KOZHIKODE: National award-winning cinematographer P S Nivas (P Srinivas) died due to age-related illness at the Institute of Palliative Medicine here on Monday. He was 76. Nivas had wielded the camera for several noted films in Tamil, Malayalam, Hindi and Telugu. He bagged the national award for cinematography for the black and white Malayalam movie Mohiniyattam in 1977. The Andhra Pradesh government’s Nandi award was conferred on him in 1979.
Born at Nadakkavu on Kottaram Road here, he left for Madras (Chennai) for studying motion picture photography after graduating from St Joseph’s College, Devagiri in Kozhikode. Nivas’ debut was through P N Menon-directed Kuttiyedathi (1971) as operative cameraman. Sathyathinte Nizhalil was his first film as an independent cameraman. Nivas’ other Malayalam films include Sindooram, Shankhupushpam, Sooryakanthi and Lisa. Nivas had shifted to Engapuzha in Kozhikode in 2017. He is survived by wife Shobha and children Don Nivas, Dhanisha Nivas and Dayana Nivas.
The dream debut
His dream debut in Tamil was through Bharathiraja’s ‘16 Vayathinile’ (1977). ‘Kizhakke Pogum Rail’ (1978), ‘Sigappu Rojakkal’ (1978), ‘Sagara Sangamam’ (1983) and ‘Nimajjanam’ (1979) are his other important works. Nivas’ Hindi movies are ‘Solva Sawan’, ‘Red Rose’, ‘Aaj Ka Dada’ and ‘Bhayanak Mahal’. He was associated with Bharathiraja in many films. The talented cinematographer had directed three films and produced two in Tamil as well.