Ramachandra Babu

Ramachandra Babu was born on 15 December 1947 in Maduranthakam at Chengalpattu District, Tamil Nadu, as the eldest son of Malayali parents, Kunjan Pillai and Padmini Amma, both from Alappuzha, Kerala. After obtaining his B.Sc. (Chemistry) degree from Loyola College, Madras in 1966, he went on to join the Film and Television Institute of India, Pune to study cinematography. In the Institute, he made friends with Balu Mahendra, John Abraham and K.G. George, who would go on to become noted film directors.{{cite web|url=http://www.institutewallah.blogspot.in/2007/12/friends-from-kerala.html|title=Remembering Film Institute Days|author=Ramachandra Babu|work=institutewallah.blogspot.in|date=5 December 2007 |access-date=29 March 2015}} He obtained his Diploma in Cinema (Motion Picture Photography) in 1971.

He made his feature film debut in 1971 as a cinematographer even before completing his FTII course, for Vidyarthikale Ithile Ithile.{{cite web|url=https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=sites&srcid=ZGVmYXVsdGRvbWFpbnxyYW1hY2hhbmRyYWJhYnVrfGd4OjljMTc3NjcyMmIzNDgyNQ|title=kodak_Images_interview.pdf|work=google.com|access-date=29 March 2015}} It was also the debut film of director John Abraham and writer Azad. Ramachandra Babu became noted in the industry after he served as the cinematographer for Nirmalyam (1973) and Swapnadanam (1976), which were directorial debuts of M.T. Vasudevan Nair and K.G. George, respectively. All these films were shot in Black & White.

Ramachandra Babu's first colour film (Eastman Color) was Dweepu (1977), directed by Ramu Kariat, and it won him his first Kerala State Film Award for Best Cinematography. He went on to win 3 more State Awards for Rathinirvedam (1978) and Chamaram (1980), directed by Bharathan, and Oru Vadakkan Veeragadha (1989), directed by Hariharan.

He played a prominent role in ushering in the technical advancements in cinematography into Malayalam cinema. The transition from Black & White to colour aside, he served as the cinematographer for the first CinemaScope film to be shot in South India, Alavuddinum Athbutha Vilakkum (1979), directed by I. V. Sasi. Despite featuring major stars like Kamal Haasan, Rajinikanth and Jayabharathi, the film was delayed and another CinemaScope film Thacholi Ambu (1978) was released ahead of it, leaving the latter to be considered as the first CinemaScope film in South India.{{cite web|url=http://www.filmiparadise.com/navodaya-studio_proflile.html|title=Filmiparadise Movie Portal Online Malayalam Movie Magazine Tamil Movies, Malayalam Movies, Telugu Movies, Kannada Movies, Movie Wallpapers, Movie Trailers, Movie Previews, Movie Reviews, Videosongs, Latest Film News, Actors Profile|work=filmiparadise.com|access-date=29 March 2015}}{{Dead link|date=January 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} He was the cinematographer of the first film to be released with 70 mm film in Malayalam. The film, Padayottam (1982), directed by Jijo Punnoose, was from the production house of Thacholi Ambu, Navodaya.{{cite web|url=http://www.hindu.com/mp/2010/12/06/stories/2010120650230100.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121109232756/http://www.hindu.com/mp/2010/12/06/stories/2010120650230100.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=9 November 2012|work=The Hindu|title=News Archives|date=2010-12-06|access-date=29 March 2015}} The film was photographed in CinemaScope format and was converted to 70 mm blow-up prints with 6-track magnetic stereo sound during post-production.{{cite web|url=http://www.in70mm.com/news/2008/india/index.htm|title=70mm Film in India|work=in70mm.com|access-date=29 March 2015}}

