Born in Bangalore, Saumyananda Sahi originally studied philosophy at St Stephen’s College in Delhi before deciding to be a cinematographer, attending the Film and Television Institute of India in Pune. Over the past decade, Saumyananda has worked on a variety of projects, both factual and fiction, with such filmmakers as Vikramaditya Motwane, Shaunak Sen, Prateek Vats, Thomas F Lennon and Prashant Nair.

His work as a cinematographer has played at film festivals around the world, including Cannes, Berlin, Sundance, Rotterdam, Locarno, Busan, Toronto, Hot Docs and IDFA. He has won an Indian Telly Streaming Award, the Navroze Contractor Award for Cinematography (IDSFFK), Best Cinematography Award (MIFF) and a Special Mention for Cinematography (IFFK). He also has multiple nominations: for a Filmfare Award, a Filmfare OTT Award, a Critics Choice Award, an Asian Academy Creative Award and an Asia Pacific Award.

As a teacher, Saumyananda has conducted workshops  at the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute of India (Kolkata), BITS Pilani (Goa), Srishti Manipal Institute of Art, Design and Technology (Bangalore) and NYU Abu Dhabi.

Career Highlights-

• Most recently, worked on ‘Raakh’, an Amazon Prime Video series (2026). 
• In 2025, Saumyananda’s debut film as a writer-director, ‘Shadowbox/Baksho Bondi’, premiered in the Perspectives Competition of the Berlin International Film Festival. It has since travelled to festivals around the world and won multiple awards including the Discovery Award (LEFFEST), a NETPAC Award (El Gouna), a Grand Prix (Regards Satellites) and Best Debut Award (IFFK). 
• Some of his other noteworthy works include the Netflix series ‘Black Warrant’ and ‘Trial by Fire’.
• Spanning across a diverse range of Fictional Series, Features and Factual Features, Saumyananda Sahi has worked on 15+ projects in the last few years.

Awards and Recognition-

• In 2022 Saumyananda was selected as one of the ten participants of BAFTA’s Breakthrough India programme. 
• In 2022, Film Companion also selected Saumyananda as one of India’s ‘Disruptors’. 
• His work in 2022 for the documentary ‘All That Breathes’ (nominated for both a BAFTA and an Academy Award, and winner of the ASC Award for Best Documentary.
• 2023 Critics Choice Award for Best Cinematography.