Santosh Sivan
ISC (born 8 February 1964) is an Indian
cinematographer
The cinematographer or director of photography (sometimes shortened to DP or DOP) is the person responsible for the recording of a film, television production, music video or other live-action piece. The cinematographer is the chief of the camera ...
, film director, producer and actor known for his works in
Malayalam
Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian languages, Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry (union territory), Puducherry (Mahé district) by the Malayali people. It is one of ...
,
Tamil and
Hindi cinema
Hindi cinema, popularly known as Bollywood and formerly as Bombay cinema, is primarily produced in Mumbai. The popular term Bollywood is a portmanteau of "Bombay" (former name of Mumbai) and "Cinema of the United States, Hollywood". The in ...
.
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
The National Film Awards are awards for artistic and technical merit given for "Excellence within the Cinema of India, Indian film industry". Established in 1954, it has been administered, along with the International Film Festival of India ...
, six
Filmfare Awards
The Filmfare Awards are annual awards that honour artistic and technical excellence in the Indian cinema.Al The Filmfare ceremony is one of the most famous film events in India. The awards were introduced by Filmfare magazine of The Times G ...
, 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
The National Film Awards are awards for artistic and technical merit given for "Excellence within the Cinema of India, Indian film industry". Established in 1954, it has been administered, along with the International Film Festival of India ...
as the Best Children's Film and Best Sound.
Santosh became the first
cinematographer
The cinematographer or director of photography (sometimes shortened to DP or DOP) is the person responsible for the recording of a film, television production, music video or other live-action piece. The cinematographer is the chief of the camera ...
in the Asia-Pacific region to join the
American Society of Cinematographers. As a cinematographer, he has won five
National Film Awards
The National Film Awards are awards for artistic and technical merit given for "Excellence within the Cinema of India, Indian film industry". Established in 1954, it has been administered, along with the International Film Festival of India ...
– including four for
Best Feature Film Cinematography. As of 2014, he has received eleven
National Film Awards
The National Film Awards are awards for artistic and technical merit given for "Excellence within the Cinema of India, Indian film industry". Established in 1954, it has been administered, along with the International Film Festival of India ...
, 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
As actor
Awards
National Film Awards
The National Film Awards are awards for artistic and technical merit given for "Excellence within the Cinema of India, Indian film industry". Established in 1954, it has been administered, along with the International Film Festival of India ...
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
The Filmfare Awards are annual awards that honour artistic and technical excellence in the Indian cinema.Al The Filmfare ceremony is one of the most famous film events in India. The awards were introduced by Filmfare magazine of The Times G ...
* 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 websiteOfficial FacebookSantosh Sivan's blog on PassionForCinema.com*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sivan, Santosh
Loyola School, Thiruvananthapuram alumni
Malayalam film directors
Film directors from Thiruvananthapuram
1964 births
Living people
Film and Television Institute of India alumni
Tamil cinematographers
Kerala State Film Award winners
Malayalam film cinematographers
Tamil Nadu State Film Awards winners
Malayalam film producers
Best Cinematography National Film Award winners
Recipients of the Padma Shri in arts
Filmfare Awards South winners
Filmfare Awards winners
Film producers from Thiruvananthapuram
Screenwriters from Thiruvananthapuram
20th-century Indian dramatists and playwrights
21st-century Indian dramatists and playwrights
20th-century Indian photographers
21st-century Indian photographers
21st-century Indian male actors
Male actors from Thiruvananthapuram
Male actors in Malayalam cinema
Male actors in Tamil cinema
Indian male film actors
Cinematographers from Kerala
Directors who won the Best Children's Film National Film Award
Directors who won the Best Film on Environment Conservation/Preservation National Film Award