Cinematographer V K Murthy nominated for Dadasaheb Phalke Award

Spicezee Bureau Mumbai: Eminent cinematographer Shri V K Murthy has been nominated for the Dada Saheb Phalke Award for the year 2008. Shri Murthy is acclaimed for providing Indian Cinema’s most breathtaking visual moments. Shri Murthy, one of the pioneers of colour Cinematography, started his career in cinema as a violinist. Classics like ‘Kagaz Ke Phool’ and ‘Sahib, Bibi aur Ghulam’ won him Filmfare Awards. Shri Murthy’s other well known works include ‘Baazi’, ‘Jaal’, ‘Chaudavin ka Chand’, ‘Pyasa’, ‘12 O’Clock’, ‘Ziddi’ etc. He also partnered for ‘Pakeezah’ and ‘Razia Sultan’. His working life spans four long decades, from his early collaboration with Guru Dutt from the 50’s to his work in Shyam Benegal’s mega-serial ‘Bharat Ek Khoj’ and one of the most acclaimed Kannada movies titled ‘Hoova Hannu’ in 1993. He is an inspiration to a whole generation of cinematographers. Shri Murthy took up challenges, broke new grounds and ushered in modern and highly sophisticated techniques, which was unseen in Indian cinema. He is credited to have shot India’s first cinemascope movie ‘Kagaz Ke Phool’ and is best remembered as the cinematographer for all of Guru Dutt’s films. Shri Murthy would be the 56th recipient of the Dada Saheb Phalke Award. The award for a particular year is given along with the National Film Awards. The Hon’ble President of India would be shortly conferring the award on Shri Murthy. The Award carries a Cash Prize of Rs 10 lakh, a Swarna Kamal and a Shawl. The award is conferred annually by the Government of India for outstanding contributions to films, based on the recommendations of a Committee of eminent persons. This is the first time ever that a Cinematographer has been selected for this award. It is pertinent to note that Dada Saheb Phalke himself was a cinematographer who had photographed his pioneering feature film ‘Raja Harishchandra’.