Raj Thota

Biography:

An Indian cinematographer who works in the Telugu language, Raj Thota. Arjun Reddy, the movie he directed, earned appreciation.

Raj was raised at Suryapet, Nalgonda, Telangana, after being born in the village of Kasarabad, and then he moved to Hyderabad. From a very young age, he was highly excited about organising teams to play kabaddi and cricket at the village level. His late father, Venkat Thota, worked as a makeup artist for Telugu films, primarily creating Mohan Babu’s makeup. His mother, Mani Thota, is a housewife. Since a young age, he has had a keen interest in photography.

Raj’s first film as a cinematographer was Arjun Reddy. Raj practised using the gimbal gear for a full day prior to shooting the 4 minute long single shot that followed an actor from the exterior to the indoors. Close-ups and shots of the bike sequence in Arjun Reddy taken with a gimbal setup were favourably received.

Raj was contracted to shoot Needi Naadi Oke Katha, the 2018 film directed by Venu Udugula (in his directorial debut), after finishing Arjun Reddy. Raj and Venu chose to modify the Dogme 95 school of thought. (The guidelines for making films are centred on the classic principles of plot, acting, and theme, and forbid the use of complex special effects or advanced technology.

In an effort to reclaim control from the studio, Raj was forced to use long takes, an unscripted approach, and more natural lighting while working with a small crew that adhered to the Dogme 95 school of thought. Before either of the Telugu states saw the theatrical release of Needi Naadi Oke Katha, he worked with Producer Bekkam Venugopal to shoot Husharu.