Chota K. Naidu

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Chota K. Naidu
Born (1962-07-03) 3 July 1962 (age 61)
NationalityIndian
Other namesChota
OccupationCinematographer
Years active1989–present
RelativesShyam K. Naidu (brother)
Sundeep Kishan (nephew)
AwardsTwo Nandi Awards
Two Filmfare Awards South

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 outstanding contribution to the Indian Film Industry and the Indian Television Industry working as a DOP for Telugu, Tamil and Hindi films, and in television [1][2] is appreciated from last 30 and odd years.

Early life[edit]

Naidu was born in Ramachandrapuram, East Godavari district, Andhra Pradesh. His father, Chitti Babu Naidu, is a writer and director of stage plays in Andhra Pradesh, and his mother, Ananthalakshmi, is a housewife. His elder sister, Padma Latha, is an electronics engineer and his elder brother, K. V. S. Naidu, is a mechanical engineer. His younger sister, Kanaka Durga, is an electronics engineer, and his younger brother, Shyam K. Naidu, is also a cinematographer in Telugu cinema. He attended Skpgn Govt. Junior College Rcpuram.[3] Born into a family of engineers, Chota spent most of his time watching films instead of concentrating on his studies and, due to this, he failed in his 10th standard exams. As a way to widen his exposure to films, he worked as a gatekeeper in a nearby theatre. He failed in his supplementary exams later that year because he was increasingly watching more films. Realizing his interest in cinema, his father Chitti Babu Naidu challenged him to pass at least 10th standard, and thereby, if he's successful, his father will employ him in the film industry. Chota took the challenge and passed with good rank and, as promised, his father made him a camera apprentice at Devar Films outdoor unit, which is a camera rental house in the city of Chennai in 1979. Later, he joined Taraka Prabhu outdoor unit under Dasari Narayana Rao. He was working with top cinematographers during the 1980s throughout India as a focus puller. He was inspired by DOP (Director of Photography) V.S.R. Swamy for his discipline, dedication and craft. He considers Swamy as his role model.

Career[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

His nephew Sundeep Kishan is a film actor.[4]

Filmography[edit]

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 - South[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 - South[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
Ginna Telugu
2023 Peddha Kapu 1 Telugu
2025 Vishwambhara Telugu

Television[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  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".
  4. ^ a b "Off the beaten track". The Hindu. 9 May 2010.
  5. ^ "Nandiawards2004response - Telugu cinema news".
  6. ^ "56th Idea Filmfare Awards 2008". ragalahari.com. Retrieved 5 August 2009.
  7. ^ "Nandi awards 2008 announced - Telugu cinema news".
  8. ^ Filmfare Awards (South): The complete list of Winners Archived 10 May 2015 at the Wayback Machine

External links[edit]