Kunjan Ramachandra Babu (15 December 1947 – 21 December 2019) was an Indian cinematographer of over 125 films, out of which most are Malayalam films. He also worked for films in Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, Arabic and English languages.Official biodata- Google Docs He served as the cinematographer for several documentaries and advertisement films as well. He was one of the founding members of the Indian Society of Cinematographers (ISC).

Early life and career Ramachandra Babu was born on 15 December 1947 in Maduranthakam at Chengalpattu District, Tamil Nadu, as the eldest son of Malayali parents, Kunjan Pillai and Padmini Amma, both from Alappuzha, Kerala. After obtaining his B.Sc. (Chemistry) degree from Loyola College, Madras in 1966, he went on to join the Film and Television Institute of India, Pune to study cinematography. In the Institute, he made friends with Balu Mahendra, John Abraham and K. G. George, who would go on to become noted film directors.

He made his feature film debut in 1971 as a cinematographer even before completing his FTII course, for Vidyarthikale Ithile Ithile.

Later career Ramachandra Babu's first colour film (Eastman Color) was Dweepu (1977), directed by Ramu Kariat, and it won him his first Kerala State Film Award for Best Cinematography. He went on to win 3 more State Awards for Rathinirvedam (1978) and Chamaram (1980), directed by Bharathan, and Oru Vadakkan Veeragadha (1989), directed by Hariharan.

He played a prominent role in ushering in the technical advancements in cinematography into Malayalam cinema. The transition from Black & White to colour aside, he served as the cinematographer for the first CinemaScope film to be shot in South India, Alavuddinum Athbutha Vilakkum (1979), directed by I. V. Sasi. Despite featuring major stars like Kamal Haasan, Rajinikanth and Jayabharathi, the film was delayed and another CinemaScope film Thacholi Ambu (1978) was released ahead of it, leaving the latter to be considered as the first CinemaScope film in South India. He was the cinematographer of the first film to be released with 70 mm film in Malayalam. The film, Padayottam (1982), directed by Jijo Punnoose, was from the production house of Thacholi Ambu, Navodaya. The film was photographed in CinemaScope format and was converted to 70 mm blow-up prints with 6-track magnetic stereo sound during post-production.

His noted films include Nirmalyam (1973 – National Award For Best Feature Film, directed by M. T. Vasudevan Nair), Swapnadanam (1975 – Kerala State Film Award for Best Film, directed by K. G. George), Bandhanam (1978 – Kerala State Best Film, directed by M. T. Vasudevan Nair), Agraharathil Kazhuthai (1978 – Best Tamil Film – National Award, directed by John Abraham), Sandhyakku Virinja Poovu directed by P.G. Viswambharan, Itha Ivide Vare directed by I. V. Sasi), Patita (1980 – Hindi, directed by I. V. Sasi), Yavanika (directed by K. G. George) & Marmaram (directed by Bharathan), both Kerala State Best Film Award – 1982, Padayottam (first Malayalam 70 mm feature film, 1982, directed by Jijo), Pagal Nilavu (1985 – Tamil, directed by Mani Rathnam), Oru Vadakkan Veera Gaadha (1989 – Malayalam, directed by Hariharan), Aadhaaram (1992 – Malayalam, directed by George Kithu), Sallapam (1996 – Malayalam, directed by Sunder Das), Ghazal (1993 – Malayalam, directed by Kamal), Kanmadam (1998 – Malayalam, directed by Lohithadas), Beyond the Soul (English – 2003 – directed by Rajiv Anchal) and Al-Boom (Arabic – 2005 – directed by Khaled Abdul Raheem Al-Zadjali).

