V K Murthy chosen for Dada Saheb Phalke Award

File photo of V. K. Murthy.

Legendary cinematographer V K Murthy, who has provided Indian cinema audiences with some of the most memorable and breathtaking visual treats in the black-and-white era, has been chosen for the prestigious Dada Saheb Phalke Award for the year 2008.

The award is conferred every year by the Government of India for outstanding contributions to films and is based on the recommendations of a committee of eminent persons.

Mr Murthy, 87, is the first cinematographer to have been selected for the award. Dada Saheb Phalke, a pioneer of the Indian film industry, himself was a cinematographer who had photographed his pioneering feature film "Raja Harishchandra".

Mr Murthy is credited with breaking new grounds, ushering in modern and highly sophisticated techniques and bringing in rich visual artistry into Indian cinema.

He shot India's first cinemascope movie "Kagaz ke Phool" and is best remembered as the cinematographer for all of film-maker Guru Dutt's films. He is also one of the pioneers of colour cinematography in India. His picturisation of the title song of "Chaudhvin ka Chand" had left cinegoers mesmerised.

Mr Murthy, who started his career in cinema as a violinist, won the Filmfare Awards for movies such as "Kagaz ke Phool" and "Sahib, Bibi aur Ghulam".

Other films for which he wielded the camera include "Baazi", "Jaal", "Pyasa", "12 o'clock" and "Ziddi". He also partnered for "Pakeezah" and "Razia Sultan".

In a career spanning four decades, he also worked for Shyam Benegal's television series "Bharat Ek Khoj" and "Hoova Hannu" in Kannada. He has been an inspirationfor a whole generation of cinematographers.

Born in 1923 in Mysore, Mr Murthy earned his Diploma in Cinematography from S J Polytechnic, Bangalore in its very first batch 1943-46. As a student, he took part in India’s freedom struggle, was jailed in 1943 and is a recipient of freedom fighter’s pension. After nearly five decades in Mumbai, the ace cinematographer is now based in Bangalore. He is a recipient of the IIFA Lifetime Achievement Award at Amsterdam in 2005.

Mr Murthy will be the 56th recipient of the Dada Saheb Phalke Award. The award for a particular year is given along with the National Film Awards.

President Pratibha Patil will confer the award on Mr Murthy on a day to be announced soon. The award carries a cash prize of Rs 10 lakh, a Swarna Kamal and a shawl.

NNN