Chota K. Naidu (born 1962) is an Indian cinematographer, best known for his distinct style of cinematography for films like, Matru Devo Bhava, Choodalani Vundi, and Kotha Bangaru Lokam. Naidu is part of the Indian Society of Cinematographers, the South Indian Cinematographers Association and the Telugu Cinematographers Association. He received two state Nandi Awards for Anji, Kotha Bangaru Lokam and two Filmfare Awards South for Kotha Bangaru Lokam, Damarukam for his cinematography. His contributions to the Indian film and television industries as a Director of Photography (DOP) for Telugu, Tamil, and Hindi films, as well as in television,[1][2] have been widely appreciated for over 30 years.

Chota K. Naidu
Born (1962-07-03) 3 July 1962 (age 62)
NationalityIndian
Other namesChota
OccupationCinematographer
Years active1989–present
RelativesShyam K. Naidu (brother)
Sundeep Kishan (nephew)
AwardsTwo Nandi Awards
Two Filmfare Awards South

Early life

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Naidu was born in Ramachandrapuram, East Godavari district, Andhra Pradesh. His father, Chitti Babu Naidu, was a writer and director of stage plays, while his mother, Ananthalakshmi, was a housewife. He has an elder sister, Padma Latha, an electronics engineer; an elder brother, K. V. S. Naidu, a mechanical engineer; a younger sister, Kanaka Durga, an electronics engineer; and a younger brother, Shyam K. Naidu, who is also a cinematographer in Telugu cinema Naidu attended SKPGN Government Junior College in Ramachandrapuram.[3]

Despite being born into a family of engineers, Naidu spent much of his time watching films instead of focusing on his studies, resulting in his failure in the 10th standard exams. To gain more exposure to films, he worked as a gatekeeper at a nearby theatre. He failed his supplementary exams that year due to his continued interest in watching films. Recognizing his passion for cinema, his father, Chitti Babu Naidu, challenged him to pass his 10th standard exams, promising to help him enter the film industry if he succeeded. Naidu accepted the challenge, passed with good marks, and, as promised, his father secured him a position as a camera apprentice at Devar Films' outdoor unit in Chennai in 1979.

Later, Naidu joined the Taraka Prabhu outdoor unit under Dasari Narayana Rao and worked with top cinematographers throughout India during the 1980s as a focus puller. He was particularly inspired by Director of Photography V.S.R. Swamy, whom he admired for his discipline, dedication, and craft, considering Swamy his role model.

Career

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Naidu's first opportunity as a DOP was for the telefilm Kristhu Jananam (1987) for DD Hyderabad Kendra which was directed by Bharath Parepalli and produced by P. Seetha Devi, who later went on to become his wife.

From then onwards, he was continuously working for more regional and national television work and TV commercials, evolving his craftsmanship in the process.

Naidu's first movie as a cinematographer was Dasari Narayana Rao Amma Rajinama[4](1991). He collaborated with Dasari Narayana Rao for several other films such as Venkanna Babu, Surigadu, and Santaan. Some of the directors he collaborated with are E.V.V. Satyanarayana, for the films Varasudu, Maga Rayudu, Veedevadandi Babu and Maavidaakulu, Kranthi Kumar for Bhale Pellam, K. Raghavendra Rao for Allari Premikudu, Bombay Priyudu and Gangotri, Ramgopal Varma for Deyyam, Suresh Krissna for Master, Daddy, and Baba (Tamil), Satish Kaushik for Prem (Hindi), Gunasekhar for Choodalani Vundi, David Dhawan for Kunwara (Hindi), A.R. Murugadoss for Stalin, Trivikram Srinivas for Julai, and with V.V. Vinayak for Tagore, Bunny, Lakshmi, Krishna, Adhurs, Naayak and Alludu Seenu.

Style

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Naidu received critical acclaim with his debut Kristhu Jananam, a telefilm dealing with the times of Jesus Christ, for the rich painting-like cinematography.

