Navroze Contractor

Navroze Contractor is one of the important contributors to the documentary scene world wide and has been the cinematographer for many award winning feature films. He followed his degree in painting and photography with studying film direction and cinematography.

Navroze studied in Ahmedabad at Shreyas High School. Following his Fine Arts degree from M. S. University of Baroda, his interest in cinema took him to the Film Institute of India (now FTII), Pune. He also studied photography with Bhupendra Karia and advanced cinematography with Laszlo Kovacs (famous for shooting EASY RIDER) in U.S.A. He further studied video production at Sony Corporation, Tokyo, Japan.

Navroze has been the cinematographer for many award winning feature films. Some of them are; ‘DUVIDHA’ directed by Mani Kaul, ‘22nd JUNE 1897’, ‘LIMITED MANUSKI’ and “DEVI AHILYA BAI” directed by Nachiket & Jayoo Patwardhan, ‘PERCY’ directed by Pervez Merwanji, ‘PAHELA ADHYAY’ by Vishnu Mathur, ‘LOVE IN THE TIME OF MALARIA’ directed by Sanjiv Shah, and ‘DEVARAKADU’ directed by Pattabhi Rama Reddy. He shot ‘FRAMES’, directed by Chetan Shah, the first feature film in India to be shot entirely in High Definition format.

He is one of the important contributors to the documentary scene world wide, as his name is attached to such legendary films like ‘BALLAD OF PABU’ by George Luneau , ‘DREAMS OF THE DRAGON’S CHILDREN,’ shot entirely in China, by Pierre Hoffmann, ‘ARE YOU LISTENING’ by Martha Stewart, and the ‘LAST HOUSE IN BOMBAY‘ by Luke Jennings. His major Indian films are ‘ALL IN THE FAMILY’ by Ketan Mehta, ‘WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO THIS CITY’, ‘SOMETHING LIKE A WAR’, ‘THE LEGACY OF MALTHUS’ by Deepa Dhanraj, and ‘FAMINE 87’ by Sanjiv Shah. ‘THE ADVOCATE and INVOKING JUSTICE by Deepa Dhanraj. Most recently ‘WE HAVE NOT COME HERE TO DIE’ by Deepa Dhanraj.

He has had nine one man shows of his still photographs: two in Bombay, two in Bangalore and two in San Francisco, USA, one in Ahmedabad. His photographs of jazz musicians are in the collection of the Smithsonian Museum, Washington DC, USA. His present work on traditional Kushti has been recently shown in Amsterdam, Chennai, Bangalore and Ahmedabad.

He has taken photography and film workshops at FTII, Pune, CEPT University, Ahmedabad, NID at Ahmedabad, IIM in Bangalore, IIT Hyderabad, SRFTI Kolkata, Pomona State College, California, USA and at the University of the Andes at Merida, Venezuela. He has taken film/art workshops with primary school children around India.

He floated an award in 2009 at The Trivandrum International Documentary and Short Film Festival for Best Cinematography- Short and Long Documentary.

His first book “THE DREAMS OF THE DRAGONS CHILDREN’ was published by Penguin Books, India 2003. It is about his film making experience in China in 1984. It is a ‘must read’ for every film and travel buff. A 2nd edition was released in 2021.

His love for motorcycles has taken him riding in Asia, Australia, South Africa, Europe, Thailand, Vietnam, Canada and USA. He initiated a team of three riders, including him, who circumnavigated India on motorcycles in 2005, covering over 18500 km in 57 days. He writes regularly as an Editor at large for CAR India/BIKE India, Zigwheels, the e-magazine ‘Wheels Unplugged ”and “Fast Bikes”.

Directed/photographed ‘Jharu Katha’ a documentary on brooms. Plus he is involved in several still photography and documentary film assignments.

Filmography

Feature Films

As Director of Photography

    • Duvidha
    • 1970/71 • Director: Mani Kaul
    • 22nd June 1897
    • 1978 • Director: Nachiket & Jayoo Patwardhan
    • Pahela Adhyay
    • 1981 • Director: Vishnu Mathur
    • Lalach
    • 1983 • Director: Shankar Naag
    • Percy
    • 1989 • Director: Perwez Merwanji
    • Hun Hunshi Hunshilal
    • 1992 • Director: Sanjiv Shah
    • Juthan Jariwala
    • 1993 • Director: Mahendra Pandya
    • Devara Kadu
    • 1993 • Director: Pattabhirama Reddy
    • Limited Manuski
    • 1995 • Director: Nachiket & Jayoo Patwardhan
    • Devi Ahilya Bai
    • 2002 • Director: Nachiket & Jayoo Patwardhan
    • Framed
    • 2007 • Director: Chetan Shah

