After completing his graduation in 1996, Khan left for Mumbai with a business card of Samir Chanda. However unable to contact Chanda, he managed to get a job as a
backdrop painter with art director Ratnakar Phadke at
Kamalistan Studios. Chanda is known for his realism in films like
Dil Se.. (1998),
Guru (2007),
Omkara (2006) and
Rang De Basanti (2006). In 1999, Chanda recommended his name to
Anurag Kashyap for
Last Train to Mahakali, a 1999 television short film for
Star Bestsellers series on
Star Plus. This became Khan's first break as an independent production designer. Next he worked,
Matrubhoomi (2003). He also worked in Kashyap's directorial debut,
Paanch which was made in 2003, however never got released. Subsequently, he worked with Kashyap's noir-influenced films,
Black Friday (2004) set in the
1993 Bombay bombings,
No Smoking (2007),
Gulaal (2009),
That Girl in Yellow Boots (2010), however it was his work in
Gangs of Wasseypur (2012), that got him recognition. Though, he didn't work on Kashyap's
Dev.D (2009), Khan work collaboration with Kashyap has played a key role in establishing the distinctive visual language of Kashyap's films. He worked in genres ranging from thrillers like
Milan Luthria's
Taxi No. 9211 (2006),
Raj Kumar Gupta's
Aamir (2008) to art films
Dharm (2007) directed by
Bhavna Talwar, which won the
National Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration. His breakthrough into mainstream Bollywood came with
Salman Khan starrer
Wanted (2009) directed by Prabhu Deva. This was followed another action hit
Dabangg (2010) also starring Salman Khan. Since he doesn't use software, for the film he drew over 100 sketches detailing out every set in the film. Also in the same year, for
Sanjay Dutt-starrer
Lamhaa (2010), sets of Kashmir erected in Film City, Mumbai, where the film is set. For this two truckloads of
chinar tree leaves were brought in from Kashmir. Akshay Kumar-starrer
Rowdy Rathore (2012) directed by
Prabhu Deva was co-produced by
Sanjay Leela Bhansali, whose next project
Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela (2013) for which elaborate sets were created in Mumbai, where the film was shot for 10 months. For his style he used work of Peruvian-born painter
Boris Vallejo as reference, as he believes "it contains everything, realism, surrealism, and colours playing against each other. I never look at other movies. He has been the only inspiration since college." His upcoming projects include,
Bhootnath Returns, a sequel to
Bhoothnath (2008), a biopic on the political prisoner
Sarabjit Singh, a Hindi remake of the Tamil film
Ramanaa (2002), and
21 Topon ki Salaami. == Death ==