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P. C. Sreeram

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PC Sreeram
Born (1956-01-26) 26 January 1956 (age 68)[1]
Madras, Madras State
(now Chennai, Tamil Nadu), India
Other namesP. C, P. C. Sriram
Alma materMadras Film Institute
Occupation(s)Cinematographer, Film Director
Years active1982–present
Children2
RelativesP. R. Sundaram Iyer (grandfather)[2]

P. C. Sreeram (born 26 January 1956) is an Indian cinematographer and film director who works in Indian films. He is also the president of Qube Cinemas, a digital cinema technology company. He is an alumnus of the Madras Film Institute. Apart from his work as a cinematographer, Sreeram was much appreciated for his directorial venture Kuruthipunal. The film was internationally acclaimed and was submitted by India as its official entry to the Oscars in 1996. Sreeram is known for his association with Bharathan, Mani Ratnam, R Balki, Vikram Kumar, and received critical acclaim for his work in films such as Thevar Magan, Mouna Ragam, Nayakan, Cheeni Kum, Agni Natchathiram, Paa, Geethanjali, Alaipayuthey, I, Pad Man, O Kadhal Kanmani, Thiruda Thiruda, Ishq, and Remo. He has worked as a cinematographer in over 30 films spanning across Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada and Hindi language, besides directing three films and a few TV commercials in Chennai and Mumbai. He is also one of the founding members of Indian Society of Cinematographers (ISC).

Early life and family

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Sreeram was born on 26 January 1956 in Madras (now Chennai). Sreeram's aspiration towards films grew much during his childhood days.[3] He was educated at the Vidya Mandir Senior Secondary School, Mylapore, Chennai. As a student he was not interested in studies.[3] He had a passion for photography and after many years of struggle[clarification needed] he joined the Madras Film Institute to pursue a course in cinematography.[3][4][5] The "Samco" group, which included Kamal Haasan, C. Rudhraiya, Santhana Bharathi, Radharavi, R. C. Sakthi, Mani Ratnam, and a few others, used to meet at a hotel in Chennai and share their knowledge of cinema and future ambitions of making a perfect film.

His niece Preetha Jayaraman, a cinematographer in the Tamil film industry, was inspired to her calling largely by her uncle's work in the field.[6] Sreeram's daughter died in 2012, aged 23, after falling from the terrace of a friend's house.[7]

Career

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Sreeram received his diploma in motion picture photography from the Madras Film Institute in 1979,[8] and made his cinematic debut in the early 1980s.[1] One of his earlier works, Meendum Oru Kaathal Kathai (1985), won the Indira Gandhi Award for Best Debut Film of a Director in 1984.[1] Following a few commercially unsuccessful releases, he worked with Mani Ratnam for the first time in Mouna Ragam (1986).[9] The film gave a much-needed breakthrough for both of them. Following the film's success, the pair went on to work in Nayagan (1987). The film went on to win three National Film Awards at the 35th National Film Awards; Sreeram was awarded that year's National Film Award.[1] He used new techniques in the camera for their next film Agni Natchathiram and was praised very much for his work. Sreeram shot all of Ratnam's films until Geethanjali (1989). The film was both critically acclaimed and commercially successful besides winning the National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment and seven Nandi Awards—including the Best Story and Best Cinematography awards for Ratnam and Sreeram, respectively.

During the early 1990s, Sreeram worked in Gopura Vasalile (1991) and Thevar Magan (1992).[4] He made his directorial debut in 1992 with Meera, starring Vikram and Aishwarya .[9] The film had a delayed release and was a poor grosser at the box-office. The following year, he renewed his association with Ratnam in the latter's Thiruda Thiruda.

