A good cinematographer not only captures the director’s vision, but also enhances it using his own lighting and insights (which is why it isn’t uncommon to find directors doubling up as cinematographers at times). Read on to know more about some of Tamil cinema’s finest.
Balu Mahendra
Balu Mahendra was considered one of the best all-round technicians of his generation. Before taking to direction, he served as the cinematographer for many films in the Malayalam, Telugu and Tamil language industries. He was known for lensing all the films he has directed. His signature style included bringing out the best visuals with natural lights. Mullum Malarum(1978), Moodu Pani (1980) and Moondram Pirai (1982) are among his notable films.
Santosh Sivan
Santosh Sivan is the most famous cinematographer of India. He has bagged a record four National Awards for cinematography in his career and has worked with leading filmmakers in multiple languages across the country. He is known to straddle both mainstream and arthouse genres with equal skill. He is also the founder member of Indian Society of Cinematographers. His best known work includes Kaalapani (1996), Iruvar (1997), Dil Se (1998) and Navrasa (2005). (For a detailed appraisal of his working style, click here)
P C Sreeram
One of the rare cinematographers to achieve pan-India success in his 50s, P C Sreeram reinvented the concept of filmography for an entire generation of Tamil film buffs and mentored a string of successful cinematographers in the years to come. His best work includes Nayakan (1987), Geethanjali (1989), Thevar Magan (1992), Thiruda Thiruda and Alaipayuthey (2000). His collaboration with noted film director R Balki led to well-received films like Cheeni Kum (2007), Shamitabh (2015), Ki and Ka (2016) and Pad Man (2018).
Ravi K Chandran
One of P C Sreeram’s best known proteges, Ravi K Chandran is a flag bearer where improving the visual quality of films is concerned. His signature style includes presenting even simple scenes with sophisticated aesthetics through discerning choices of visual grammar. Starting with Tamil cinema, he eventually switched gears to the Hindi film industry. His notable work includes films like Virasat (1997), Kandukondain Kandukondain (2000), Kannathil Muthamittal (2003) and Black (2005).
Rajeev Menon
Sometimes, less is more, and Rajeev Menon’s career is proof of that. His debut work as a cinematographer happened in 1991 and covers about six films, and yet, the legacy he has left is impressive. His most memorable work is the troika of classics he did with Mani Ratnam: Bombay (1995), Guru (2007) and Kadal (2013).
