Actor and director Randeep Hooda says he is more comfortable behind a still camera than in front of one. Speaking on World Photography Day, which falls ahead of his 50th birthday, Hooda said his passion for photography helped him frame shots for his directorial debut Swatantrya Veer Savarkar, for which he won the National Film Award for Best Debut Director.

Hooda said his photography journey began with camera phones, then a complex camera he found discouraging, until wildlife photographer Sarosh Lodhi invited him to Kanha National Park. There he photographed his first tiger, Chota Munna, and was hooked. He now photographs his infant daughter Nyomica almost daily, as well as his parents, so she can see their love when she grows up.
Hooda is one of the few Indian actors to win a National Film Award for direction on debut. His shift from acting to directing mirrors a path taken by several Bollywood stars, but he credits a non-cinematic skill, wildlife photography, for his visual framing. The camera became a tool not for self-portraiture but for documenting jungles and family, a personal archive rather than a public performance. What matters next is whether he directs again, and if his photographic eye becomes a signature in Indian cinema.
Source: hindustantimes.com
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