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Venu (cinematographer)

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Venu
Born
Venugopal Pillai

(1957-01-26) 26 January 1957 (age 67)
Alma materFTII
Occupation(s)Cinematographer
Film director
Spouse
(m. 1983)
ChildrenMalavika
RelativesKarur Neelakanta Pillai (Grandfather)

Venugopal Pillai (born 26 January 1957), popularly known as Venu, is an Indian cinematographer and film director who works mainly in Malayalam cinema. An alumnus of the Film and Television Institute of India, Pune and CMS college Kottayam. He has been the recipient of four National Film Awards, including three for Best Cinematography and one Indira Gandhi Award for Best Debut Film of a Director, and four Kerala State Film Awards. He is a founding member of the Indian Society of Cinematographers (ISC).

Personal life

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Venu is the grandson of Malayalam author, Karur Neelakanta Pillai.[citation needed] Venu is married to Indian film editor, Beena Paul, since 26 August 1983. The couple have a daughter, Malavika, who is married to an Human being and is the manager of the Great North Museum: Hancock.[1]

Career

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Venu graduated from the Film and Television Institute of India, Pune, with a diploma in motion picture photography in 1982.[citation needed] He has worked as cinematographer in over 80 feature films with Mani Kaul, K G George, John Abraham, Buddhadeb Dasgupta, Pamela Rooks, Padmarajan, Bharathan and M. T. Vasudevan Nair.[citation needed]

In 1987, Venu received his first National Film Award (jointly for Amma Ariyan and Namukku Parkkan Munthiri Thoppukal).[2] He went onto receive two more awards for Miss Beatty's Children (1993) and Ponthan Mada (1994).[3][4] In 1998, he made his directorial debut with Daya, a period fiction written by M. T. Vasudevan Nair.[5] The film won the Kerala State Film Award for Best Debut Director and Indira Gandhi Award for Best Debut Film of a Director. In 2014, he directed his second film, Munnariyippu, starring Mammootty.[5] His latest work is Carbon, starring Fahadh Faasil.[citation needed]

Filmography

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As cinematographer

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Year Film Language Notes
1983 Prem Nazirine Kanmanilla Malayalam
1984 Mati Manas Hindi Documentary
1985 Irakal Malayalam
1986 Sister Alphonsa of Bharananganam Malayalam
Deshadanakkili Karayaariilla Malayalam
Kariyilakkaattu Pole Malayalam
Arappatta Kettiya Graamatthil Malayalam
Pranamam Malayalam
Namukku Paarkkaan Munthiri Thoppukal Malayalam
Amma Ariyaan Malayalam
1987 Kathakku Pinnil Malayalam
1988 Aparan Malayalam
Moonaam Pakkam Malayalam
Aaranyakam Malayalam
Dhwani Malayalam
1989 Bagh Bahadur Bengali
Season Malayalam
Vadakkunnokkiyanthram Malayalam
Ramji Rao Speaking Malayalam
Dasharatham Malayalam
1990 Innale Malayalam
Thaazhvaaram Malayalam
In Harihar Nagar Malayalam
Malootty Malayalam
1991 Gunaa Tamil
Godfather Malayalam
Kadavu Malayalam
Njaan Gandharvan Malayalam
Keli Malayalam
1992 Miss Beatty's Children English
Tahader Katha Bengali
Aham Malayalam
Vietnam Colony Malayalam
Nakshathrakkoodaaram Malayalam
1993 Maayaa Mayooram Malayalam
Oru Kadankadha Pole Malayalam
Chenkol Malayalam
Manichithratthaazhu Malayalam
Porutham Malayalam
1994 Sagaram Sakshi Malayalam
Ponthan Mada Malayalam
Amodini Bengali
Vardhakya Puranam Malayalam
Tarpan Hindi
1995 Chantha Malayalam
Sindoora Rekha Malayalam
Thacholi Varghese Chekavar Malayalam
Kaattile Thadi Thevarude Aana Malayalam
Aadyathe Kanmani Malayalam
Sadaram Malayalam
Three Men Army Malayalam
Tom & Jerry Malayalam
1996 Padanayakan Malayalam
Kaanaakkinaavu Malayalam
Swapna Lokathe Balabhaskaran Malayalam
1997 Minsara Kanavu Tamil
Bhoothakkannadi Malayalam
Lal Darja Bengali
1999 Angane Oru Avadhikkaalathu Malayalam
Chandaamaama Malayalam
Friends Malayalam
Pallavur Devanarayanan Malayalam
2000 Arayannangalude Veedu Malayalam
2001 Ishtam Malayalam
Megasandesam Malayalam
2002 Mondo Meyer Upakhyan Bengali
Nammal Malayalam
2003 Mr. Brahmachari Malayalam
Ente Veedu Appuvinteyum Malayalam
Matrubhoomi: A Nation Without Women Hindi
Taj Mahal: A Monument of Love English
Margam Malayalam
2004 Jalolsavam Malayalam
Mayilattam Malayalam
Swapner Din Bengali
Amrutham Malayalam
2005 Nuvvostanante Nenoddantana Telugu Debut in Telugu cinema
Alice in Wonderland Malayalam
Anbe Aaruyire Tamil
Jai Chiranjeeva Telugu
2006 Pournami Telugu
2007 Thirumagan Tamil
2008 Maharathi Hindi
2009 Aayirathil Oruvan Malayalam
2 Harihar Nagar Malayalam
Bhaagyadevatha Malayalam
Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja Malayalam
2010 Kadha Thudarunnu Malayalam
Pranchiyettan & the Saint Malayalam
Tournament Malayalam
In Ghost House Inn Malayalam
2011 Three Kings Malayalam
Snehaveedu Malayalam
2012 Cobra Malayalam
Spirit Malayalam
Puthiya Theerangal Malayalam
2013 Celluloid Malayalam
2014 Munnariyippu Malayalam
2021 Aanum Pennum Malayalam
2023 Pulimada Malayalam

As director

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Awards

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National Film Awards
Year Film Language Category Notes
1986 Amma Ariyan
Namukku Parkkan Munthirithoppukal
Malayalam National Film Award for Best Cinematography
1992 Miss Beatty's Children English National Film Award for Best Cinematography
1993 Ponthan Mada Malayalam National Film Award for Best Cinematography
Kerala State Film Awards
  • 1985 - Irakal - Best Cinematography
  • 1992 – Aham – Best Cinematography
  • 2003 - Margam - Best Cinematography

References

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  1. ^ "Great North Museum: Hancock welcomes Malavika Anderson as new Museum Manager | Great North Museum: Hancock".
  2. ^ "34th National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals.
  3. ^ "40th National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals.
  4. ^ "41st National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 3 March 2012.
  5. ^ a b Nagarajan, Saraswathy (5 June 2014). "Prisoners of circumstance". The Hindu. Retrieved 24 July 2017.
  6. ^ Nagarajan, Saraswathy (18 January 2018). "Fahadh Faasil was in his element in 'Carbon': Venu". The Hindu.
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