For cinematographer Satya Hegde, 45 was not a routine stop in his long career. It was a calculated leap into a world that demanded precision, patience, and belief in preparation. With over twenty years of experience, Satya has learned that it is not scale but the vision that makes a film challenging. And 45, which is produced by Ramesh Reddy under Suraj Productions, releases on December 25, reached him with such a vision/
For Satya, cinematography becomes an act of service to that vision. He describes 45 as a journey worth framing, one carefully composed shot at a time. Having stars like Shivarajkumar, Upendra, and Raj B Shetty come together in a single film, he adds, was a rare opportunity to explore scale and balance within the same frame.
The film marks the directorial debut of Arjun Janya, a music composer with a career spanning over a hundred films. “He came with an animated pre-visuals blueprint of the film itself, which was more of a ready-reckoner to technicians and actors. That is not common. Usually, we discuss scenes or rely on storyboards. Here, the director had already imagined the film shot by shot.”
Those animated references became the backbone of the shoot. Satya credits producer Ramesh Reddy for enabling that process. “Pre-visualisation of this scale needs conviction and investment. Without that support, it would have remained just an idea on paper.”
Set within a fantasy-driven narrative, 45 operates across three parallel storylines, and a powerful screen presence anchors each thread. Shivarajkumar, Upendra, and Raj B Shetty occupy the film in distinct ways, appearing solo, in combinations, and together within the same visual space. “Even working with one of them changes the pattern of a frame,” Satya explains. “With three, the responsibility multiplies. You have to respect their individuality while maintaining the director’s intent.”
The solution lay in visual differentiation. Shivarajkumar’s arc is wrapped in yellow, a palette that suggests warmth, stability, and moral weight. Upendra is defined through red, a colour that carries intensity and disruption. Raj B Shetty moves between these worlds, represented through orange, a deliberate blend that mirrors his narrative position. “The colours are not cosmetic,” Satya says. “They work as metaphors. They run through costumes, sets, lighting, and even the emotional tone of scenes.”
This chromatic design acts as an undercurrent, guiding the audience even as the film shifts between realism and fantasy. Much of the shoot took place within controlled environments, including Ramoji Film City, supported by select real locations and extensive visual effects work. “With stars of this scale, movement is restricted,” Satya notes. “So imagination has to expand. Sets, colours, and lighting must do the work of geography.”
Despite the film’s reliance on visual effects, Satya is clear about the cinematographer’s role. “VFX does not replace the camera. It suppo. rts it. Action, romance, sentiment, and performance are captured on set. Even for VFX-heavy scenes, the base image must be strong. Otherwise, nothing works.”
Technically, 45 was shot on the ARRI Alexa LF, chosen for its dynamic range and texture. The large-format sensor enabled Satya to retain detail in both highlights and shadows, which is crucial for a film that explores heightened reality. “The animated pre-visuals helped us plan lenses, movement, and blocking in advance. On set, we were executing decisions rather than searching for them.”
Working with Arjun Janya, Satya says, felt like travelling with a director who already understood the fundamentals of cinema. “A composer thinks in layers. Emotion, pace, silence, and crescendo. That sensibility came into his direction, and I knew how to read his intent. My job was not to impose ideas but to translate them.”
Asked about the actors, Satya speaks with visible admiration. “Shivarajkumar is ultimate. Upendra carries a completely different shade. Arjun has presented the two in a way audiences have not seen before. Raj B Shetty brings a strong, grounded presence. When all three come together, even a static frame feels charged.”
Among the many sequences in the film, Satya singles out a rain-effect moment as a highlight. “That will be a scene audiences respond to. It has scale, emotion, and visual impact. I believe it will draw whistles,” he says, signing off.
