Santosh Sivan


Santosh Sivan ISC 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. 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

YearFilmDirectorProducerCinematographerWriterLanguageNotes
1986Nidhiyude KathaMalayalam
1986Oru Maymasa PulariyilMalayalam
1988Story of TibluIdu MishmiNational Film Award for Best Short Fiction Film
1988David David Mr. DavidMalayalam
1989New YearMalayalam
1989RaakhHindi
1990VarthamanakaalamMalayalam
1990MidhyaMalayalam
1990IndrajaalamMalayalam
1990Sunday 7 PMMalayalam
1990Dr. PasupathyMalayalam
1990No.20 Madras MailMalayalamSecond Unit Cameraman
1990AppuMalayalamShot first schedule
1991PerumthachanMalayalamNational Film Award for Best Cinematography
1991ThalapathiTamil
1992RojaTamilTamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Cinematographer
1992AhamMalayalamKerala State Film Award for Best Cinematography
1992YodhaMalayalam
1993GardishHindi
1993GandharvamMalayalam
1994PavithramMalayalam
1995NirnayamMalayalam
1995BarsaatHindiFilmfare Award for Best Cinematography
1995IndiraTamilTamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Cinematographer
1996KalapaniMalayalamNational Film Award for Best Cinematography
Kerala State Film Award for Best Cinematography
1996HaloHindiNational Film Award for Best Children's Film
1997IruvarTamilNational Film Award for Best Cinematography
Filmfare Award for Best Cinematographer – Tamil
1997DarmiyanHindi-
1998Dil Se..HindiNational Film Award for Best Cinematography
Filmfare Award for Best Cinematography
1998The TerroristTamilNational Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil
1998MalliTamilNational Film Award for Best Film on Environment Conservation/Preservation
1999VanaprasthamMalayalamFilmfare Award for Best Cinematography – Malayalam
2000Phir Bhi Dil Hai HindustaniHindi
2000PukarHindi
2000FizaHindi
2001AsokaHindiFilmfare Award for Best Cinematography
2003TehzeebHindi
2004Meenaxi: A Tale of Three CitiesHindiZee Cine Award for Best Cinematography
2004AparichithanMalayalam
2004Bride and PrejudiceEnglish
2005AnandabhadramMalayalamKerala State Film Award for Best Cinematography
2005NavarasaTamilNational Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil
2005The Mistress of SpicesEnglish
2007PrarambhaKannadashort film
National Film Award for Best Educational/Motivational/Instructional Film
2007Before the RainsEnglish
Malayalam
2008TahaanHindiBest feature film award, CIFEJ Award
UNICEF Award at 11th Olympia International Film Festival for Children and Young People, Greece
2010RaavanHindi
2010RaavananTamil
2011VarnamTamil
2011UrumiMalayalamBest Director at the Imagine India International Film Festival, Madrid
2011Indian RupeeMalayalamNational Film Award for Best Feature Film in Malayalam
2012ThuppakkiTamil
2013RangrezzHindi
2013CeylonEnglish
2014InamTamil
2014AnjaanTamil
2017The Great FatherMalayalam
2017SpyderTelugu
Tamil		Debut in Telugu cinema.
2018Chekka Chivantha VaanamTamil
2020DarbarTamil
2022Jack N' JillMalayalam
2023MumbaikarHindi
2024Olavum TheeravumMalayalamPart of the anthology series Manorathangal
2024Abhayam Thedi VeendumMalayalamPart of the anthology series Manorathangal
2024BarrozMalayalam
2026Marathi
Hindi		Bilingual film
Also debut in Marathi cinema.
TBAHindi
TBAEnglishOfficial selection for International film festival rotterdam 2023