Production designer
Aashrita Kamath is going places, quite literally. The young set and production designer who began her career in Mumbai before heading
to the renowned film school AFI Conservatory in Los Angeles, recently won the bronze award at the 41st Student Academy Awards competition for her designs in the short film Interstate. In creating an ambience that brought to life the immigrant experience in the US, Kamath says, “We opted for a muted colour palette, as we wanted the murals and street art to stand out and play an evocative role.”
Kamath became interested in movies during her years at Rishi Valley School, Andhra Pradesh. “I designed the sets for a few plays that our class put up. That was the start of my interest in
designing spaces that helped tell a story.” She studied sociology and a chance meeting with production designer Aradhana Seth ( Earth and
Fire) led her to an assistant’s position in West is West; Kamath was also prop master on Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara. She admits that her stint at AFI has opened entirely
new avenues for her, “Being in LA has provided me with an opportunity to interact with and learn from
some of the world’s best storytellers.” Besides the recent award, Kamath is also working on Equals, an upcoming sci-fi drama produced by Ridley Scott. She is also in talks with a producer to design an
independent TV series.