K.V.Anand – National Award Winner!

Popular Cinematographer and Director K.V.Anand passed away  on Friday 30th April 2021 in Chennai due to illness  He was 54. His last rites took place at Besant Nagar crematorium in Chennai.

This news was huge shock for Indian Film Industry, Anand started his career as a freelance photojournalist before he started assisting PC Sreeram.

Anand worked  for leading newspapers and magazines such as Vikatan,Kalki ,India Today, Illustrated weekly, Aside and other national publications. Within a short period of time, his photos were published in more than 200 magazine covers and had taken photos of 10 Chief Ministers in close quarters. Anand continued to freelance in industrial photography, advertisements and cover pages for fictional Tamil novels,also won many accolades for his photography.

His first break through as a  cinematographer happened when Director Priyadharshan approached P.C.Sreeram for Thenmaavin Kombathu a malayalam feature starring Mohanlal and Shobana in the lead, Then it was K.V.Anand who shot the film in cinemascope format.

Film set in a rural backdrop with humour elements,  the imagery K.V.Anand visualized was like a painting in a canvas, there was surprise factor that Anand avoided backlighting techniques throughout the film.

He won national award for best cinematography for Thenmaavin Kombathu and it was considered to be first feature film to win Best Cinematography with a aspect ratio of 1:2.39

Anand’s First Tamil feature Khaadhal Desam was glossy visuals, as a cinematographer it had a metro look frames filled with Grad filters, interesting color palates.

Each film he tried new techniques especially Mudhalvan for particular song Shakalaka baby he filmed using reversal film stock and cross processing technique to get enhanced retro images.

Shivaji – the boss  shot in film was mastered in 4k for the first time and also converted into 3D format later.

Anand after wielding  camera for more than 14 films in languages including Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Hindi…started concentrating into film direction.

being a cinematographer himself, Anand choose not to do cinematography in his directorial ventures  and has actively tried to select different cinematographers for each of his projects, like Soundarajan,  M.S.Prabhu , Richard.M.Nathan,Om prakash and Abhinandhan Ramanajam.

K.V.Anand’s Directorial Ventures in Tamil Kana Kandaen, Ayan, Ko, Maattrraan, Anegan, Kavan and Kaappaan all were unique and successful in box office.

SICA President P.C.Sreeram expressed his grief that ”K.V.Anand left us soon, You will always be part of me my friend”.

SICA is deeply shocked by K.V.Anand sudden demise, his contribution to Indian Film Industry will be always been remembered and will remain as guiding force for Future growth of the film Industry.

Article by

CJ Rajkumar

Author/Cinematographer