KOCHI: Noted cinematographer Anandakkuttan,62, died here on Sunday. He was under treatment for cancer for the last one year, and breathed his last at a private Hospital at 11 am. Anandakkuttan had cranked camera for nearly 350 films in various Indian languages. The body is kept at the Panchavadi Flat on Janatha Road for the public to play homage and will be cremated at Ravipuram crematorium at 10.30 am on Monday.
Anandakuttan, who was the cinematographer for various super duper hits in Malayalam cinema was rated as a ‘hit’ cameraman of Mollywood.
He entered mainstream Malayalam cinema as an independent cinematographer in 1977, when he was only 23 years old. His maiden movie as a cameraman was Manassoru Mayil, directed by P Chandrakumar. Later, he became an integral part of Malayalam industry by handling camera for some evergreen hits by joining hands with various popular film makers like P G Viswambharan, Fazil, Satyan Anthikkad, Sibi Malayil, Joshy, Jacy, Balachandra Menon, Siddique-Lal, Shaji Kailas, I V Sasi and K Madhu. Meantime, he also worked with the representatives of parallel cinema like John Abraham and K G George.
Agraharathil Kazhuthai, Aparajitha, Engane Nee Marakkum, Karyam Nissaram, Nagarangalil Chennu Raaparkkam, Snehamulla Simham, Nee Ethra Dhanya, Manivathoorile Aayiram Sivaratrikal, Ithu Njangalude Katha, His Highness Abdullah, Bharatham, Ente Suryaputhrikku, No:20 Madras Mail, Kamaladalam, Sadayam, Akashadoothu, Kabuliwalah, Hitler, April 19, Oru SankeerthanamPole, Aniyathipravu, Punjabi House,Usthad and Kinnaram are few of his major works.
Childhood passion
Born to Ramakrishnan Nair and Karthyayani, both school teachers, at Changanassery in 1954, Anandakkuttan completed his school education at Changanassery NSS School. He had shown a genuine interest on movies since his childhood. Anadakkuttan was pretty crazy about photography and started capturing images during his school days itself. While studying in ninth standard, he took the photograph of the funeral procession of Mannathu Padmanabhan, which became a topic of discussion among the then popular photographers. After his school education, Anandakkuttan went to Chennai to learn cinematography. Initially, he became an assistant in Vijayavahini Studio and worked as a camera assistant and outdoor camera assistant. Later, he became an assistant of Ramachandra Babu. In 1977, he became an independent cameraman and was active in Malayalam cinema till he was affected with the disease. He had won the Tamil Nadu Government’s best cameraman award for the movie ‘Kannukkul Nilavu’ in 2000. He is survived by wife Geetha and children- Sreekumar, Neelima and Karthika.