His noted films include Nirmalyam (1973 – National Award For Best Feature Film, directed by M. T. Vasudevan Nair), Swapnadanam (1975 – Kerala State Film Award for Best Film, directed by K. G. George), Bandhanam (1978 – Kerala State Best Film, directed by M. T. Vasudevan Nair), Agraharathil Kazhuthai (1978 – Best Tamil Film – National Award, directed by John Abraham), Sandhyakku Virinja Poovu directed by P.G. Viswambharan, Itha Ivide Vare directed by I. V. Sasi), Patita (1980 – Hindi, directed by I. V. Sasi), Yavanika (directed by K. G. George) & Marmaram (directed by Bharathan), both Kerala State Best Film Award – 1982, Padayottam (first Malayalam 70 mm feature film, 1982, directed by Jijo), Pagal Nilavu (1985 – Tamil, directed by Mani Rathnam), Oru Vadakkan Veera Gaadha (1989 – Malayalam, directed by Hariharan), Aadhaaram (1992 – Malayalam, directed by George Kithu), Sallapam (1996 – Malayalam, directed by Sunder Das), Ghazal (1993 – Malayalam, directed by Kamal), Kanmadam (1998 – Malayalam, directed by Lohithadas), Beyond the Soul (English – 2003 – directed by Rajiv Anchal) and Al-Boom (Arabic – 2005 – directed by Khaled Abdul Raheem Al-Zadjali). {{Citation needed|date= March 2023}}

File:Kerala State Film Award.jpg statuette for Best Cinematography – Dweepu (1976).]]

• Kerala State Film Award for Best Cinematography
• 1976 – Dweepu
• 1978 – Rathinirvedam
• 1980 – Chamaram
• 1989 – Oru Vadakkan Veeragadha
• Kerala Film Critics Award (1981) : Nidhra
• Kerala Film Critics Award (2009) : Kadaksham

{{Citation needed|date= March 2023}}

The list of films for which Ramachandra Babu served as the director of cinematography:

{{Citation needed|date= March 2023}}

1. Kaadhal Viduthalai (Tamil) – Dir: Jayakumar
2. Puthiya Swarangal (Tamil) – Dir: Vijayan
3. Puthu Mazhathullikal (Malayalam) – Dir: Raghavan
4. Kavaadam (Malayalam) – Dir: K.R.Joshi
5. Professor Dingan (director) - Died during the production

{{Citation needed|date= March 2023}}

{{gallery

|File:Ramachandra Babu.jpg|Ramachandra Babu with Arriflex 535 B Camera on the location of the English film Beyond the soul, directed by Rajeev Anchal

|File:Lohitadas and Bharathan.jpg|Screenwriter Lohithadas and director Bharathan along with Ramachandra Babu at the location of Venkalam.

|File:M.T. Vasudevan Nair.jpg|Along with writer M.T. Vasudevan Nair

|File:Mammootty and Saiju Kurup.jpg|Ramachandra Babu with Mammootty and Saiju Kurup who did their debut films with him.

}}

{{reflist}}

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• [http://www.ramachandrababu.com/ Official website]
• {{IMDb name|0045084}}
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20121106064420/http://www.hindu.com/mp/2007/04/21/stories/2007042100320100.htm The Hindu: Metro Plus: Tiruchirapalli: Cinema goes haiku]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20121106064438/http://www.hindu.com/fr/2007/03/09/stories/2007030900650200.htm The Hindu: Friday Review Thiruvananthapuram / Cinema: Waxing lyrical on film ]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20160303232254/http://www.prd.kerala.gov.in/stateawares.htm Official Website of Information and Public Relation Department of Kerala]

{{Kerala State Film Award Best Cinematography}}

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Category:1947 births

Category:2019 deaths

Category:Cinematographers from Kerala

Category:Malayalam film cinematographers

Category:Film and Television Institute of India alumni

Category:Cinematographers from Kanchipuram district

Category:Loyola College, Chennai alumni

Category:Malayalam film directors

Category:Film directors from Kerala

Category:20th-century Indian photographers

Category:21st-century Indian photographers

Category:Cinematographers from Tamil Nadu