VFX artist from Chandigarh, Hansjeet Duggal has collaborated with Hollywood director Ben Affleck on multiple projects

Mona

Calling Los Angeles his legal and spiritual home, city lad Hansjeet Duggal, has added another feather to his cap. Visual Effects Supervisor with Air, an American biographical sports drama film, directed by noted director Ben Affleck, has been one of his dream projects!

A visual effects (VFX) artist, Duggal started early in the field of animation. Starting from his school days, he studied at St. Xavier’s, Chandigarh, Lovely professional University, Jalandhar and Chapman University, California. Right through, his love for animation stayed strong. And, eight years on, he is part of the film industry in the professional capacity. About Hollywood, he says, “Increasingly, the role of middleman is diminishing. The artiste and studio heads or the director get in touch directly, which saves time, effort and boosts efficiency.”

Being professional

A turbaned Sikh, how has his identity been perceived there? “In the work circuit, there aren’t many except Waris Ahluwalia and one or two more, and I have been fortunate that people have been rather professional. Even if someone has something in the heart, it is never spoken,” says Duggal, who also admits that outside professional circuits, he has sometimes been a target of racial slurs.

Air hasn’t been his first project with Affleck; there was a music video before and some small assignments too. With Air, he knew it’s a huge technological leap. “The movie was set to be a visual masterpiece, with 400-500 VFX shots that varied in complexity. Some shots were approved in the first go, while others required multiple versions and tweaks to get to the finishing line,” he shares.

Duggal feels strongly for Hollywood screenwriters, “Their demands are fair. Studios with billions of dollars of budget are not able to give writers their due. Hopefully, they should get their due.”

During his student days, Duggal was part of two Student Oscar winning projects — Gardeners of the Forest and It’s Just A Gun. Not just Hollywood, Duggal is also passionate about his Sikh roots. A part of Sikhlens, he is associated with films like Okra King, Shades of Indigo and Jutti Kasoori. Working with his team that is spread across the US, Canada, Spain and India, Duggal is ready to take risks and chart newer courses with VFX!