The first fortnight of 2026 marked a new beginning for cinematographers in the Hindi film industry. In a first-of-its-kind initiative in India, cinematographer Pooja Gupte launched the Flare Cinematography Film Festival, which places the spotlight firmly on directors of photography (DoP). The two-day event, which kicked off on January 13, was backed by directors Vasan Bala and Sriram Raghavan, along with noted DoP Anil Mehta, and Aamir Khan Productions’ CEO Aparna Purohit.   

Talking to mid-day, Gupte said that the absence of cinematography-focused festivals in India surprised her since her film school days. “There are a few such festivals in Europe, one in Poland and another in Estonia. But there was nothing in Asia. Since my film school days, I kept wondering why we didn’t have something of our own,” she said.