Rasika Dugal's Lord Curzon Ki Haveli is the first Indian film to be shot on a single lens camera

Anshuman Jha with the cast of the film

Actor-turned-producer Anshuman Jha is all set to make his film directing debut with Lord Curzon Ki Haveli. The film stars Rasika Dugal and Arjun Mathur and is the first Indian film to be shot on a single-lens (35 mm) camera.

The film, which also stars Zoha Rahman, Paresh Pahuja, Tanmay Dhanania, and Star Wars' actor Garrick Hagon, has been extensively shot in the UK.

Sharing why he chose a minimalistic approach by using a single lens camera, Anshuman said, "While I had several lens options at my disposal, I chose a single lens as I wanted the narrative to be as close to human vision as possible. And the 35mm lens consistently gave me that."

"A single-lens film has a subconscious viewing effect. And I wanted the film to not just look cohesive but also feel cohesive and have a consistent point of view driving the finished piece. Lord Curzon Ki Haveli is a contemporary homage to my favourite filmmaker, Alfred Hitchcock, and his classic film, The Rope," said the young filmmaker who last starred in the film Lakadbaggha.

Anshuman's approach to cinematography has been appreciated by cinematographers such as French DOP Jean Marc Selva (AFC) and Indian DOP Ramanuj Dutta, who have both called it a "brave and ballsy choice" by a first-time filmmaker.

"He has a very clear vision for the film and is not afraid to take risks as an artist," said Jean-Marc.

Lord Curzon Ki Haveli, produced by Golden Ratio Films and Anshuman's First Ray Films, is slated to release later this year.

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