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. Regarded as one of the finest cinematographers in the country, 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
Venu is the grandson of Malayalam author, Karur Neelakanta Pillai. Venu is married to Indian film editor, Beena Paul, since 26 August 1983. The couple have a daughter, Malavika, who is married and is the manager of the Great North Museum: Hancock.
Career Venu graduated from the Film and Television Institute of India, Pune, with a diploma in motion picture photography in 1982. 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.
In 1987, Venu received his first National Film Award (jointly for Amma Ariyan and Namukku Parkkan Munthiri Thoppukal). He went onto receive two more awards for Miss Beatty's Children (1993) and Ponthan Mada (1994). In 1998, he made his directorial debut with Daya, a period fiction written by M. T. Vasudevan Nair. 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. His latest work is Carbon, starring Fahadh Faasil.
He has also written two books named Nagnarum Narabhojikalum (or നഗ്നരും നരഭോജികളും): A travelogue and Solo Stories (or സോളോ സ്റ്റോറീസ്): A collection of travel writings featuring photographs from various parts of India.
Filmography
As cinematographer +YearFilmLanguageNotes1983Prem Nazirine KanmanillaMalayalam1984Mati ManasHindiDocumentary1985IrakalMalayalam1986Sister Alphonsa of BharananganamMalayalamDeshadanakkili KarayaariillaMalayalamKariyilakkaattu PoleMalayalamArappatta Kettiya GraamatthilMalayalamPranamamMalayalamNamukku Paarkkaan Munthiri ThoppukalMalayalamAmma AriyaanMalayalam1987Kathakku PinnilMalayalam1988AparanMalayalamMoonaam PakkamMalayalamAaranyakamMalayalamDhwaniMalayalam1989Bagh BahadurBengaliSeasonMalayalamVadakkunnokkiyanthramMalayalamRamji Rao SpeakingMalayalamDasharathamMalayalam1990InnaleMalayalamThaazhvaaramMalayalamIn Harihar NagarMalayalamMaloottyMalayalam1991GunaaTamilGodfatherMalayalamKadavuMalayalamNjaan GandharvanMalayalamKeliMalayalam1992Miss Beatty's ChildrenEnglishTahader KathaBengaliAhamMalayalamVietnam ColonyMalayalamNakshathrakkoodaaramMalayalam1993Maayaa MayooramMalayalamOru Kadankadha PoleMalayalamChenkolMalayalamManichithratthaazhuMalayalamPoruthamMalayalam1994Sagaram SakshiMalayalamPonthan MadaMalayalamAmodiniBengaliTarpanHindi1995Sindoora RekhaMalayalamThacholi Varghese ChekavarMalayalamSadaramMalayalam1996KaanaakkinaavuMalayalam1997Minsara KanavuTamilBhoothakkannadiMalayalamLal DarjaBengali1999Angane Oru AvadhikkaalathuMalayalamChandaamaamaMalayalamFriendsMalayalam2002Mondo Meyer UpakhyanBengaliMatrubhoomi: A Nation Without WomenHindiTaj Mahal: A Monument of LoveEnglishMargamMalayalam2004Swapner DinBengali2005Nuvvostanante NenoddantanaTeluguDebut in Telugu cinemaAnbe AaruyireTamilJai ChiranjeevaTelugu2006PournamiTelugu2007ThirumaganTamil2008MaharathiHindi2 Harihar NagarMalayalamBhaagyadevathaMalayalamKerala Varma Pazhassi RajaMalayalam2010Kadha ThudarunnuMalayalamPranchiyettan & the SaintMalayalamTournamentMalayalamIn Ghost House InnMalayalam2011Three KingsMalayalamSnehaveeduMalayalam2012CobraMalayalamSpiritMalayalamPuthiya TheerangalMalayalam2013CelluloidMalayalam2014MunnariyippuMalayalam2021Aanum PennumMalayalam2023PulimadaMalayalam2024PaniMalayalam
As director Daya (1998) Munnariyippu (2014) Carbon (2018) Aanum Pennum (2021)
Awards
National Film Awards Year Film Language Category Notes 1986 Amma AriyanNamukku 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
External links