Evocative visuals are a staple in Vishal Bhardwaj’s films. The filmmaker’s latest offering, O’Romeo, is no exception. Cinematographer Ben Bernhard shared that he referred to two specific films when designing the visual language of the Shahid Kapoor-led underworld drama, which is set in the 1990s. “We followed world cinema influences like Road to Perdition [2002] and The Grandmaster [2013],” revealed the cinematographer.  

Shahid Kapoor (C) in ‘O’Romeo’

With O’Romeo being a love story set against the backdrop of the underworld, Bernhard was also mindful of visually differentiating the softer, romantic scenes from the action sequences. Decoding it further, he said, “We aimed for a soft, naturalistic visual language, rooted in a retro 1990s Bombay underworld aesthetic. For the story scenes, lighting and camera movement are gentle, with period colours supporting an understated realism. In contrast, the action sequences were treated in a more stylised manner using bolder lighting. Each narrative layer had its own distinct visual identity.”