Apple’s New Diwali Film with Raw Mango Puts the iPhone 18 Pro’s Low-Light Filmmaking to the Test

Apple has released Step Into the Light, a new Diwali-themed Shot on iPhone film created with Indian fashion label Raw Mango. Directed by Raw Mango founder Sanjay Garg and filmed on the iPhone 18 Pro, it is set at Tijara Fort, a restored 19th-century palace in Rajasthan.

The short film uses a folk rendition of “Roop Suhana Lagta Hai”, the Anu Malik-composed song from the 1994 film The Gentleman. Juhi Chawla, who featured in the original film, also makes a cameo.

Apple’s Diwali film is built around light, movement and Indian textiles

Step Into the Light follows a simple idea: people emerging from darkness and moving towards light through dance. The film features performers from across India, dressed in Raw Mango garments that draw from textile traditions including Mashru, Varanasi brocades and Chanderi.

The choreography comes from the Big Dance Centre troupe and blends traditional movement with a more contemporary visual language. Tijara Fort becomes the backdrop for the film’s lamps, colour, shadows and festive styling.

“Diwali, for me, is the biggest festival of the year,” Garg said. “It represents a change in weather where we welcome winter in the company of people we love.”

Shot on iPhone 18 Pro in low light

Apple says the film was deliberately shot in low-light conditions to highlight the iPhone 18 Pro’s camera capabilities. The phone’s 48MP Fusion Main camera introduces a variable aperture system to iPhone, using six laser-cut blades to automatically adjust depth of field and lighting.

The aperture can widen to f/1.48 for darker scenes, while smart focus tracking is designed to keep performers in focus through the film’s fast-moving dance sequences.

The film is now live on Apple’s platforms

Raw Mango was founded by textile designer Sanjay Garg in 2008 and has built its identity around Indian textiles, fashion and cultural storytelling. The collaboration arrives shortly after the brand’s first international runway show at London Fashion Week.

Step Into the Light debuted on November 4 through Apple’s global Instagram account and Apple India’s YouTube channel. Apple has also released a behind-the-scenes film on Instagram Stories, showing Garg working on set with the iPhone 18 Pro.