Meet Assam's Lonav Bharali: The photographer behind Vijay–Rashmika’s wedding

Imagine witnessing your favourite celebrities’ wedding from the closest seat possible, not as a guest, but through the lens, capturing their most intimate moments. From the groom tying the mangalsutra around the bride’s neck to the bride’s moist eyes as sindoor is applied on her forehead, these delicate rituals often remain unseen by the public. This was the feeling shared by many Virosh fans a few days ago when their favourite celebrity couple tied the knot. But did you know whose lens captured these once-in-a-lifetime moments? House on the Clouds, with Guwahati’s Lonav Bharali as part of the team, brought those memories alive, weaving magic through the camera lens.

The celebrity couple tied the knot on February 26, and soon after, photographs from the ceremony broke the internet, garnering over 24 million likes within just 48 hours. Sharing his experience of being part of the wedding, young photographer Lonav Bharali from House on the Clouds said,

"We were incredibly honoured when Vijay and Rashmika chose House on the Clouds to photograph their wedding. The truth is quite simple — they connected deeply with our work. They resonated with the way we tell stories through photographs."

"Our style focuses on capturing moments as they unfold rather than staging them, and that authenticity is something they truly appreciated."

The images shared online were proof that weddings go beyond a grand display of culture and couture. At their core, they reflect the union of two souls — two individuals choosing to walk life together. That quiet authenticity was clearly visible in the photographs that soon flooded social media.

On being trusted by the celebrity couple to be a part of their special day, he said, "It’s a reminder that genuine storytelling and passion can travel far, sometimes reaching places you never expected."

Lonav further shared that Vijay Deverakonda intentionally kept the wedding intimate. According to him, the actor did not invite many celebrity friends because he wanted to maintain an organic atmosphere. Once large numbers of celebrities arrive, the environment naturally shifts — guests begin seeking selfies, security arrangements intensify, and the celebration sometimes becomes less relaxed. The idea, he said, was to ensure that everyone present could simply enjoy the moment.

Q: How was it working with such high-profile celebrities on such an important personal occasion?

"Honestly, despite Vijay and Rashmika being such high-profile celebrities, we almost never felt that while working with them. They were incredibly grounded, warm, and friendly throughout the entire celebration."

"That said, there is always a certain sense of responsibility when you’re photographing such an important personal moment for people who are so widely loved. As photographers, we definitely felt the pressure to create something unique and meaningful — to make sure we were doing justice to their story and the emotions of the celebration," he responded.

Q: Were there any special instructions given to you regarding privacy, security, or the style of photography to be followed?

"Yes, privacy was definitely something that was taken very seriously, which is quite natural for a wedding of this scale. Like most celebrity weddings, we had to sign an NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement) to ensure that nothing from the celebrations would be shared publicly before the couple themselves chose to do so", he said.

"In fact, before the start of every event, all the guests’ phones were sealed, and the seals were opened only after the event ended. The couple was very clear that they didn’t want any photos or videos circulating online before their wedding day. At the same time, it also created a beautiful side effect — the celebrations became completely unplugged."

Apart from being a photographer, Lonav Bharali is also a nature lover. He believes that his deep connection with nature played a major role in shaping his journey into photography. Born and brought up in Assam, he grew up surrounded by landscapes, flowers, butterflies and birds — all of which nurtured his curiosity for observing and capturing moments.

What began as a childhood hobby of taking photographs of nature on his mother’s phone gradually caught people’s attention. Friends and family often remarked that he had an “eye” for photography. Although he was too young to fully understand what that meant at the time, the encouragement stayed with him.

Recalling some instances from his childhood days he said, "The funny part is that I was actually one of the lowest-performing students in my school, Don Bosco School, Panbazar. I never really enjoyed studying in the traditional sense. I was always drawn towards creativity and freedom, and I often felt a little suffocated by strict rules and routines. One incident from class 9 left a deep impact on me. We had a science project where we had to submit work on different types of flowers found in Assam. Most of the students downloaded images from the internet for their projects. But I decided that instead of using someone else’s images, I would go out and photograph the flowers myself and submit those pictures."

"Ironically, I ended up scoring the lowest in the class. The teacher believed I had taken the images from somewhere and was lying about clicking them myself, so I was asked to redo the project."

For many people, luck simply means being at the right place at the right time.

In Lonav Bharali’s case, that idea seems to hold true. Until the last day of college, he did not have a well-defined career plan. Yet life took a remarkable turn soon after.

"On the last day of college, while most of my friends were talking about their next big steps and career plans, I was honestly just hoping something would magically work out. And somehow, it did," he said.

"That same day I randomly came across the Instagram page of House on the Clouds. I reached out to them without thinking too much about it, and to my complete surprise, I was offered an internship. It felt like fate had quietly stepped in at the last minute."

He further said, "Since then, I’ve been working with this incredibly talented group of people. Back then we were just seven of us figuring things out together, and today the team has grown to about twenty-five people. Looking back, it’s funny how a kid who once got the lowest marks for his flower photos ended up building a career around taking pictures."

When talent meets passion, conventional career paths often begin to fade into the background. Lonav’s story is a reflection of that.

"One thing I was always very sure about in life was that I would probably never survive a desk job. Sitting in one place all day, staring at a screen and doing the same routine every day never felt like something I was built for. I’ve always loved being out in the world—moving, observing people, discovering new places, and experiencing different stories. Photography gave me exactly that kind of freedom."

Although Lonav was once a die-hard automobile enthusiast, life eventually led him in a different direction. 

"Another big part of my personality is that I’m a die-hard automobile fan. I absolutely love cars and everything around them. In fact, at one point I was very convinced that I would become an automobile photographer. I used to imagine myself traveling around the world photographing beautiful cars in stunning locations.

Life eventually took me into wedding photography instead, but in many ways it still satisfies the same curiosity I’ve always had—being on the move, meeting new people, witnessing incredible moments, and turning those experiences into art. So in a funny way, photography didn’t just become my profession; it became the one path that naturally fit the kind of life I always wanted to live," he said. 

Q: What were the biggest challenges you faced while coming from a small place and entering the professional photography industry?

"I feel quite grateful because I never really faced any major challenges while entering the professional photography industry."

"The only real challenge I had was convincing my parents that I was on the right path. Like most parents, they believed that after college I should pursue a master’s degree because that would offer more stability and a conventional career path. In fact, I had even cleared my entrance exam for St. Joseph’s College for Visual Arts," Lonav said.

"At that point, I found myself standing at a crossroads. I had to make a choice between pursuing my master’s degree or joining House on the Clouds, which had offered me an opportunity to work with them. It wasn’t the easiest decision at the time, but I asked my parents to trust me and allow me to try this path. Eventually, I chose House on the Clouds—and the rest, as they say, is history."