Vishal Tyagi, a leading special effects specialist in Bollywood, emphasizes the importance of traditional methods for creating cinematic chaos, asserting that artificial intelligence cannot provide such authenticity.
From fireballs to gunfights, special effects master Vishal Tyagi uses time-honored approaches to achieve spectacle. In his latest blockbuster, 'Dhurandhar 2,' the climactic scene of a tanker explosion was realized using 500 liters of gasoline and explosives in a meticulously planned setup involving actor Ranveer Singh.
Tyagi, aged 48, stated that 'the fragments and fire were one hundred percent real.' This scene reflects a growing trend among Indian film directors to employ special effects, striving for a level of veracity that computer imagery often fails to reproduce.
To create the explosion, Tyagi's team used a real train as a base, constructing the tanker from acrylic panels fixed onto a metal frame. Tyagi explained that 'since the acrylic melts in the air, we see flying fragments,' adding that sometimes artificial elements must be used to give a realistic appearance.
Furthermore, as an armaments specialist, Tyagi's warehouse in the Mumbai suburbs is stocked with AK-47s, sniper rifles, and rocket launchers, which he supplies as props for film sets in India and abroad.
Tyagi's company has worked on projects such as the Oscar-winning film 'Slumdog Millionaire,' 'Zero Dark Thirty,' the hit Netflix series 'Extraction,' the 'Tiger' franchise with Salman Khan, as well as Shah Rukh Khan's 'Pathaan' and 'Jawan.'
Tyagi noted that 'our core expertise lies in executing real, controlled effects, from firearms to large-scale explosions,' showing scars on his arm from a recent shoot.
He inherited this profession and passion from his father, Mahendra Tyagi, who moved to Mumbai from Uttar Pradesh in the 1970s. The elder Tyagi gradually built a business supplying prop weapons to the industry, starting with small acting roles.
As a child, his son spent days surrounded by weapons and explosives on film sets. Vishal Tyagi recalls: 'I was always excited by new types of weapons and how they work. I didn't want to do anything else.'
After his father died in a studio fire, Tyagi did not back down, stating that he 'wanted to pursue this career properly.' He admits that he often receives less than he deserves due to the limited budgets of some directors, but he never compromises on quality, as it is his passion.
Despite rapid progress in artificial intelligence, Tyagi believes the technology cannot replace practical special effects. He argues that 'AI doesn't create anything new; it only shows you what you load into the system, so there is no threat.' He continues: 'We are dealing with nature. Fire is nature. Smoke is nature. Rain is nature. Technology cannot compete with nature because nature is unpredictable.'
For Tyagi, it is this unpredictability that audiences appreciate on screen. However, he points out that the main problem is that Bollywood often expects special effects results comparable to Hollywood standards from production crews with minimal preparation. He cites a scene from James Bond's 'Spectre,' which required weeks of planning and testing before filming began, whereas in Bollywood, 'we are always on the edge.'
Tyagi's team adheres to strict safety protocols, including restrictions on using mobile phones and radios that could trigger detonation, yet risks remain. Tyagi recalled a recent incident on a set in Chennai where a worker died due to an explosion of diesel tanks. Furthermore, during the filming of Shah Rukh's upcoming movie 'King,' Tyagi was injured when the heat from a massive explosion, while implementing a scene involving 1200 liters of gasoline, burned his arm despite all precautions. He recounted: 'I should have left the area, but I waited until the entire explosion finished so the shot wouldn't be ruined.' He concludes: 'Every day is a learning process.'