Uri: The Surgical Strike is a war action film describing the story of 19 soldiers, who were killed by terrorists in 2016 at an Indian Army base camp near the city of Uri in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. Written and directed by Aditya Dhar, this story pulls its audience in on an emotional level and its powerful message made the film a huge success in India and around the world. Cinematographer Mitesh Mirchandani worked with the ALEXA SXT camera and Master Anamorphic lenses, utilizing the ARRIRAW Open Gate format.
Copyright RSVP Movies
Director Aditya Dhar (l.) and cinematographer Mitesh Mirchandani
Why did you choose the combination of an ALEXA SXT camera with Master Anamorphic lenses for Uri ?
I've been shooting on the ALEXA since 2011. I'm truly in love with the way it captures the highlights and the colors. I choose the ALEXA SXT for two reasons: We wanted to shoot high speed and I wanted to utilize the maximum capacity out of the ALEXA sensor as we were planning to shoot using anamorphic. We wanted to have a lens that could hold up even in low light, so we decided to go with Master Anamorphics. I've gotten the best output with the ALEXA SXT in the past, so there was no reason for me to change my camera.
Was the speed of the Master Anamorphics helpful?
Oh, most definitely, I was shooting a lot of low light sequences in this film and the speed of Master Anamorphics helped a lot when shooting wide open. Also, at 1280 ASA, sometimes even 1600, the camera and lenses performed together amazingly. The lightweight design proved to be a great solution for handheld shots.
Copyright RSVP Movies
Behind the scenes of Uri : actor Vicky Kaushal (l.) with DP Mitesh Mirchandani during a take
What was the overall impression of the optical performance?
I love the way the Master Anamorphics capture skin tones; it's very natural. And my contrast was always on point. I prefer shooting on wide angle lenses even for the close up shots. That allows me to be closer to the actor and also helps the audience to enjoy the images. One of the most important things was that there was absolutely no distortion on the lenses not even on the 28 mm. The focus fall off on the lenses also was quite seamless. It is an anamorphic lens with sharp edges and that's the kind of look we wanted to go with.
Did you use flare sets? If yes, please describe how they were useful.
After I did a few tests with the lenses and figured out what the characteristics were, we soon realized that we were missing some idiosyncrasies from the lenses; they were too perfect. That is when I started researching about the flare set and saw some tests. Even with the flare set on, the contrasts were still intact. The vendors in India were kind enough to buy the flare sets for the film, so it worked out to be exactly what I needed.
How was the look of the film finalized?
After all the tests, camera formats, lenses, and research on how the film should finally look, I decided to have a word with the director because we wished to have each action sequence look and feel different from each other. Although the film is high in contrast, one won't feel the high levels of darkness as we always have some highlights in frame. This helped us create a distinct look for all the action sequences we shot. I wanted it all to look saturated and glorified. Subsequently, all the bits that were outside the battlefield and at home were kept to look realistic and natural, maybe even a bit desaturated, in order to feel the stark difference of the two worlds.
Copyright RSVP Movies
Shooting low-light sequences with the ARRI ALEXA SXT and Master Anamorphic lenses
In India, ARRI equipment is available at http://cineom.com
Related Products ALEXA SXT W Ready to unplug
Master Anamorphic Lenses
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
06/05/2026
Gravity Media Chief RF Communications Engineer Glenn Willems uses Wisycom RF over Fiber and wireless solutions across major cycling events and international mar...
06/05/2026
A Sennheiser Spectera module is now available in Bitfocus Companion and Buttons, enabling direct integration of Spectera with the two software platforms. The mo...
06/05/2026
Ted Turner, the visionary media entrepreneur whose appetite for disruption helpe...
06/05/2026
Peacock is going all-in on the beautiful game - streaming all 104 FIFA World Cup...
06/05/2026
New pricing tiers for vocal/dialogue restoration tool
NoiseWorks Audio's AI-powered vocal and dialogue processing plug-in is now available in three diff...
06/05/2026
Popular mixing & routing software overhauled
Following a recent public beta test, RME have launched the final release version of the powerful mixing and rou...
06/05/2026
New SOS Video Feature
Focusrites ISA C8X is a milestone product that brings together the companys analogue heritage and their expertise in digital audio. Yo...
06/05/2026
Polands Miecznik-class frigates are part of the largest contract in Polish shipbuilding history. (Image Credit: PGZ Stocznia Wojenna)...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Riedel Communications today announced the expansion of its leadership structure as part of a strategic initiative to strengthen both its operational management ...
