In 2021, I was hired as the Project Head for an ambitious and unprecedented campaign—one that would push every boundary of what we knew about projection mapping and visual storytelling. ŠKODA Auto India: the automobile giant was celebrating 20 years of its presence in the country and wanted to do something never attempted before.

No buildings. No façades. No monuments.

They wanted to project their legacy on a mountain.

The Search for the Perfect Mountain
By early August, we found ourselves navigating the rugged terrain of Himachal Pradesh—our sights set on the vast Rohtang range. The initial recce took us from the Atal Tunnel to the upper reaches of Rohtang Pass, surveying peaks that visually appeared ideal but proved to be technically unfeasible.

Mountains are deceptive. What looks close is often kilometres away. Many seemingly perfect surfaces turned out to be too far for projection, or unsuitable due to angles, terrain, or visibility.

And then—almost magically—we found it.
As if summoned by fate, we came across a striking mountain peak that stood out from the rest. A clean face, ideal surface, and most importantly—another smaller mountain directly opposite it- ideal for placing the projectors. As we examined the terrain, a local landowner approached us, offering his support and access to the site. It was as if the mountain had chosen us.

Back in Mumbai, the agency approved our location recce visuals almost immediately. The project was not just about projection; it also involved filming ŠKODA’s new KUSHAQ SUV. The goal was to marry the story of the brand’s legacy with the arrival of a bold new car, using the landscape as our canvas.

Building a Stage on the Hill
We returned to Rohtang in early September for a second recce—this time with a clear focus on identifying shoot locations that aligned with our evolving script and storyboard for the car film.

Meanwhile, groundwork had begun on the smaller mountain that would serve as our projector base. The rugged, uneven terrain was painstakingly levelled and gravelled. The surrounding area was cleared, and makeshift steps were carved into the slope, allowing crew members to move up and down the mountain more easily—even while carrying heavy equipment.

Animation on a Living Canvas
One of our most daunting tasks was content creation. Projecting onto a mountain isn’t like mapping on a flat surface—you’re working with natural contours, ridges, and irregularities. To truly make the animation feel embedded into the landscape, we recreated the mountain in CG, using detailed drone imagery and topographical references. Every motion graphic was designed to respond to the mountain’s surface, rather than float unnaturally atop it. We wanted to make the mountain speak.

The Shoot: Cinematic Scale, Himalayan Challenge
We arrived on location on in mid-September, 12 days prior to the projection date, using the full window for shooting sequences of the KUSHAQ driving through the mountains, catching the car against surreal backdrops. We brought in Arri Alexa cameras, Sony Cameras, professional-grade car rigs, and drones for this project. Every visual was composed with cinematic ambition.

Our days began at 3:00 a.m., to capture the fragile, golden first light. We wrapped only after sundown, often returning to base by 8:30 p.m. or later.
The shoot had its own share of battles—

• The cold weather drained batteries faster than expected.
• Lenses fogged within seconds of setting up.
• Memory cards were rotated without overwriting, and every single take was backed up meticulously into multiple hard drives each night.

And then there was the weather.

In the Himalayas, it changes every few minutes. Sunlight gave way to mist. Clear skies turned stormy without warning. We were racing against nature, and yet, the landscape gave us magic we could never have planned.

The Mountain Comes Alive
While we were busy capturing the car on film, the groundwork for the projection was underway on the opposite hill. The flattened site was reinforced with RCC to allow a stable base for a massive metal truss structure that would hold our projectors.
Transporting the projectors and lighting equipment was an effort in itself. Each one was carried manually up a 120-meter incline, assisted by local workers, crew members, and sheer will.

A generator stationed at the base powered the entire system. Once the setup was complete, we began aligning the projectors. Tests were run. Edits were made on-site. If something didn’t sit right, we’d tweak the content, re-render, and upload again—sometimes within hours.

The Night the Mountains Glowed
On the final night, the 3D projection brought the mountain to life. What unfolded was a one-of-a-kind moment: the story of ŠKODA’s 20-year journey, told across the surface of the Himalayas.

Four ground cameras and a drone cam captured aerial ballet of animation and terrain from multiple vantage points. One camera was stationed on a distant ridge—so remote, it took half a day to trek and set up. But the resulting shots captured the vastness of the moment—the interplay of animation content, light and the sheer scale of the idea.

From Mountains to Screens
Once we returned to Mumbai, the post-production marathon began. Sifting through massive footage, editing the story, recording VO, composing the score—it was four intense weeks of fine-tuning.

Two teaser clips were released in the run-up to the final reveal, sparking curiosity.
And when the full film finally dropped, it went viral. A film that didn’t just showcase a car or a brand—but a feat of human determination, technology, and artistic vision.
Brand enthusiasts, creative professionals, and industry peers were in awe—not just of the visuals, but of the story, the courage, the innovation.
And for us, the pride was immeasurable.

A Journey Etched in Stone
This wasn’t just another campaign. It was a story carved into rock.
It was a test of endurance, both creative and physical. It was early morning shoots, braving freezing winds, sub-zero temperature, racing against unpredictable weather, and working 18-hour days in one of the most challenging terrains in India. It was also collaboration at its finest—with local support, agency coordination, technical ingenuity, and creative ambition coming together.