Documentaries

As Cameraman

    • Sambalpur
    • 1969 • Director: Robert Worrall (USA) • 40 mins
    • Ballad of Pabu
    • 1974 • Director: George Luneau (France) • 90 mins
    • Jasalmer The City
    • 1975 • Director: B. K. Jain (CEPT Ahmedabad) • 90 mins
    • Ever Higher
    • 1976 • Director: Fr Ervitti (Spain) • 40 mins
    • Bhavai
    • 1977 • Director:  Bob Gill (USA) • 90 mins
    • Jasma Odhan
    • 1977 • Director: Bob Gill (USA) • 100 mins
    • Are You Listening?
    • Director: Martha Stewart (USA) • 30 mins
    • Are You Looking?
    • Director: Martha Stewart (USA) • 50 mins
    • Way of the Malabar Warrier
    • 1980 • Director: Pervez Merwanji • 100 mins
    • Molkarin
    • 1981 • Director: Deepa Dhanraj • 30 mins
    • Tambaku Chaakila Oob Aali
    • 1982 • Director: Deepa Dhanraj • 30 mins
    • Alang
    • 1982 • Director: Navina Sundaram (Germany) • 60 mins
    • Idi Katha Matramena
    • 1983 • Director: Deepa Dhanraj • 30 mins
    • Sudesha
    • 1983 • Director: Deepa Dhanraj • 30 mins
    • Kya Hua Iss Sheher Ko?
    • 1984 • Director: Deepa Dhanraj/Navroze Contractor • 100 mins
    • Manto-bombay
    • 1985 • Director: Roshan Dhunjibhoi (Germany) • 60 mins
    • Bishnois
    • 1985 • Director: Roshan Dhunjibhoi (Germany) • 45 mins
    • Dreams Of The Dragons Childred
    • 1985/86 • Director: Pierre Hoffmann (Germany/China) • 110 mins
    • Irulas
    • 1986 • Director: Navina Sundaram (Germany) • 45 mins
    • The Fishing Boat
    • 1986 • Director: Navina Sundaram (Germany) • 45 mins
    • Famine ’87
    • 1987 • Director: Sanjiv Shah • 90 mins
    • India’s Rajiv
    • 1987 • Director: Simi Garewal
    • Girija
    • 1990 • Director: Deepa Dhanraj • 25 mins
    • Last House In Bombay
    • 1990 • Director: Luke Jennings (Channel 4) • 60 mins
    • Something Like A War
    • 1992 • Director: Deepa Dhanraj • 60 mins
    • All In The Family
    • 1992 • Director: Ketan Mehta • 90 mins
    • Thaar
    • 1993 • Director: Sanjiv Shah • 52 mins
    • Abhiyan
    • 1993 • Director: Sanjiv Shah • 52 mins
    • British Raj Through Indian Eyes
    • 1993 • Director: Pratap Sharma (channel 4) • 120 mins
    • Rama’s Journey, Ayodhya To Shri Lanka
    • 1994 • Director: Sorab Irani (Channel 4) • 120 mins
    • The Legacy Of Malthus
    • 1994 • Director: Deepa Dhanraj • 60 mins
    • Disability In Your Eyes
    • 1995 • Director: Deepa Dhanraj • 40 mins
    • Dhamanka
    • 1995 • Director: Navroze Contractor • 60 mins
    • Jaguar, The Making Of
    • 1995 • Director: V. Ramanan (defense Of India, Hal) • 52 mins
    • Enough Of This Silence
    • 1996 • Director: Deepa Dhanraj (Concern For Working Children) • 60 mins
    • The Mountains
    • 1996 • Director: Chitra Neyogi • 60 mins
    • Sewa
    • 1997 • Director: Michael Camarini (USA) • 52 mins
    • Offside
    • 1998 • Director: Walter P (Netherland) • 52 mins
    • Leprosy, Here And There
    • 1999 • Director: Steven Stevens (National Film Board Of Canada)
    • Hidimba
    • 2000 • Director: Ginu Kamani (USA) • 60 mins
    • The Family
    • 2000 • Director: Ginu Kamani (USA) • 90 mins
    • Clap Trap
    • 2000 • Director: Gill Mesqieta (Channel 4) • 52 mins
    • Nari Adalat
    • 2001 • Director: Deepa Dhanraj • 52 mins
    • Amrita Shergil
    • 2001 • Director: Navina Sundaram (Germany) • 90 mins
    • The Advocate
    • 2008 • Director: Deepa Dhanraj • 120 mins
    • Invoking Justice
    • 2010 • Director: Deepa Dhanraj • 83 mins
    • Jharu Katha/Broom Stories
    • 2010 • Director: Navroze Contractor • 64 mins
    • The Open Frame
    • 2011 • Director: Chetan Shah • 65 mins
    • Dr Astyarthi
    • 2012 • Director: Walter P. (Netherlands) • 52 mins
    • Matter Of Life And Death
    • 2014 • Director: Chetan Shah • 52 mins
    • Out Loud
    • 2015 • Director: Dr. Betty Bernhard (USA) • 60 mins
    • Refujee Stories
    • 2016 • Director: Jonneke Van Wierst (Amnesty International, Netherlands)  • 60 mins
    • We Have Not Come Here To Die
    • 2017 • Director: Deepa Dhanraj • 100 mins
    • A Place To Live
    • 2018 • Director: Sanjiv Shah • 95 mins
    • Untitled
    • Director: Ein Lal • 52 mins
    • Jagori
    • 2019 • Director: Deepa Dhanraj • 60 mins