Filmmaker Vikram Valluri Captures the Soul of a Nation in the Margins of Cricket

Vikram Valluri is a creative director, photographer, and filmmaker known for capturing the connective threads that run across cultures, religions, and geographies. His work—featured in magazines like Vogue, Rolling Stone, GQ, and The Cut, among others—blends cinematic instinct with documentary precision, often illuminating the quiet, human moments that define a place or a time. Whether directing global campaigns for brands like Dior, Adidas, and Google, or photographing intimate street scenes, Valluri brings a deeply personal lens to his storytelling.

His latest project, a book named Cow Corner, is a photographic journey through India during the 2023 Cricket World Cup—though it isn’t about the matches themselves. Instead, Valluri steps outside the stadiums and into the spaces where cricket is a way of life: public parks, crowded rooftops, narrow alleyways, and mobile screens lit up with live streams. Traversing cities from Pune to Ladakh, Valluri captures the sport’s omnipresence and emotional weight in Indian life.

Published by Blurring Books as part of their Limited Slim Publications (LSPs) series, Cow Corner is more than a celebration of cricket—it’s a portrait of unity, tradition, and the everyday rituals that bind a nation. Whitewall sat down with Valluri to discuss the making of the book, the stories behind the images, and why cricket in India is less a game and more a shared language.

A Photography Book on Cricket

WHITEWALL: What inspired you to explore cricket’s influence on Indian life for Cow Corner? What drew you to focus on the spaces outside stadiums?

VIKRAM VALLURI: Cow Corner documents how cricket permeates daily life across India, from the streets to the stadiums, showcasing the sport’s profound ability to unify people. Cricket exists beyond the games we watch. While players are celebrities and are in the spotlight, I believe those who deserve to be celebrated and showcased are the fans, local cricketers, life on the grounds, and the world outside stadiums. They are the true heartbeat of the game.

I grew up in Hyderabad and played cricket in school and represented Team USA U15. I also practiced and trained in Hyderabad and Bangalore, so the world of cricket beyond cricket resonates deeply. This book aimed to capture the unifying force of cricket, bridging cultural and religious divides and highlighting the sense of belonging that cricket fosters amongst Indians.

WW: How did you approach documenting this unifying quality through your lens?

VV: India’s rhythm never stops. There’s a beat, a hum, an eternal song. During the World Cup, I watched how, alongside live telecasts of matches on TV and the fans’ immersion in the sport, there was another parallel life just as immersive. The religious festival of Ganesha happened during the same time. Ganesha idols are immersed in water —Visarjan, on the 10th day of the festival. One could not escape the symphony within cacophony  —chants from temples, clanging bells from the Ganesha Visarjan processions,  and call to prayer —Namaz, from mosques.  Simultaneously, tens of thousands of others are watching on their phone screens praying for their players’ success and India’s victory.  

Religion and spirituality are integral to Indian life and do not exist on the fringes as they do in Western societies. My lens captures people, not as Christians, Hindus, Muslims or Jews, but those who share common fears, dreams, and joys. When India plays cricket, people bridge divisions, cheer, and come together. 

“When India plays cricket, people bridge divisions, cheer, and come together.”

—Vikram Valluri

WW: From Pune to Ladakh, Cow Corner spans diverse geographies. How did the locations shape the stories you uncovered and the images you captured?

VV: During the ICC World Cup 2023 in India, I traveled to cities and venues where matches were played. However, more than the actual games, I was taken in by the richness of the places and its people. India’s diversity is unmatched—geographically, culturally, and emotionally. It’s a country of deserts, mountains, oceans, forests, and cities, each unique. I’ve been surprised by how cricket is perceived and experienced differently by fans in different cities.

A Personal Vision Brought to Life

WW: The book’s design mimics cherished, well-worn photographs. How does this tactile quality enhance the narrative of cricket as an intrinsic part of Indian life?

VV: I wanted Cow Corner to feel personal, like flipping through old family albums. In past visits to India, I’d print photos to share with people I’d photograph, and I saw how they cherished them—folding them and tucking them away in their pockets, and I imagined them taking them out later to show their families. With digital photos and technology, sharing happens online, but the sentiment remains.

The design also reflects India—timeless, layered, and full of history and culture. Cricket, introduced by British colonizers, was once a symbol of oppression. Yet, India has transformed it into a thriving part of its identity. So it’s ironic yet empowering that Indians adopted a colonial sport, made it their own and are thriving in the world with it. The well-worn, vintage look mirrors the pride Indians feel for making cricket their own.

“I wanted Cow Corner to feel personal, like flipping through old family albums.”

—Vikram Valluri

WW: Was there a particular moment or image during the Cow Corner journey that profoundly resonated with you or altered your perspective on cricket’s role in India?

VV: During an India-Pakistan match in Ahmedabad, 130,000 fans sang Vande Mataram in unison—an unforgettable moment that gave me goosebumps. This moment solidified my belief in cricket’s unparalleled role in uniting the country. Nowhere else is cricket celebrated with this intensity. Cricket reflects India’s cultural, religious, and socio-economic diversity. The sense of unity is unmistakable no matter where you go.

In another instance, while I was in Delhi for a match, Indian fans clapped with excitement when an Indian batsman got out. I was baffled why fans would be so excited when one of their own was out. Well, simply to watch Virat Kohli, a fellow Delhi wala, step onto the field to bat. India is full of such contradictions, small and big.

Visualizing Unity in Diversity

WW: As a photographer, filmmaker, and creative director, how do you decide which medium best serves a particular story? Did this influence your approach to Cow Corner?

VV: Cow Corner aligns perfectly with my ongoing exploration of unity within diversity. While previous projects have focused on broader themes of connection, Cow Corner engages with cricket—not just as a sport but as a cultural phenomenon that bridges the divide. It’s about the people who breathe life into the game and to spaces where life unfolds.

WW: You’ve worked with many brands and publications, including Dior, Bvlgari, Bergdorf Goodman, and more. How has your commercial work informed or contrasted with personal projects—like Cow Corner?

VV: My personal work informs my commercial work. Period. I started with street and documentary photography.  That experience taught me to distinguish between authenticity/real-world versus produced and unreal. If what I capture does not resonate with me, why and how could I convince my audience to connect with it? Even in commercial work, I try to bring that honesty and stay real. Commercial projects have clear goals and parameters, and I work within those while staying true to my sensibilities. With a personal project like Cow Corner, I set the direction, make choices, and allow the story to unfold more organically.

An Artistic Vision Based on Authenticity

WW: Whether for fashion or documentary, your work often tells compelling stories. How do you balance your artistic vision with the authenticity of the subjects you capture?

VV: I tend to gravitate toward the real, not the over-produced. My photography focuses on the subject within the context of their reality, not creating its artificial version. Whether it’s fashion or documentary, I aim to tell stories that feel honest and grounded. Authenticity is non-negotiable in my work. 

“I tend to gravitate toward the real…”

—Vikram Valluri

WW: Are there other stories you’re eager to explore, particularly those that transcend boundaries in the way cricket does, and you have through Cow Corner?

VV: Absolutely. I’m drawn to themes of socio-economic and class differences and have a body of work that needs my time. Stories that reveal shared humanity inspire me, and I’m eager to dive deeper to explore.

WW: What are you working on in spring 2025?

VV: My next project, Tell My Mother I Love Her, is a deeply personal collaboration with my mom, who’s a writer. I’m also focusing on stories of contemporary India—moving away from the colonial narrative to showcase a modern, vibrant, and thriving nation. It’s about evolving perspectives. I want to push boundaries, both creatively and personally.