# Satchith Paulose
**Satchith Paulose** (സത്ചിത് പൗലോസ്) is an Indian cinematographer with roots in [Ernakulam](https://www.edgepedia.org/ernakulam), Kerala, whose feature-film debut was the [Yash Raj Films](https://www.edgepedia.org/yash-raj-films) action film *Pathaan* (2023), directed by [Siddharth Anand](https://www.edgepedia.org/siddharth-anand) and starring Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone, and John Abraham.[1](https://www.yashrajfilms.com/yrf-alumni/satchith-paulose) He was born and brought up in Bangalore, though his family is from Ernakulam and Muvattupuzha.[2](https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/interviews/2023/02/13/satchith-paulose-shah-rukh-khan-starrer-pathaan-malayali-cinematographer.amp.html)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Profession | Cinematographer (Director of Photography), based in Mumbai[3](https://www.goodadsmatter.com/post/satchith-paulose) |
| Feature debut | *Pathaan* (2023), Yash Raj Films, directed by Siddharth Anand[1](https://www.yashrajfilms.com/yrf-alumni/satchith-paulose) |
| Education | Architecture degree; film and video communication at the National Institute of Design; cinematography specialization at the Film and Television Institute of India, Pune[2](https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/interviews/2023/02/13/satchith-paulose-shah-rukh-khan-starrer-pathaan-malayali-cinematographer.amp.html) |
| Family | Only child of Paulose and Daphne; his father C.J. Paulose studied film direction at FTII, graduating in 1974[4](https://www.manoramaonline.com/movies/interview/2023/02/11/exclusive-chat-with-pathaan-cameraman-satchith-paulose.html) |
| Recognition | Filmfare Award nomination for Best Cinematography (69th Filmfare Awards, for *Pathaan*)[5](https://www.filmfare.com/awards/filmfare-awards-2024/nominations/best-cinematography/satchith-paulose-pathaan) |
| Later features | *Fighter* (2024); credited as cinematographer on *King* (2026)[6](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm8396422/) |
## Education and family background
Paulose completed a graduation degree in architecture before joining the [National Institute of Design](https://www.edgepedia.org/national-institute-of-design) (NID), where he studied film and video communication, and then specialized in cinematography at the [Film and Television Institute of India](https://www.edgepedia.org/film-and-television-institute-of-india) (FTII) in Pune.[2](https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/interviews/2023/02/13/satchith-paulose-shah-rukh-khan-starrer-pathaan-malayali-cinematographer.amp.html) He has said that his first interest was music and that he worked with musical bands in [Bangalore](https://www.edgepedia.org/bangalore) before turning to film.[4](https://www.manoramaonline.com/movies/interview/2023/02/11/exclusive-chat-with-pathaan-cameraman-satchith-paulose.html)
His father, C.J. Paulose, studied film direction at the same institute and graduated in 1974, working on several documentaries as a student and winning awards for student films. Satchith learned much of this only after joining FTII himself, and has described discovering his father's standing at the institute as a formative experience that changed his relationship with him.[2](https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/interviews/2023/02/13/satchith-paulose-shah-rukh-khan-starrer-pathaan-malayali-cinematographer.amp.html)
## Advertising career
Before feature films, Paulose worked in advertising, which he credits as the setting for much of his learning and experimentation across genres.[2](https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/interviews/2023/02/13/satchith-paulose-shah-rukh-khan-starrer-pathaan-malayali-cinematographer.amp.html) His commercial reel includes work for [Thums Up](https://www.edgepedia.org/thums-up) (with [Shah Rukh Khan](https://www.edgepedia.org/shah-rukh-khan) and [Vijay Deverakonda](https://www.edgepedia.org/vijay-deverakonda)), Cadbury Bournville, Honda City, Budweiser, Škoda Superb, Nivea Milk, Hyundai, KitKat, Kia, Volkswagen, and Bajaj Pulsar, among others.[3](https://www.goodadsmatter.com/post/satchith-paulose) He is described by the advertising trade publication Good Ads Matter as one of India's finest shooters of automobile commercials, with a kinetic, polished style.[3](https://www.goodadsmatter.com/post/satchith-paulose)
