R. D. Rajasekhar is an Indian cinematographer who predominantly works in films of Indian languages such as Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu, and Hindi.[1] He is a recipient of the Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Cinematographer and Filmfare Award for Best Cinematographer – South. He is the member of the Indian Society of Cinematographers (ISC).

R. D. Rajasekhar
Born
NationalityIndian
Alma materMadras Film Institute[citation needed]
OccupationCinematographer
Years active2001–present

Film career edit

Early career edit

After graduating, Rajasekhar found work as an assistant cinematographer, working under Rajiv Menon for about nine years in many advertisement films.

Feature film edit

Rajasekhar's debut was in 2001, with the romantic drama Minnale. The camerawork of the advertisement films impressed his former colleague and frequent collaborator, Gautham Vasudev Menon. The film was well received and became extremely popular amongst the youth. Subsequently, Rajasekhar and Gautham vasudev menon teamed up again for the crime thriller, Kaakha Kaakha (2003). It was highly praised for its unique style of visuals and scenic views through the lens, which Rajasekhar achieved through a process known as Bleach bypass, where the silver is retained in the print, creating a washed-outlook that reflected in films. He followed it up with the remake of Kaakha Kaakha, Gharshana (2004), and Manmadhan (2004), which were received well amongst the audience.

In 2005, Rajasekhar began his collaboration with A. R. Murugadoss, which started with Ghajini. It earned him huge recognition and awards for the cinematography. Rajasekhar spent two months fine-tuning the look and de-saturating the overall images. It won him the Best Cinematographer award at the Tamil Nadu State Film Awards in 2005 and was nominated for the Best Cinematographer award in Filmfare Awards South, in 2006.

He made his Malayalam debut with 4 the People (2004). He reunited with A. R. Murugadoss for Akira (2016), the remake of Mouna Guru, having previously worked on Ghajini.

Awards and recognitions edit

He had been nominated for Filmfare Awards South for Best Cinematographer in 2004, winning the Best Cinematographer on his first Filmfare Awards South in 2003 for Kaakha Kaakha. He also received award from prestigious Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Cinematographer for film Ghajini. He shot Imaikkaa Nodigal (2018), for which he won Best Cinematographer in SIIMA Award for Best Cinematographer - Tamil in the same year after the release.

Filmography edit

Year Title Language Notes
2001 Minnale Tamil Debut
Citizen Tamil 1 song
2002 Red Tamil
2003 Kaakha Kaakha Tamil
2004 Gharshana Telugu Debut in Telugu cinema
Manmadhan Tamil
4 the people Malayalam Debut in Malayalam cinema
2005 Ghajini Tamil
Thotti Jaya Tamil
2006 Happy Telugu
Vallavan Tamil
Sillunu Oru Kadhal Tamil Also actor
2008 Kaalai Tamil
Bheemaa Tamil
Sathyam Tamil
2010 Jaggubhai Tamil
Varudu Telugu
2011 Vedi Tamil
2012 Karmayogi Malayalam
Billa II Tamil
Run Baby Run Malayalam
2013 Baadshah Telugu Additional cinematography
2014 Inga Enna Solluthu Tamil
Arima Nambi Tamil
Avatharam Malayalam
2015 Masss Tamil
2016 Akira Hindi Debut in Hindi cinema
Iru Mugan Tamil
Uyire Uyire Tamil
2017 Neruppu Da Tamil
2018 Imaikkaa Nodigal Tamil SIIMA Award for Best Cinematographer
Jarugandi Tamil
2019 Hippi Telugu
Thambi Tamil
Thrissur Pooram Malayalam
2021 Netrikann Tamil
Kasada Tabara Tamil Segment: Thappattam
Enemy Tamil
2023 Tamilarasan Tamil
Rudhran Tamil [2]
Makka Makka Tamil An independent music video with music by Harris Jayaraj, vocals by Sathyaprakash & Bamba Bakya, lyrics penned by Pa. Vijay
Chandramukhi 2 Tamil
2024 Bhaje Vaayu Vegam Telugu

References edit

  1. ^ "Cinematographer RD Rajasekhar roped in for Muttiah Muralitharan biopic". Thenewsminute. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
  2. ^ Rudhran First Look Wall Poster, retrieved 30 June 2022