
He later worked as Director of Photography for Boy Meets Girl in 2012 before entering another important phase of his career alongside renowned cinematographer Anil Mehta.
Learning Under Anil Mehta
My association with Anil Mehta sir started with Ae Dil Hai Mushkil and continued until Jersey. Working closely with him as one of the main assistants was one of the most valuable learning experiences of my life.
Kishore says every lesson he learned during that phase still influences his work today.
After COVID, when I got opportunities like My Name Is Shruthi and 105 Minutes, I spoke to him. He encouraged me to independently begin my journey as a cinematographer again. That confidence meant a lot.
The Biggest Challenge – Shooting 105 Minutes
Among all his projects, Kishore describes 105 Minutes starring Hansika as one of the toughest experiences of his career.
It was designed as a single-shot film with only one character throughout. Making a film in that format is extremely difficult. Even a tiny mistake means restarting the entire sequence from the beginning. Audiences only see the final output, but the effort behind it is massive.
From Film Rolls to Digital Cinema
Kishore also reflected on how technology has transformed filmmaking over the years.
Earlier, everything was shot on film stock, so filmmakers had to be very careful about film usage and retakes. Today, digital filmmaking gives us the flexibility to shoot multiple takes without worrying about those limitations.
He added that lens research has now become an essential part of cinematography.
We carefully choose lenses based on the story, visual mood, and budget. I personally like using Cooke lenses. For Premaku Namaskaram, starring Shanmukh, I used Cooke 7 lenses.
Cinematographers Who Inspire Him
When asked about the filmmakers he admires most, Kishore quickly mentions Ravi Varman, Anil Mehta, and Sudeep Chatterjee.
Every cinematographer has a unique style. There’s no rulebook saying visuals should only be done in one particular way. Everything depends on the mood of the scene, available time, and practical conditions on set.
Hollywood vs Indian Cinema
Kishore believes the biggest difference between Hollywood and Indian cinema lies in emotional color treatment.
Hollywood films usually prefer softer and more realistic tones with subtle lighting. Indian cinema uses vibrant colors and emotionally rich lighting because our stories, culture, costumes, and festivals are deeply colorful.
He also explained the technical side of post-production.
They spend much more time on DI and color grading in Hollywood. They also heavily enhance visuals through VFX if needed. In India, especially due to time constraints, we often don’t get the luxury of spending that much time in post-production.
Completing Memu Cop’lam in Just 17 Days
One of the most talked-about aspects of Memu Cop’lam was its remarkably fast shoot schedule.
We completed the entire shoot in just 17 days because every department worked with complete coordination. Strong pre-production planning made a huge difference.
Kishore credited director Pradeep Maddali for the smooth execution.
“Pradeep garu and I spent a lot of time discussing every scene during pre-production itself how to shoot it, how much time it would take, and how efficiently we could execute it. Since we had complete clarity before going to the sets, the shoot progressed very smoothly.”
He also thanked producer BVS Ravi, Naga Babu, and the entire cast and crew for their support and teamwork.
Any Plans to Become a Director?
While many cinematographers eventually turn directors, Kishore says he is in no hurry.
Direction is a huge responsibility and comes with tremendous pressure. I do have ideas, but I’m not planning to move into direction anytime soon. Right now, I’m more interested in learning AI technology and understanding how it can influence cinema in the future.
Upcoming Projects
Kishore currently has multiple projects lined up.
Premaku Namaskaram is ready for release. It stars Shanmukh, Shivaji garu, and Bhumika garu. Another film, Mana Doctor Babu, featuring Rajeev Kanakala, is currently in post-production. Apart from these, a few more projects are under discussion.
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