Chezhiyan
{{Short description|Indian cinematographer and director}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}}
{{BLP sources|date=October 2016}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Chezhiyan ISC
| image = Chezhiyan - photo 1.jpg
| image_size =
| caption =
| birth_date =
| birth_place = Sivaganga, Tamil Nadu, India
| alma_mater = Alagappa Chettiar College
| occupation = Cinematographer, film director, writer
| years_active = 2007–present
| website =
| footnotes =
}}
Chezhiyan is an Indian filmmaker and director of photography who works primarily in the Tamil film industry. He received critical acclaim for his work in Kalloori (2007), Paradesi (2013) and To Let (2017).
Early life and education
Chezhiyan was born in Sivaganga, Tamil Nadu, where he did his early schooling. His parents were primary school teachers. His father was an artist who used to draw and would make toys with clays, his mother was a storyteller and also a singer. He completed his diploma in civil engineering from Alagappa Chettiar College in Karaikudi. Chezhiyan was also interested in photography right from his early days and was into drawing and painting.{{cite web|url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/music/man-of-many-parts/article5684682.ece|title=Man of many parts|date=13 February 2014|accessdate=28 May 2018|author=Charukesi|work=The Hindu}}{{cite web|url=http://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-cinematographer/chezhiyan/there-is-so-much-scope-for-joy-celebration-and-merriment-in-thaarai-thappattai-cinematographer-chezhian.html|title=CINEMATOGRAPHER CHEZHIYAN INTERVIEW|accessdate=28 May 2018|author=Jyothsna|website=Behindwoods.com}}
Career
After completing his civil engineering degree, he started his career as an apprentice to P. C. Sreeram before establishing himself as a cinematographer.{{cite web|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/film-that-portrays-the-ordeal-of-house-hunting-bags-award/article20557321.ece|title=Film that portrays the ordeal of house-hunting bags award|date=20 November 2017|accessdate=28 May 2018|author=B. Kolappan|work=The Hindu}} He worked as an assistant director in the film Thambi (2006). The film's cinematographer left the shoots after 60 days and hence the film director Seeman asked him to double up as cinematographer. He then shot the climax and all the songs and worked for the remaining 30 days. His name had featured as "additional cinematographer" in Thambi.
Chezhiyan made his debut as a full-fledged cinematographer with Kalloori (2007). Kalloori opened to critical acclaim in December 2007, with a critic stating that "Chezhian's cinematography is perfection itself, capturing the dustiness of the surrounds and the college accurately".{{cite web|url=https://www.indiaglitz.com/kallori-preview-tamil-movie-9302|title=Kallori Tamil Movie Preview|accessdate=28 May 2018|website=IndiaGlitz.com}}{{cite web|url=http://www.rediff.com/movies/2007/dec/07kal.htm|title=Review: Kalloori is realistic|date=7 December 2007|accessdate=28 May 2018|author=Pavithra Srinivasan|work=Rediff.com}} He then worked in S. Shankar's production Rettaisuzhi, in V. Gowthaman's Magizhchi and in Seenu Ramasamy's Thenmerku Paruvakaatru, the latter won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil.{{cite web|url=https://www.news18.com/news/india/tamil-review-rettasuli-338049.html|title='Rettaisuzhi' is bundled with pranks|date=6 May 2010|accessdate=28 May 2018|publisher=News18 Tamil Nadu}}{{cite web|url=http://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movie-previews/preview-1/magizhchi-movie-preview.html|title=Magizchi - Tamil Movie Previews|accessdate=28 May 2018|website=Behindwoods.com}}{{cite web|url=https://silverscreen.in/tamil/news/cinematographer-chezhiyan-makes-directorial-debut/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160114213631/http://silverscreen.in/tamil/news/cinematographer-chezhiyan-makes-directorial-debut/|url-status=dead|archive-date=14 January 2016|title=Cinematographer Chezhiyan Makes Directorial Debut|date=13 January 2016|accessdate=28 May 2018|author=K. Janaki|publisher=silverscreen.in}}
He received critical acclaim for his work in Bala's Paradesi (2013) and went on to win many awards, including the Best Cinematography Award at the 2013 BFI London Film Festival Awards.{{Cite web|url=https://gulfnews.com/life-style/celebrity/tamil-film-paradesi-wins-awards-at-london-film-festival-1.1246234|title=Tamil film 'Paradesi' wins awards at London film festival|author=Mythily Ramachandran|date=23 October 2013|accessdate=28 May 2018|work=Gulf News}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.vikatan.com/cinema/vikatanawards/winners-list-2013.html|title=Ananda Vikatan Cinema Awards|accessdate=28 May 2018|publisher=Ananda Vikatan}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.sify.com/movies/annual-edison-awards-presented-imagegallery-0-kollywood-ocsk2Odiaaisi.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170519162718/http://www.sify.com/movies/annual-edison-awards-presented-imagegallery-0-kollywood-ocsk2Odiaaisi.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=19 May 2017|title=Annual Edison Awards presented|accessdate=28 May 2018|website=Sify}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.ntff.no/news/Tamilar%20Awards%202014|title=Tamilar Awards 2014: Winners and finalists announced!|accessdate=28 May 2018|publisher=ntff.no|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170519164651/http://www.ntff.no/news/Tamilar%20Awards%202014|archive-date=19 May 2017|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web|url=http://siima.in/2014/winners.html|title=SIIMA AWARDS 2014 winners|accessdate=28 May 2018|publisher=SIIMA|archive-date=19 May 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170519165255/http://siima.in/2014/winners.html|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.ibtimes.co.in/vijay-awards-ajiths-arrambam-kamal-haasan-sivakarthikeyan-bag-awards-winners-list-603771|title=Vijay Awards: Ajith's 'Arrambam', Kamal Haasan, Sivakarthikeyan Bag Awards [Winners List]|date=6 July 2014|accessdate=28 May 2018|work=International Business Times}}
He then worked in the thriller film Sawaari (2016), in Tharai Thappattai (2016), teaming up with director Bala for the second time, and the critically acclaimed film Joker (2016).