Sreeram directed his second film Kuruthipunal (1995), a police story based on the Hindi film Drohkaal (1994). The film was India's official entry to the Oscars in 1996.[4] It was showcased at the Rotterdam International Film Festival under the category "Director in Focus" eight years after its release.[10] In 2004, he directed Vaanam Vasappadum, the first Indian film to make use of high-definition digital technology.[11][12] The film was screened at the Mumbai International Film Festival and the ninth International Film Festival of Kerala.[12] In 2007, Sreeram made his Bollywood debut with R. Balki's Cheeni Kum.[13] Since then, Sreeram has shot all of Balki's films—Paa (2009), Shamitabh (2015), Ki & Ka (2016) and Pad Man (2018).

Legacy

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Sreeram is well known for his longtime association with Mani Ratnam, Moulee and Kamal Haasan. He received critical acclaim for his work in films such as Mouna Ragam, Nayakan, Geetaanjali, Thevar Magan, Thiruda Thiruda and Alaipayuthey.[14][13] He has mentored some of the prominent cinematographers in the Indian film industry including Jeeva,[9] M. S. Prabhu, Ramji, Chezhiyan, Fowzia Fathima, Mahesh Muthuswami, Dwaraganath, Arun Vincent, Preetha Jayaraman, K. V. Anand,[15] Tirru,[16] Balasubramaniem, K. V. Guhan, Nirav Shah, Sivakumar Vijayan, Tanveer Mir, Vivekanand Santhosham, Sathyan Sooryan, and Arvind Krishna.[17][18] In January 2016, Sreeram was elected as the president of South Indian Film Cinematographers Association.[19]

Filmography

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As cinematographer

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Year Title Language Notes
1981 Vaa Indha Pakkam Tamil Debut
1982 Oru Varisu Uruvagiradhu Tamil
Nandri, Meendum Varuga Tamil
1985 Meendum Oru Kaathal Kathai Tamil
Koodum Thedi Malayalam Debut Malayalam film
Poove Poochooda Vaa Tamil
1986 Mouna Ragam Tamil
Nee Thana Antha Kuyil Tamil
1987 Nayakan Tamil
1988 Sathyaa Tamil 1 Song
Agni Natchathiram Tamil
1989 Apoorva Sagodharargal Tamil
Geethanjali Telugu Debut Telugu film
1990 Idhaya Thamarai Tamil
1991 Gopura Vasalile Tamil
1992 Amaran Tamil
Thevar Magan Tamil
Meera Tamil Directorial debut
1993 Thiruda Thiruda Tamil
1994 May Madham Tamil
1995 Subha Sankalpam Telugu
Kuruthipunal Tamil Also director
1998 Shanti Shanti Shanti Kannada Debut Kannada film
1999 Mugam Tamil
Kadhalar Dhinam Tamil
2000 Mugavaree Tamil
Alaipayuthey Tamil
2001 Kushi Telugu
2004 Vaanam Vasappadum Tamil Also director
2005 Kanda Naal Mudhal Tamil
2006 Varalaru Tamil 1 song
2007 Cheeni Kum Hindi Debut Hindi film
2008 Dhaam Dhoom Tamil Partly completed
Keka Telugu
2009 13B
Yavarum Nalam 		Hindi
Tamil
Paa Hindi
2012 Ishq Telugu
2015 I Tamil
Shamitabh Hindi
O Kadhal Kanmani Tamil
2016 Ki & Ka Hindi
Remo Tamil
2018 Pad Man Hindi
Naa... Nuvve Telugu
Praana Malayalam [20]
2020 Psycho Tamil Partly completed[21]
Putham Pudhu Kaalai Tamil Segment Avarum Naanum - Avalum Naanum
2021 Navarasa Tamil Segment Guitar Kambi Mele Nindru
Rang De Telugu
2022 Thank You Telugu
2023 Lust Stories 2 Hindi Segment Made For Each Other
2024 Love Me Telugu