For Matru Devo Bhava, Naidu applied the chiaroscuro (extremely bright back light and top light to the point of burnout) and silhouette techniques to communicate predominantly a tragic content.

Varasudu was his first big commercial film. In the film, he adopted a commercial style of lighting and a fitting selection of the color palette to portray grandeur.

Personal life

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Naidu's nephew Sundeep Kishan is a film actor.[4]

Filmography

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Year Title Language Notes
1991 Amma Rajinama Telugu
1992 Venkanna Babu Telugu
Surigadu Telugu
Raguluthunna Bharatham Telugu
Dr. Ambedkar Hindi
1993 Santaan Hindi
Varasudu Telugu
Mathru Devo Bhava Telugu
1994 Maga Rayudu Telugu
Bhale Pellam Telugu
Allari Premikudu Telugu
1995 Prem Hindi
Taj Mahal Telugu
Kondapalli Rathaiah Telugu
1996 Mrugam Telugu
Deyyam Telugu
1997 Master Telugu
Veedevadandi Babu Telugu
1998 Choodalani Vundi Telugu
Maavidaakulu Telugu
2000 Annayya Telugu
Pukar Hindi
Kunwara Hindi
Azad Telugu
2001 Eduruleni Manishi Telugu
Daddy Telugu
2002 Kya Yehi Pyaar Hai Hindi
Neetho Telugu
Baba Tamil
2003 Gangotri Telugu
Johnny Telugu
Tagore Telugu
2004 Anji Telugu Nandi Award for Best Cinematographer[5]
Madhyanam Hathya Telugu
Gudumba Shankar Telugu
2005 Bunny Telugu
2006 Lakshmi Telugu
Darwaza Bandh Rakho Hindi
Stalin Telugu
2007 Aata Telugu
Shankar Dada Zindabad Telugu
2008 Krishna Telugu
Premer Kahini Bengali
Kotha Bangaru Lokam Telugu Filmfare Award for Best Cinematographer - Telugu[6]
Nandi Award for Best Cinematographer[7]
2010 Adhurs Telugu
Brindavanam Telugu
2011 Prema Kavali Telugu
Veera Telugu
2012 Julayi Telugu
Damarukam Telugu Filmfare Award for Best Cinematographer - Teluuu[8]
2013 Naayak Telugu
Ramayya Vasthavayya Telugu
Venkatadri Express Telugu
2014 Alludu Seenu Telugu
2015 Beeruva Telugu
Tiger Telugu
2016 Krishnashtami Telugu
Okka Ammayi Thappa Telugu
Naanna Nenu Naa Boyfriends Telugu
2017 Winner Telugu
Jai Lava Kusa Telugu
Oxygen Telugu
2018 Touch Chesi Chudu Telugu
Kavacham Telugu
2019 Raju Gari Gadhi 3 Telugu
2021 Alludu Adhurs Telugu
2022 Bimbisara Telugu Nominated–SIIMA Award for Best Cinematographer – Telugu
Ginna Telugu
2023 Peddha Kapu 1 Telugu
2025 Vishwambhara Telugu

Television

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ Chowdhary, Y. Sunita (12 March 2015). "Ready with his 'tiger'". The Hindu.
  2. ^ narasimham, m.l. (2 January 2011). "Campus love story". The Hindu.
  3. ^ "Govt. Jr. College, Ramachandrapuram, Ramachandrapuram". schoolsworld.in. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
  4. ^ a b "Off the beaten track". The Hindu. 9 May 2010.
  5. ^ "Nandiawards2004response - Telugu cinema news". idlebrain.com. 9 October 2005. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
  6. ^ "56th Idea Filmfare Awards 2008". ragalahari.com. Retrieved 5 August 2009.
  7. ^ "Nandi awards 2008 announced - Telugu cinema news". idlebrain.com. 24 October 2008. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
  8. ^ Filmfare Awards (South): The complete list of Winners Archived 10 May 2015 at the Wayback Machine
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