His advertising work has been recognized at the Good Ads Matter Awards: Cadbury Bournville's "Don't Rush It" won Silver for Film Craft ([Cinematography](https://www.edgepedia.org/cinematography)), and Thums Up's "Dum Hai Toh Dikha" received honors in VFX & AI/Compositing.[3](https://www.goodadsmatter.com/post/satchith-paulose) A Dadasaheb Phalke Film Festival results list also credits him as director of photography for the ad "An Expert for an expert," which won Best Cinematography (Ad).[7](https://www.educationexpo.tv/uploads/selection_result/1732256365_Result_Feature__Music_Video__Animation___Ads_1.pdf)
## Pathaan and feature films
*Pathaan* was Paulose's first feature film. He has said that film offers had come his way earlier, but *Pathaan* was the first project whose ingredients matched the genre he enjoys shooting, particularly car and bike chase sequences.[2](https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/interviews/2023/02/13/satchith-paulose-shah-rukh-khan-starrer-pathaan-malayali-cinematographer.amp.html) The film was not shot with IMAX cameras; the files were converted to IMAX format in post-production to deliver an IMAX experience.[2](https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/interviews/2023/02/13/satchith-paulose-shah-rukh-khan-starrer-pathaan-malayali-cinematographer.amp.html)
The production shot in India, Spain, the UAE, Turkey, Russia, Italy, and France, with the climax filmed on [Lake Baikal](https://www.edgepedia.org/lake-baikal) in Siberia, which Paulose describes as the deepest and coldest lake in the world. He has described the frozen-lake shoot with [Deepika Padukone](https://www.edgepedia.org/deepika-padukone), Shah Rukh Khan, and [John Abraham](https://www.edgepedia.org/john-abraham) as a creative experience and his first time operating a camera in such an environment; vehicles there needed special chains and spikes on the tires for traction.[2](https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/interviews/2023/02/13/satchith-paulose-shah-rukh-khan-starrer-pathaan-malayali-cinematographer.amp.html)
His work on *Pathaan* earned him a nomination for Best Cinematography at the 69th [Filmfare Awards](https://www.edgepedia.org/filmfare-awards).[5](https://www.filmfare.com/awards/filmfare-awards-2024/nominations/best-cinematography/satchith-paulose-pathaan) He followed it with *Fighter* (2024), which featured aerial action sequences, and is credited as cinematographer on *King* (2026), again with Shah Rukh Khan.[6](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm8396422/)
## Short films and other work
His short film *The School Bag*, starring [Rasika Dugal](https://www.edgepedia.org/rasika-dugal), is dated 2016 by Good Ads Matter and 2017 by IMDb; it won the Jury Prize for Best Cinematography at the Free Spirit Film Festival and was nominated at the Fastnet Short Film Festival (2017).[3](https://www.goodadsmatter.com/post/satchith-paulose) • [6](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm8396422/) In 2026 he served as a jury member for the Good Ads Matter Awards in the Film Craft, Production Design category.[3](https://www.goodadsmatter.com/post/satchith-paulose)
Paulose has said his roots are in Kerala and that he would be interested in working in Malayalam cinema if given the opportunity; he cites the classics of Adoor Gopalakrishnan, John Abraham, and G. Aravindan among the Malayalam films he has seen.[2](https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/interviews/2023/02/13/satchith-paulose-shah-rukh-khan-starrer-pathaan-malayali-cinematographer.amp.html)
## References
1. [Satchith Paulose, YRF Alumni, Yash Raj Films](https://www.yashrajfilms.com/yrf-alumni/satchith-paulose)
2. ['Shah Rukh Khan is full of positive energy', says Malayali cinematographer who shot 'Pathaan', Onmanorama (February 13, 2023)](https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/interviews/2023/02/13/satchith-paulose-shah-rukh-khan-starrer-pathaan-malayali-cinematographer.amp.html)
3. [Satchith Paulose, Good Ads Matter](https://www.goodadsmatter.com/post/satchith-paulose)
4. [മലയാളി കണ്ട പഠാൻ !; ഛായാഗ്രാഹകൻ സത്ചിത് പൗലോസ് അഭിമുഖം, Manorama Online (February 12, 2023)](https://www.manoramaonline.com/movies/interview/2023/02/11/exclusive-chat-with-pathaan-cameraman-satchith-paulose.html)
5. [Satchith Paulose, Best Cinematography Nominee, 69th Filmfare Awards 2024](https://www.filmfare.com/awards/filmfare-awards-2024/nominations/best-cinematography/satchith-paulose-pathaan)
6. [Satchith Paulose, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm8396422/)
7. [11th Dada Saheb Phalke Film Festival-21, India, results list](https://www.educationexpo.tv/uploads/selection_result/1732256365_Result_Feature__Music_Video__Animation___Ads_1.pdf)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Cinematographers*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 11, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license