Awards and nominations

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Year Nominated work Category Result Notes
1987 Nayakan National Film Award for Best Cinematography Won [1]
1990 Geethanjali Nandi Award for Best Cinematographer Won
1992 Thevar Magan Cinema Express Award for Best Cameraman Won
1993 Thiruda Thiruda Cinema Express Award for Best Cameraman Won
1999 Kadhalar Dhinam Dinakaran Award for Best Cinematographer Won
2000 Alaipayuthey Filmfare Award for Best Cinematographer - South Won [22]
2006 Varalaru Vijay Award for Best Cinematographer (Special Jury) Won [23]
2012 Ishq CineMAA Award for Best Cinematographer Won
2012 Ishq CineMAA Award for Life Time Contribution Won [24]
2012 Ishq SIIMA Award for Best Cinematographer (Telugu) Nominated

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "35th National Film Awards". International Film Festival of India. p. 41. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 July 2016. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
  2. ^ S., Muthiah (15 May 2006). "Helping green Madras". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 1 September 2023. Retrieved 15 May 2015.
  3. ^ a b c Pain, Paromita (28 February 2004). "Beyond the future". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 30 December 2004. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
  4. ^ a b c "P C Sreeram – He can make pictures look real, pretty, stark". Sify. Archived from the original on 28 April 2014. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
  5. ^ "P. C. Sriram" (PDF). cameraworking.raqsmediacollective. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 December 2012. Retrieved 15 August 2012.
  6. ^ "Snap, click, roll". India Today. 6 March 2008. Archived from the original on 18 October 2016. Retrieved 7 November 2012.
  7. ^ "Director PC Sreeram's daughter falls to death". Archived from the original on 5 January 2015.
  8. ^ Bal, Mieke (2004). Narrative Theory: Interdisciplinarity. Taylor & Francis. p. 323. ISBN 978-0-415-31661-3.
  9. ^ a b c Rajitha. "My goal is to be different". Rediff. Archived from the original on 11 March 2024. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
  10. ^ Rangarajan, Malathi (30 July 2004). "Award, accolade and much more". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 21 September 2004. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
  11. ^ Frederick, Prince (11 February 2004). "Is the future DIGITAL?". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 26 May 2004. Retrieved 15 August 2012.
  12. ^ a b MovieBuzz. "P.C.Sreeram's film at MIFF". Sify. Archived from the original on 27 April 2014. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
  13. ^ a b Ramnath, Nandini. "Sage – whispers Words of wisdom from PC Sreeram". Time Out Bangalore. Archived from the original on 22 February 2013. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
  14. ^ "Cheeni Kum – A sugar free romance" (PDF). Eros International. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2 September 2023. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
  15. ^ Manmadhan, Prema (30 April 2011). "Zooming in on "trends of life"". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 12 November 2013. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
  16. ^ Sangeeta (6 July 2007). "Realistic frames". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 28 November 2007. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
  17. ^ Kamath, Sudhish (15 September 2011). "Zen and the art of light". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
  18. ^ "K. T. Balasubramaniem BIOGRAPHY (First look..)". Chennai Patrika. 14 February 2011. Archived from the original on 2 November 2011.
  19. ^ M, Suganth (12 January 2016). "PC Sreeram elected president of cinematographers association". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 16 January 2016. Retrieved 13 January 2016.
  20. ^ R, Manoj Kumar (20 February 2018). "Nithya Menen's Praana is a one-actor movie made in four languages". The Indian Express. Archived from the original on 16 September 2018. Retrieved 16 September 2018.
  21. ^ V, Lakshmi (3 September 2018). "Udhayanidhi turns 'psycho' for Mysskin". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 13 January 2019. Retrieved 16 September 2018.
  22. ^ "Filmfare - Print Edition". Archived from the original on 6 September 2004. Retrieved 11 June 2020.
  23. ^ "Winners: Reliance Mobile Vijay Awards 2006". starboxoffice.com. Archived from the original on 26 July 2008. Retrieved 15 March 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  24. ^ "CineMAA Awards 2013 Winners". Idlebrain.com. 16 June 2013. Archived from the original on 15 November 2017. Retrieved 11 June 2020.
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