Cinematographer Pradeep Padma Kumar has spent years working behind the camera, but with Agumbe Video, he steps into the director’s chair, turning a long-held ambition into reality. Having sharpened his craft in Mumbai under acclaimed cinematographer Anil Mehta, known for Lagaan and Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, Pradeep says that phase prepared him for this transition. His award-winning short film Nithya and his work as a DoP on Sarala Subbarao marked the early footsteps of a journey that was always moving towards direction.
“Even though we are boxed into labels, at the core, we are storytellers,” says Pradeep, adding, “I’ve been writing diaries, short pieces, even vlogs before they were called that. Direction was always there somewhere.”
His debut is far from conventional. Agumbe Video explores the horror psychological space, inspired by a real incident experienced by someone close to him. The story follows a couple on a babymoon who check into a homestay, only to find themselves caught in a series of unsettling events. What sets the film apart is its form. Told entirely through found footage, it uses mobile phone recordings and CCTV visuals to build a narrative that sits between reality and nightmare.
“I wanted it to feel like something you were not meant to watch. Like discovering a set of lost files. That rawness is important to the story,” says Pradeep, who also explains the rationale behind shooting in sync sound. “That was the toughest part,” he admits, adding, “When you rely on real sound, every breath and every silence becomes part of the storytelling.”
Agumbe Video stars Kushee Ravi and Harshil Koushik, with key roles played by Sampath Maitreya, Swathi, Virginia Rodrigues, and Pramila Shrikar. With a limited cast and a contained setting, the narrative leans into intimacy and emotional tension.
“I’m glad I found Kushee,” Pradeep says, adding, “She is the soul of the film. There’s a vulnerability she brings that feels completely real. Harshil, coming from theatre, has that instinct to stay present in the moment, which was crucial for this format.”
Presented by Yogaraj Bhat Films, with Bhat also penning lyrics for a song, the film is produced by Pradeep under his banner Vyoma Films. Music is composed by Prashanth R Vihari, who also handles the background score, with additional tracks by Chetan-Daavy.
For Pradeep, taking on multiple roles as producer, director, and cinematographer was a necessity rather than a challenge. “When you believe in a story like this, you do not wait for permission,” he says. “You just find a way to tell it.”
Currently in post-production, Agumbe Video is being readied for release in the coming months. Even as he collaborates as a cinematographer with Gadda Viji on Secondhand Kanasugalu, Pradeep is already working on new scripts. “There are more stories I want to tell,” he says. “Each one will find its own form.”
