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. 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. 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.
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.
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.
Santosh became the first cinematographer in the Asia-Pacific region to join the American Society of Cinematographers. 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 in 2014 for his contributions to Indian cinema.
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.
Documentary His 2007 release Prarambha won the National Film Award for Best Educational/Motivational/Instructional Film at the 55th National Film Awards.
Filmography
Year Film Director Producer Cinematographer Writer LanguageNotes1986Nidhiyude KathaMalayalamOru Maymasa Pulariyil 1988Story of TibluIdu MishmiNational Film Award for Best Short Fiction Film1988David David Mr. DavidMalayalam1989New YearRaakhHindi1990VarthamanakaalamMalayalamMidhyaIndrajaalamSunday 7 PMDr. PasupathyNo.20 Madras MailSecond Unit Cameraman AppuShot first schedule1991PerumthachanNational Film Award for Best CinematographyThalapathiTamil1992RojaTamil Nadu State Film Award for Best CinematographerAhamMalayalamKerala State Film Award for Best CinematographyYodha1993GardishHindiGandharvamMalayalam1994Pavithram1995NirnayamBarsaatHindiFilmfare Award for Best CinematographyIndiraTamilTamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Cinematographer1996KalapaniMalayalamNational Film Award for Best CinematographyKerala State Film Award for Best CinematographyHaloHindiNational Film Award for Best Children's Film1997IruvarTamilNational Film Award for Best CinematographyFilmfare Award for Best Cinematographer – TamilDarmiyanHindi1998Dil Se..National Film Award for Best CinematographyFilmfare Award for Best CinematographyThe TerroristTamilNational Film Award for Best Feature Film in TamilMalliNational Film Award for Best Film on Environment Conservation/Preservation1999VanaprasthamMalayalamFilmfare Award for Best Cinematography – Malayalam2000Phir Bhi Dil Hai HindustaniHindiPukarFiza2001AsokaFilmfare Award for Best Cinematography 2003Tehzeeb2004Meenaxi: A Tale of Three CitiesZee Cine Award for Best CinematographyAparichithan MalayalamBride and Prejudice English2005AnandabhadramMalayalamKerala State Film Award for Best Cinematography NavarasaTamilNational Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil The Mistress of Spices English 2007 PrarambhaKannadashort filmNational Film Award for Best Educational/Motivational/Instructional Film Before the RainsEnglishMalayalam2008Tahaan Hindi Best 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, Greece2010RaavanRaavananTamil2011Varnam UrumiMalayalamBest Director at the Imagine India International Film Festival, MadridIndian RupeeNational Film Award for Best Feature Film in Malayalam2012ThuppakkiTamil2013RangrezzHindi CeylonEnglish2014InamTamilAnjaanTamil2017The Great FatherMalayalamSpyder TeluguTamilDebut in Telugu cinema.2018Chekka Chivantha Vaanam Tamil2020Darbar2022Jack N' JillMalayalam2023MumbaikarHindi2024Olavum TheeravumMalayalamPart of the anthology series ManorathangalAbhayam Thedi VeendumBarroz2026Raja ShivajiMarathiHindiBilingual filmAlso debut in Marathi cinema.Batwara 1947HindiEnglish Official selection for International film festival rotterdam 2023
As actor Year Film Role Language Notes2011MakaramanjuRaja Ravi VarmaMalayalam2012ThuppakkihimselfTamilSpecial appearance in the song "Google Google"
Awards YearAwardAward CategoryNotesRef.2014Civilian honoursPadma ShriArt - Film
National Film Awards Year Film Language Category Notes 1988 Story of Tiblu English National Film Award for Best Short Fiction Film Short filmdirector 1990 Perumthachan Malayalam National Film Award for Best Cinematography 1991 Mohiniyattam National Film Award for Best Non-Feature Film Cinematography Short film 1995 Kalapani National Film Award for Best Cinematography 1996 Halo Hindi National Film Award for Best Children's Film Director 1998 The Terrorist Tamil National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil 1998 Malli National Film Award for Best Film on Environment Conservation/Preservation 1997 Iruvar National Film Award for Best Cinematography 1998 Dil Se.. Hindi 2004 Navarasa Tamil National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil Director 2008 Prarambha Kannada National Film Award for Best Educational/Motivational/Instructional Film Short film 2011 Indian Rupee Malayalam National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Malayalam Co-producer
Kerala State Film Awards 1992 – Aham – Best Cinematography (Colour) 1996 – Kalapani – Best Cinematography 2005 – Anandabhadram – Best Cinematography
Tamil Nadu State Film Awards 1992 – Roja – Best Cinematography 1996 – Indira – Best Cinematography 2010 – Raavanan – Best Cinematography
Filmfare Awards 1995 – Barsaat – Best Cinematography 1998 – Dil Se.. – Best Cinematography 2000 – Halo – Best Film (Critics) 2001 – Asoka – Best Cinematography
Filmfare Awards South 1997 – Iruvar – Best Cinematographer – South 1999 – Vanaprastham – Best Cinematographer – South
IIFA Awards 2002 – Asoka – IFFA Best Cinematographer Award
Star Screen Awards 2005 – Meenaxi: A Tale of Three Cities – Best Cinematography
Zee Cine Awards 2005 – Meenaxi: A Tale of Three Cities – Best Cinematography
International Won:
1998 – The Terrorist – Best Director at Cairo International Film Festival 1998 – The Terrorist – Golden Pyramid at Cairo International Film Festival 1999 – Malli – Adult's Jury Award for Feature Film and Video (second place) at Chicago International Film Festival 1999 – The Terrorist – Grand Jury Prize at Cinemanila International Film Festival 1999 – The Terrorist – Lino Brocka Award for Best Film at Cinemanila International Film Festival 2000 – Malli– Poznan Goat for Best Director at 18th Ale Kino! International Young Audience Film Festival 2000 – The Terrorist – Panorama Jury Prize for Honorable Mention at Sarajevo Film Festival 2000 – Malli – Emerging Masters Showcase Award at Seattle International Film Festival Awards 2004 – Malli – Audience Award for Best Feature Film at Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles 2005 – Navarasa – Monaco International Film Festival (Monaco) Won – Best Supporting Actor – Bobby Darling Won – Angel Independent Spirit Award – Navarasa – Santosh Sivan 2008 – Before the Rains – Grand Award for Best Theatrical Feature at WorldFest Houston International Film Festival 2008 – Before the Rains – Crystal Kodak award for best cinematography. 2009 – Tahaan won a High Commendation in Children's Feature Film section at the 2009 Asia Pacific Screen Awards Nominated:
2001 – The Terrorist – Independent Spirit Award for Best Foreign Film 2001 – The Terrorist – Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best Foreign Language Film
References
External links
Official website Official Facebook Santosh Sivan's blog on PassionForCinema.com
Director with a Focus Shana Maria Verghis of The Daily Pioneer (India) Interviews Santosh Sivan