Nikhil Tandon is a Toronto-based cinematographer with over eighteen years of experience shaping visual narratives that are as emotionally grounded as they are visually striking. His work spans narrative series, commercials, documentaries, and large-scale unscripted productions, shot across multiple countries for global broadcasters, streaming platforms, and international brands including Netflix, Disney+ Hotstar, Amazon Prime, National Geographic, and Discovery.
He began his career in Mumbai, where the pace, volume, and diversity of work sharpened both his technical instincts and his storytelling sensibility. Starting in documentaries and unscripted formats, he gradually moved into narrative work, a cross-genre foundation he credits for the visual authenticity he brings to scripted projects. Between 2014 and 2019, he shot over a hundred hours of scripted content across series and anthology formats, often working across multiple high-profile commissions simultaneously. In 2018 he shot Disney+ Hotstar's first 4K production in India, followed by his first Netflix India original in 2019.
Known for a calm and detail-driven presence, he approaches cinematography as both craft and problem solving - with the experience to anticipate challenges early and resolve them without disrupting performance or flow. Directors and producers return to him for his ability to navigate demanding production conditions, support and elevate performance, and remain a steady creative partner, whether with a small crew in a real location or leading a large multi-department production of over a hundred people.
In 2022, Nikhil and his wife, television producer Akhila Adige, relocated to Toronto, drawn by the depth of the North American industry and the promise of a more considered creative culture. However, life had other plans. Shortly after arriving, he was diagnosed with a medical condition that temporarily kept him away from set. Navigating that period in a new country was, in many ways, its own kind of production: unstructured, uncertain, and deeply humbling. But as Roger Deakins once said, "Life experience far outweighs any technical training." Nikhil kept going. During his recovery, he worked as a story editor and producer on several Canadian and American productions, finding himself for the first time on the other side of the cut. It's a vantage point most cinematographers never occupy, and one he considers an unexpected gift.
By 2025, he was back on set, shooting commercials and narrative projects, including a proof of concept for a feature film in 2026. Alongside his work as a director of photography, he also contributes as a visual and lighting consultant on select projects. A Canadian citizen, he is drawn to projects that value nuance, atmosphere, and human connection.
When he’s not on set, he’s usually in the air - a paragliding pilot of over twenty years with more than six hundred hours of flight time. On the ground, he spends his time tending to his three cats, overthinking lighting setups and trying to make technology, health, and creativity coexist.
This site is still a work in progress - much like him. But if you're into honest visuals and meaningful collaboration, we'll definitely get along. Get in touch.