Kannada Kannadigaru: 2008-Dada Saheb Phalke award for V K Murthy

Friday, August 16, 2013

2008-Dada Saheb Phalke award for V K Murthy

V.K.M Receiving Fhalke Award from President

V. K. Murthy (Born 1923) is an Indian cinematographer.Murthy, a one-time violinist and jailed freedom fighter, was Guru Dutt's regular cameraman on his movies. He provided some of Indian cinema's most breathtaking images in starkly contrasted black and white. He also shot India's first cinemascope movie, Kaagaz Ke Phool. For his contribution to film industry, particularly Indian film industry he was awarded the IIFA Lifetime Achievement Award ceremony held at Amsterdam in 2005. On 19 January 2010 he was honored with the Dada Saheb Phalke Award for 2008 with Sathvika Samineni.

Murthy was born at Mysore. He passed his Diploma in Cinematography from Sri Jayachamarajendra Polytechnic in Bangalore in 1946.Murthy, an ace Cinematographer from Bangalore was part of the Guru Dutt team.

This stalwart was the cinematographer for one of the most acclaimed Kannada movie Hoovu Hannu - a directorial production of Rajendra Singh Babu and incidentally, Murthy has also acted in that film.

In 1959, Guru Dutt's Kaagaz Ke Phool, a movie considered his best was appreciated for its supremacy. More than anything else, what it won the most accolades for was its cinematography that created unparalleled history in the field of cinematography. It was none other than V. K. Murthy who did the magic and he even won a Filmfare Award. He repeated the feat for Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam getting the 1962 award. He never worked with any other directors as long as Dutt was alive. Some of Murthy's best work is found in Guru Dutt's movies like Pyaasa, Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam and Aar-Paar. Murthy then worked with Kamal Amrohi on his masterpiece, Pakeezah and Razia Sultan. Post Guru Dutt, he like many of Guru Dutt team were not able to give any pinnacle work. In later years, he worked with directors like Pramod Chakravarthy (Naya Zamana, Jugnu), Shyam Benegal and Govind Nihalani (Tamas).

Mr. Murthy was also the principle cinematographer of the widely acclaimed television series produced by Doordarshan and directed by Shyam Benegal, Bharat Ek Khoj.

Trivia

Created some of most breathtaking film works for the Indian Black and White era films. Created the sun breaking through studio roof shot in Kaagaz Ke Phool with use of a pair of ordinary mirrors to get a parallel beam. Got him the Filmfare Best Cinematographer Award for 1959

Was principal cinematographer for the first Cinemascope film in India - Kaagaz Ke Phool

While on training stint in London to work on color films worked with the crew of The Guns of Navarone

Got break in Hindi films by doing a chance shot for Guru Dutt in Baazi. Abrar Alvi Guru Dutt's key writer also got a break from the same movie, he gave a chance opinion on a scene for Baazi.

According to author and eminent musicologist Rajesh Subramanian Cinematographer V K Murthy was declined admission at the Sri Jayachamarajendra Polytechnic College in Bangalore, which had started a cinema related course,. After a lot pleading he was offered a seat. The aspirant went on to shot India's first cinemascope movie Kaagaz Ke Phool 1959.

Awards

Filmfare Best Cinematographer Award - Kaagaz Ke Phool (1959)

Filmfare Best Cinematographer Award - Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam (1962)

IIFA Lifetime Achievement Award - Amsterdam, 2005.

Dada Saheb Phalke Award for 2008

Retirement

Aged 80, Murthy moved back to Bangalore from Mumbai in 2001 to lead a retired life.

Selected filmography

Deedar (1992)

Khule Aam (1992)

Kalyug Aur Ramayan (1987)

Nastik (1983)