06/05/2026
For nearly three decades, Veteran Production Sound Mixer and Five-time Emmy Award Winner Dirk Sciarrotta has helped define the sonic identity of the long-runnin...
06/05/2026
ZEISS CinCraft LensCore: Cinema Lens Looks for Compositing
Brie Clayton May 6, 2026
0 Comments
ZEISS announces the launch of CinCraft LensCore, a nove...
06/05/2026
Wisycom Solves Extreme RF Challenges Across Miles of Live Action for Gravity Med...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Narrative Entertainment has partnered with Encompass to deliver high-quality subtitling of its Great! network content using the Altitude Intelligence AI assiste...
06/05/2026
SipRadius, widely recognized for making content processing and connectivity secure and seamless, is proud to launch a dramatic new approach to AI content creati...
06/05/2026
When the broadband and media industry gathers at ANGA COM in Cologne from May 19 to 21, Big Blue Marble will be at the forefront. The international broadcast an...
06/05/2026
Cinegy GmbH, a leading developer of software-defined television technology, is proud to exhibit at MPTS for the first time. Visitors to the stand will discover ...
06/05/2026
Val Jeanty Receives 2026 Doris Duke Artist Award Jeanty, a composer, percussionist, and turntablist, is the fourth Berklee recipient of the prestigious award ...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
When live cycling races and international marathons stretch for miles across cities and countryside, there is no margin for RF failure in live broadcast. As Chi...
06/05/2026
Oberkochen/Germany, May 5, 2026
ZEISS announces the launch of CinCraft LensCore, a novel solution for creating physically based cinematic lens looks for visual...
06/05/2026
06 May 2026
VEON's Kyivstar Authorized to Resell Starlink for Businesses & ...
06/05/2026
UKTV has secured the exclusive rights to the early back catalogue of iconic Australian drama series Neighbours, following a landmark content deal with Fremantle...
06/05/2026
Wednesday 6 May 2026
Sky commissions feature documentary to mark 10th anniversa...
06/05/2026
Wednesday 6 May 2026
Sky and Formula 1 agree long-term partnership across UK, Ireland and Italy
Sky in the UK & Ireland to remain the home of Formula 1 until ...
06/05/2026
Sky Zero Footprint Fund-backed TV campaign launches nationwide, supported by new...
06/05/2026
Wuppertal May 6, 2026
Riedel Expands Leadership Structure, Appoints Marc Engro...
06/05/2026
SAN JOSE, Calif. - May 6, 2026 - Harmonic (NASDAQ: HLIT) today announced its latest broadband innovations for ANGA COM 2026, highlighting its vision for a new e...
06/05/2026
Statement from Rupert Murdoch, Chairman Emeritus, Fox Corporation on Ted Turner&...
06/05/2026
Friday 8 May on RT One and RT Player
Meet the NSPCA team caring for and protecting animals in need in this six-part series
Fly on the wall, six-part series...
06/05/2026
The race to build the world's most powerful AI factories demands networking ...
06/05/2026
How changes to proteins can alter drug interactions for new precision therapies Scripps Research team maps how chemical modifications to proteins affect drug bi...
05/05/2026
Experts from the world of academia, tech, business, politics and media convened for a Thomson Talks at the Cambridge Disinformation Summit in April. It's th...
05/05/2026
Three phones were hardwired for power and transmission to the truck; camera feat...
05/05/2026
The creative studio behind campaigns for the NBA, Fanatics Sportsbook & Casino, ...
05/05/2026
Nielsen has announced results from a co-viewing pilot program covering February&...
05/05/2026
viztrick AiDi, an on-device AI solution developed by Nippon TV, delivered global...
05/05/2026
ARRI has announced Omnibar, a battery-powered, IP65-rated multi-color LED linear...
05/05/2026
Imagine Communications has announced that France T l visions is the first broadc...
05/05/2026
The Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) and Bell Media today announced a multiyear agreement to broadcast and stream WNBA games in Canada beginni...
Uri: The Surgical Strike is a war action film describing the story of 19 soldiers, who were killed by terrorists in 2016 at an Indian Army base camp near the city of Uri in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. Written and directed by Aditya Dhar, this story pulls its audience in on an emotional level and its powerful message made the film a huge success in India and around the world. Cinematographer Mitesh Mirchandani worked with the ALEXA SXT camera and Master Anamorphic lenses, utilizing the ARRIRAW Open Gate format.