Awards Kerala State Film Award for Best Cinematography 1976 – Dweepu 1978 – Rathinirvedam 1980 – Chamaram 1989 – Oru Vadakkan Veeragadha Kerala Film Critics Award (1981) : Nidhra Kerala Film Critics Award (2009) : Kadaksham

Filmography The list of films for which Ramachandra Babu served as the director of cinematography: Year Title Director Language1972Vidhyarthikale Ithile IthileJohn AbrahamMalayalam1973RaggingN. N. PisharadyMalayalam1973ManassuHameed KakkasseryMalayalam1973NirmalyamM.T. Vasudevan NairMalayalam1976AgnipushpamJeseyMalayalam1976SrishtiK. T. MuhammedMalayalam1976SwapnadanamK.G. GeorgeMalayalam1976RajankanamI.V. SasiMalayalam1977DweepuRamu KariatMalayalam1977Amme AnupameK.S. SethumadhavanMalayalam1977Veedu Oru SwargamJeseyMalayalam1977Itha Ivide VareI.V. SasiMalayalam1977Sneha YamunaA. T. RaghuMalayalam1977Tholireyi GadichindiK.S. Rami ReddyTelugu1977Randu LokamJ. SasikumarMalayalam1977Agraharathil KazhuthaiJohn AbrahamTamil1978RathinirvedamBharathanMalayalam1978EkakiniG.S. PanickerMalayalam1978Vadakakku Oru HridayamI.V. SasiMalayalam1978OnappudavaK.G. GeorgeMalayalam1978MannuK.G. GeorgeMalayalam1978BandhanamM.T. Vasudevan NairMalayalam1978Udhayam KizhakkuthanneP. N. MenonMalayalam1978Nakshathrangale KaavalK.S. SethumadhavanMalayalam1979Allauddinum Albhutha VilakkumI.V. SasiMalayalam1979Allauddinum Arputha VilakkumI.V. SasiTamil1979Ore Vaanam Ore BhoomiI.V. SasiTamil1979DevathaiP.N. MenonTamil1979EzhamkadalinakkareI.V. SasiMalayalam1980Vilkkanundu SwapnangalM. AzadMalayalam1980ChamaramBharathanMalayalam1980Shishirathil Oru VasanthamKeyarMalayalam1980PatitaI.V. SasiHindi1980MelaK.G. GeorgeMalayalam1980SavithiriBharathanTamil1981NidraBharathanMalayalam1981Maniyan Pilla Adhava Maniyan PillaBalachandra MenonMalayalam1981KolangalK.G. GeorgeMalayalam1982YavanikaK.G. GeorgeMalayalam1982PalangalBharathanMalayalam1982AalolamMohanMalayalam1982PadayottamJijo PunnooseMalayalam1982MarmaramBharathanMalayalam1982VaarikkuzhiM.T. Vasudevan NairMalayalam1982Innallenkil NaaleI.V. SasiMalayalam1983Sandhyakku Virinja PoovuP.G. ViswambharanMalayalam1983EettillamFazilMalayalam1983Pin NilavuP.G. ViswambharanMalayalam1983Sagaram SanthamP.G. ViswambharanMalayalam1983Marakkukila OrikkalumFazilMalayalam1983Onnu ChirikkuP.G. ViswambharanMalayalam1984Onnanu NammalP.G. ViswambharanMalayalam1984Adaminte VariyelluK.G. GeorgeMalayalam1984UnarooMani RatnamMalayalam1984Oru Kochukatha Aarum Parayatha KathaP.G. ViswambharanMalayalam1985Vellarikka PattanamThomas BerlyMalayalam1985Paadum VaanampadiJayakumarTamil1985Pagal NilavuMani RatnamTamil1985Ivide Ee TheerathuP.G. ViswambharanMalayalam1985Ee Lokam Ivide Kure ManushyarP.G. ViswambharanMalayalam1985DeivathayorthuR. GopiMalayalam1986Ithile Iniyum VaruP.G. ViswambharanMalayalam1986Manthira PunnagaiThamizh AzhaganTamil1986Ennu Nathante NimmiSajanMalayalam1988Achuvettante VeeduBalachandra MenonMalayalam1988KanakambarangalN. Sankaran