Acclaimed cinematographer Ravi Varman has long been celebrated for turning the lens into a vessel of poetry. From Barfi! and Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela to Tamasha, Kaatru Veliyidai and Ponniyin Selvan, his frames are known to move beyond the visual, into the realm of emotion and memory.

In a recent conversation with The Hollywood Reporter India, Varman reflected on one of his most cherished works — Barfi! (2012), directed by Anurag Basu and starring Ranbir Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra and Ileana D’Cruz. A tender story of love and heartbreak, the film not only struck a chord with audiences but was also chosen as India’s official entry to the 2013 Academy Awards in the Best Foreign Language Film category.

Speaking of his personal connection to the film’s imagery, Varman recalled his childhood hardships: “When I was a child, I had no home and often slept on railway station benches. Each morning, sunlight would bounce off passing trains and strike my face harshly, reminding me I didn’t belong anywhere. That memory never left me.” He revealed that this experience shaped the film’s use of light. “In Barfi!, I wanted that same sting — raw and unsettling. I let the light spill into the lens, flare, and disturb the frame. It wasn’t polished, but it was truthful.”

The project, he revealed, began almost by accident after Basu’s brother introduced them. Impressed by the story’s visual possibilities, Varman embarked on a journey that spanned Mumbai, Darjeeling, Kolkata, Ooty and Pollachi. Despite language barriers, Basu gave him creative freedom and the courage to experiment.

Each character was given a distinct visual world: Ranbir Kapoor’s Barfi was bathed in dreamlike hues, Ileana D’Cruz’s story carried fleeting tones of lavender and blue, while Priyanka Chopra’s palette combined maturity with innocence. Kolkata, with its ochres, muddy browns and faded yellows, became central to the film’s timeless mood — its old colonial textures and natural light shaping a city that was as much a character as the actors themselves.

Memorable moments on set included improvising with a broken pane of glass to create a rain-splattered shot, and allowing natural sunlight flares to infuse the Darjeeling railway station sequence with authenticity. Even after the first screening, Varman and Basu fine-tuned certain VFX shots to achieve perfection.

For fans of Barfi!, Varman’s revelations open a window into the painstaking craft behind the film’s visual poetry. His reflections not only deepen admiration for the classic but reaffirm his stature as one of Indian cinema’s finest visual storytellers — a cinematographer who allows light, colour and imperfection to speak a language of their own. (With inputs from Agencies)