Earthy and Rustic Mughal Video Color Grading

This Mughal Restaurant Color Correction project for Tarka required a distinct stylistic approach that honors the roots of the cuisine. Unlike modern fine dining which favors clean whites, Mughal cuisine is born from fire, clay, and spices. The primary objective was to create a "Rustic Luxury" aesthetic—a look that feels grounded, textured, and historically rich, yet polished enough for a premium commercial.

Developing the Earthy Palette The core of this grade was established by manipulating the mid-tones. Using DaVinci Resolve, I pushed the palette towards "terracotta" and "burnt sienna" hues to mimic the clay ovens (tandoors) used in the kitchen. I utilized the Color Warper to gently desaturate the cool blues and greens in the shadows, allowing the warm earthy tones to dominate the frame without over-saturating the skin tones. This creates a cohesive, warm visual hug that feels inviting and authentic.

Texture Enhancement & Detail Mughal food is all about texture—the char on a naan, the grain of a kebab, the thickness of a curry. I used frequency separation techniques (Mid-tone Detail) to sharpen these textures specifically. By isolating the food items with power windows, I increased the local contrast to make the spices and char marks pop, giving the food a tactile quality that viewers can almost touch.

Shadow Density & Mood To separate Tarka from a standard curry house, I crushed the blacks significantly. Deep, dense shadows create a sense of mystery and intimacy, focusing the viewer's attention strictly on the illuminated areas (the food and the faces). This high-contrast ratio mimics the lighting of a candlelit dinner, reinforcing the brand’s positioning as a destination for intimate, high-quality dining.