Santosh Sivan

Santosh Sivan (born 8 February 1964) is an Indian cinematographer, film director, producer and actor known for his works in Malayalam, Tamil and Hindi cinema.[3] Santosh graduated from the Film and Television Institute of India and has, to date, completed 55 feature films and 50 documentaries.He is regarded as one of India's finest and best cinematographers.[4] He is the recipient of the Pierre Angénieux Excellens in Cinematography, twelve National Film Awards, six Filmfare Awards, four Kerala State Film Awards, and three Tamil Nadu State Film Awards.

Santosh Sivan
Santosh in 2011
Born (1964-02-08) 8 February 1964 (age 60)
NationalityIndian
Alma mater
Occupations
  • Cinematographer
  • film director
  • actor
  • film producer
Spouse
Deepa
(m. 1993)
ChildrenSarvajith[2]
Relatives

Career

Santosh, a founding member of the Indian Society of Cinematographers and the most awarded Director of Photography in India, graduated from the Film and Television Institute of India and completed 45 feature films and 41 documentaries.[5]

As a director, Santosh won his first National Award 1988 for the Story of Tiblu (1988). His film Halo was honoured at the 43rd National Film Awards as the Best Children's Film and Best Sound.[6]

Santosh became the first cinematographer in the Asia-Pacific region to join the American Society of Cinematographers.[7] As a cinematographer, he has won five National Film Awards – including four for Best Feature Film Cinematography. As of 2014, he has received eleven National Film Awards, and 21 international awards for his works. He was awarded the Padma Shri for his contributions to Indian cinema 2014.

Late 1999s and present

In an interview, he said that some films he chose, not mostly because of the story but due to the very fact that he was comfortable with the director, a bigger pay check and out of friendship.[8]

Documentary

His 2007 release Prarambha won the National Film Award for Best Educational/Motivational/Instructional Film at the 55th National Film Awards.[9]

Filmography

Key
Denotes films that have not yet been released
YearFilmDirectorProducerCinematographerWriterLanguageNotes
1986Nidhiyude KathaYesMalayalam
Oru Maymasa PulariyilYesMalayalam
1988Story of TibluYesNational Film Award for Best Short Fiction Film
1988David David Mr. DavidYesMalayalam
1989New YearYesMalayalam
RaakhYesHindi
1990MidhyaYesMalayalam
IndrajaalamYesMalayalam
Sunday 7 PMYesMalayalam
Dr. PasupathyYesMalayalam
No.20 Madras MailYesMalayalamSecond Unit Cameraman
AppuYesMalayalamShot first schedule
1991PerumthachanYesMalayalamNational Film Award for Best Cinematography
ThalapathiYesTamil
1992Roja[10]YesTamilTamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Cinematographer
AhamYesMalayalamKerala State Film Award for Best Cinematography
YodhaYesMalayalam
1993GardishYesHindi
GandharvamYesMalayalam
1994PavithramYesMalayalam
1995NirnayamYesMalayalam
BarsaatYesHindiFilmfare Award for Best Cinematography
IndiraYesTamilTamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Cinematographer
1996KalapaniYesMalayalamNational Film Award for Best Cinematography
Kerala State Film Award for Best Cinematography
HaloYesYesYesHindiNational Film Award for Best Children's Film
1997IruvarYesTamilNational Film Award for Best Cinematography
Filmfare Award for Best Cinematographer – South
DarmiyanYesHindi
1998Dil Se..YesHindiNational Film Award for Best Cinematography
Filmfare Award for Best Cinematography
The TerroristYesYesTamilNational Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil
MalliYesYesYesYesTamilNational Film Award for Best Film on Environment Conservation/Preservation
1999VanaprasthamYesMalayalamFilmfare Award for Best Cinematography – South
2000Phir Bhi Dil Hai HindustaniYesHindi
PukarYesHindi
FizaYesHindi
2001AsokaYesYesYesHindiFilmfare Award for Best Cinematography
2003TehzeebYesHindi
2004Meenaxi: A Tale of Three CitiesYesHindiZee Cine Award for Best Cinematography
AparichithanYesMalayalam
Bride and PrejudiceYesEnglish
2005AnandabhadramYesYesMalayalamKerala State Film Award for Best Cinematography
NavarasaYesYesYesTamilNational Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil
The Mistress of SpicesYesEnglish
2007PrarambhaYesKannadashort film
National Film Award for Best Educational/Motivational/Instructional Film
Before the RainsYesYesYesEnglish
Malayalam
2008TahaanYesYesHindiBest feature film award, CIFEJ Award (Centre International du Film pour l' Enfant et la Jeunesse)
UNICEF Award at 11th Olympia International Film Festival for Children and Young People, Greece
2010RaavanYesHindi
RaavananYesTamil
2011VarnamYesTamil
UrumiYesYesYesMalayalamBest Director at the Imagine India International Film Festival, Madrid
Indian RupeeYesMalayalamNational Film Award for Best Feature Film in Malayalam
2012ThuppakkiYesTamil
2013RangrezzYesHindi
CeylonYesYesYesYes
2014InamYesYesYesYesTamil[11]
AnjaanYesTamil
2017The Great FatherYesMalayalam
SpyderYesTelugu
Tamil
Debut in Telugu cinema.[12]
2018Chekka Chivantha VaanamYesTamil[13][14]
2020DarbarYesTamil
2022Jack N' JillYesYesMalayalam
2023MumbaikarYesYesHindiRemake of Maanagaram
2024Barroz: Guardian of D' Gama's Treasure YesMalayalam
TBAKaliyugam YesYesYesMalayalam
Moha YesYesYesYesEnglishOfficial selection for International film festival rotterdam 2023

As actor

YearFilmRoleLanguageNotes
2011MakaramanjuRaja Ravi VarmaMalayalam
2012ThuppakkiTamilSpecial appearance in the song "Google Google"

Awards

YearAwardAward CategoryNotesRef.
2014Civilian honoursPadma ShriArt - Film[15]
YearFilmLanguageCategoryNotes
1988Story of TibluEnglishNational Film Award for Best Short Fiction FilmShort film
director
1990PerumthachanMalayalamNational Film Award for Best Cinematography
1991MohiniyattamNational Film Award for Best Non-Feature Film CinematographyShort film
1995KalapaniNational Film Award for Best Cinematography
1996HaloHindiNational Film Award for Best Children's FilmDirector
1998The TerroristTamilNational Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil
1998MalliNational Film Award for Best Film on Environment Conservation/Preservation
1997IruvarNational Film Award for Best Cinematography
1998Dil Se..Hindi
2004NavarasaTamilNational Film Award for Best Feature Film in TamilDirector
2008PrarambhaKannadaNational Film Award for Best Educational/Motivational/Instructional FilmShort film
2011Indian RupeeMalayalamNational Film Award for Best Feature Film in MalayalamCo-producer
  • 1992 – Aham – Best Cinematography (Colour)
  • 1996 – Kalapani – Best Cinematography
  • 2005 – Anandabhadram – Best Cinematography
  • 1992 – Roja – Best Cinematography
  • 1996 – Indira – Best Cinematography
  • 2010 – Raavanan – Best Cinematography

Filmfare Awards South

IIFA Awards

  • 2002 – Asoka – IFFA Best Cinematographer Award

International

Won:

Nominated:

  • 2001 – The TerroristIndependent Spirit Award for Best Foreign Film
  • 2001 – The Terrorist – Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best Foreign Language Film

References