NairMalayalam1988PuravruthamLenin RajendranMalayalam1988OozhamHarikumarMalayalam1988MattoralK.G. GeorgeMalayalam1989Kadhal Enum NadhiyinileM.K.I. SukumaranTamil1989Oru Vadakkan VeeragathaHariharanMalayalam1989UtharamV. K. PavithranMalayalam1989Ashokante AswathikuttikkuVijayan KarotMalayalam1990Brahma RakshassVijayan KarotMalayalam1990Ee KannikoodiK.G. GeorgeMalayalam1990Radha MadhavamSuresh UnnithanMalayalam1991Manamadha SarangalBabyMalayalam1991Mukha ChithramSuresh UnnithanMalayalam1991Kadinjool KalyanamRajasenanMalayalam1991NeelagiriI.V. SasiMalayalam1991Irikku M.D. AkathunduP.G. ViswambharanMalayalam1992AadharamGeorge KithuMalayalam1992Ponnurukkum PakshiVaisakanMalayalam1992Ente Ponnu ThampuranA. T. AbuMalayalam1992MukhamudraRamasimhan (director)Malayalam1992First BellP.G. ViswambharanMalayalam1992SavidhamGeorge KithuMalayalam1992Soorya GayathriP. AnilMalayalam1993VenkalamBharathanMalayalam1993AalavattamRaju AmbaranMalayalam1993PravachakanP.G. ViswambharanMalayalam1993GhazalKamalMalayalam1993Bandhukkal SathrukkalSreekumaran ThampiMalayalam1993Bhoomi GeethamKamalMalayalam1994Kudumba ViseshamAnil-BabuMalayalam1994Nandini OppolMohan KupleriMalayalam1994GamanamSreeprakashMalayalam1995SargavasanthamAnil DasMalayalam1995SamudhayamAmbiliMalayalam1995Thovala PookkalSuresh UnnithanMalayalam1996SallapamSundar DasMalayalam1996HarbourAnil-BabuMalayalam1996KunkumacheppuThulasidasMalayalam1997KudamattamSundar DasMalayalam1997KarunyamA.K. LohithadasMalayalam1997RishyasringanSuresh UnnithanMalayalam1998KanmadamA.K. LohithadasMalayalam1998Elavamkodu DesamK.G. GeorgeMalayalam1999Aakasha GangaVinayanMalayalam1999SaaphalyamG. S. VijayanMalayalam1999English MediumPradeep ChokliMalayalam2000VarnakkazhchakalSundar DasMalayalam2002Puthooramputhri UnniyarchaP.G. ViswambharanMalayalam2002Nakshathrakkannulla Rajakumaran Avanundoru RajakumariRajasenanMalayalam2003Beyond The SoulRajiv AnchalEnglish2003Swapnam Kondu ThulabharamRajasenanMalayalam2004Kanninum KannadikkumSundar DasMalayalam2004AgninakshathramKarimMalayalam2005Kalyana KurimanamUdaya KumarMalayalam2005UdayonBhadranMalayalam2005MayookhamHariharanMalayalam2006Al BoomKhalid Al ZadjaliArabic2007Bharathan EffectAnil DasMalayalam2008Mizhikal SakshiAshok R NathMalayalam2008Pakal NakshatrangalRajeev NathMalayalam2010YugapurushanR. SukumaranMalayalam2010KadakshamShashi ParavoorMalayalamInganayum OraalKabeer RawtherMalayalamPirate's BloodMark RateringEnglish2011Ven Shankhu PolAshok R NathMalayalam

Unreleased films Professor Dingan (director) - Died during the production

Other works His memoir is entitled Celluloid Swapnadakan (translation: Celluloid Dreamer).

Gallery

References

External links

Official website

The Hindu: Metro Plus: Tiruchirapalli: Cinema goes haiku The Hindu: Friday Review Thiruvananthapuram / Cinema: Waxing lyrical on film Official Website of Information and Public Relation Department of Kerala