{{cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/Sawaari-is-a-psycho-thriller/articleshow/47038554.cms|title=Sawaari is a psycho thriller|date=16 January 2017|accessdate=28 May 2018|author=Janani Karthik|work=The Times of India}}{{cite web|url=https://www.indiaglitz.com/tharai-thappattai-preview-tamil-movie-18874|title=Tharai Thappattai Preview|date=14 January 2016|accessdate=28 May 2018|website=IndiaGlitz.com}}{{cite web|url=http://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/%E2%80%98There-is-span-classng_TypographyTagscope-spanfor-realistic-films%E2%80%99/article14585640.ece|title=There is scope for realistic films|date=20 September 2016|accessdate=28 May 2018|author=K. Jeshi|work=The Hindu}}
To Let.{{cite web|url=https://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movies-cinema-news-16/studio-9-suresh-becomes-a-cop.html|title=Studio 9 Suresh becomes a cop!|date=27 January 2016|accessdate=28 May 2018|author=Vaishnavi|website=Behindwoods.com}}{{cite web|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/regional/mysskin-rk-suresh-to-don-khaki-in-his-next-film/|title=Mysskin, RK Suresh to don khaki in his next film|date=11 January 2016|accessdate=28 May 2018|work=The Indian Express}}
Chezhiyan made his directorial debut with To Let (2017) and it was produced by his wife Prema under the couple's own production company "La Cinema". The film, inspired by real-life incidents, portrayed the ordeal of a lower-middle-class family hunting for a rented house. At the 65th National Film Awards, it won in the category Best Feature Film in Tamil.{{cite web|url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/entertainment/kollywood/140418/chezhian-speaks-on-his-award-film.html|title= Chezhian speaks on his award film|date=14 April 2018|accessdate=28 May 2018|author=Anupama Subramanian|work=Deccan Chronicle}}{{Cite web|url=http://gulfnews.com/life-style/celebrity/desi-news/south-india/tamil-film-to-let-wins-accolades-1.2207305 |title=Tamil film 'To Let' wins accolades|author=Mythily Ramachandran|date=18 April 2018|accessdate=28 May 2018|work=Gulf News}}
Other works
Chezhiyan received the Katha award for his short story Harmoniam in 2004. He has also authored a series of books on cinema titled Ulaga Cinema (World Cinema) in Tamil, and the series was published by the Tamil weekly Ananda Vikatan between 2005 and 2007. The recognition got him a Fellowship from the Department of Culture for two years, to explore the theme of Imagery in Short Stories. He has worked as a cinematographer in many documentaries, including A Little Dream (2008), a biographical docu-fiction about the former India President A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, and a documentary about the Tamil writer Jayakanthan.{{cite web|url=http://old.thinnai.com/?p=80608048|title=Screening of 'a little dream' a docu-film on Dr.APJ.Abdul Kalam|date=3 August 2006|accessdate=28 May 2018|publisher=old.thinnai.com}}{{cite web|url=https://www.cinestaan.com/articles/2018/may/21/13346/housing-is-a-global-problem-filmmaker-chezhiyan-ra-on-his-national-award-winning-film-to-let|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180529065727/https://www.cinestaan.com/articles/2018/may/21/13346/housing-is-a-global-problem-filmmaker-chezhiyan-ra-on-his-national-award-winning-film-to-let|url-status=live|archive-date=29 May 2018|title=Housing is a global problem: Filmmaker Chezhiyan Ra on his National Award winning film To Let|date=21 May 2018|access-date=28 May 2018|author=Sukhpreet Kahlon|publisher=cinestaan.com}}{{cite web|url=https://www.katha.org/translation-awards.html|title=Awards - Katha|accessdate=28 May 2018|publisher=katha.org}}
Filmography
{{BLP unreferenced section|date= December 2022}}
;Feature films
| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible" | ||||
| Year | Film | style="width:100px;"|Cinematographer | style="width:100px;"|Director | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Kalloori | style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} | ||
| rowspan="3" |2010 | Rettaisuzhi | style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} | ||
| Magizhchi | style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} | |||
| Thenmerku Paruvakaatru | style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} | |||
| 2013 | Paradesi | style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} | Edison Award for Best Cinematographer Ananda Vikatan Cinema Awards for Best Cinematographer Norway Tamil Film Festival Best Story Award BFI London Film Festival Nominated, SIIMA Award for Best Cinematographer - Tamil Nominated, Vijay Award for Best Cinematographer | |
| rowspan="3" |2016 | Tharai Thappattai | style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} | ||
| Sawaari | style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} | |||
| Joker | style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} | |||
| 2019 | To Let | style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} | style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} | 65th National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil |
| |
| | | | ||||
| 2022 | Kondraal Paavam
|style="text-align:center;"|{{y}} | | |
;Short films and documentaries
- Thiruvizha (2002)
- A Little Dream (2008)
- Ellaigalai Vistharitha Ezhuthu Kalaignan (2011)
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|id=2877548}}
- To Let
{{IFFI Silver Peacock - Special Jury Award and Special Mention|state=collapsed}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Place of birth missing (living people)
Category:Film directors from Tamil Nadu
Category:Cinematographers from Tamil Nadu
Category:Tamil cinematographers
Category:People from Sivaganga district
Category:21st-century Indian photographers
Category:21st-century Indian people