V. N. Reddy

V. N. Reddy (Telugu: వి.ఎన్.రెడ్డి; 20 November 1914 – December 1991) was an Indian cinematographer and director who worked predominantly in Telugu films, Bollywood, and few Tamil films for over thirty years starting from 1943. One of the Pioneers of Indian cinematography, Reddy was born at Cuddapah, Andhra Pradesh and was brought up in Anantapur.

He developed a passion for cinematography at a very young age. Badalti Duniya, his debut movie, was released in the year 1943. He first excelled in black-and-white photography and film making and then shifted to colour film making. His noted films are Aag (1948), Hulchul (1951), Baiju Bawra (1952), Meenar (1954), Chori Chori (1956), Kashmir Ki Kali (1964), Do Badan (1966), Upkar (1967), Purab Aur Paschim (1970) and Do Chor (1972).

Aag (1948) was made by a group of people in their twenties, Reddy being the oldest. It is considered one of the most significant films of all time. Writing about Reddy's work for the song Dulhan Chali Pehan Chali from the movie Purab Aur Paschim, the Indian movie review website, Passion for Cinema states

VN Reddy's camera under the direction and instructions of Manoj Kumar presents this song and dance event in [a] very interesting and beautiful manner. Camera peeps through the space left by the four daflis and it is such a nice way to show something to audiences.

Lakh Tandon and V. Gopi Krishna were Reddy's assistants. Reddy also tried his hand at directing movies like Ganga Gauri Samvadam (Telegu - 1958), Sengottai Singam (Tamil - 1958) Intika Deepam Illalu (Telegu - 1961), Ananda Jyoti (Tamil - 1963), and Zahreeli (1977) among others.

Ravikant Reddy, one of Reddy's six children, who at an early age of 13 to 14 years was trained and apprenticed under his father, is a noted cinematographer himself.

V. N. Reddy as an enthusiast studied various Hollywood movies of the early 40s and 50s era, which was known as the golden era of Hollywood films. He researched into its cinematography and made his brain work and learn the various facets involved in its anatomy. At such an age, he studied expansively the cinematography of James Wong Howe,one of history’s ten most influential cinematographers in Hollywood. Post the release of AAG, 1948, James Wong Howe noticed and was amazed that rose to his curiosity as to who was this person who did his kind of cinematography without being assisted. Unfortunately in that year there was nothing for the photography / cinematography category, and hence no prizes given out. Else AAG 1948 was a movie, praised for its neo-realistic lighting that definitely would own a place as the Best cinematography of the year.