When Rama Raju and Bheem meet in RRR for the first time, it is an epic union that bears witness to the coming together of all the elements of nature… There’s a burning train, the wind fanning the fire, an angry water body, the safety of the sands seeming more and more distant… The crowning moment happens underwater as Ram Charan and Jr NTR run towards each other in a show of friendship.
One of the foremost exponents of underwater cinematography in India, Sumer Verma was the man behind the conception and execution of these ambitious sequences. A diver for close to three decades, Sumer finds solace in the seas, and it was this passion that turned into a new profession when coupled with his interest in technology. “Underwater camera work for wildlife and nature photography became my specialty. However, the field was limiting, and I explored fashion and commercial photography as well. And then came the idea of entering cinema, and my first break came with the Bharat Bala directorial, Mariyaan, starring Dhanush,” says Sumer, who asserts that an able underwater cinematographer needs not just good camera skills but immense control over their body.
Avinash Ramachandran 