Vijay C. Kumar

C.Vijay Kumar is a famous Indian cinematographer in the Telugu film industry who won a Nandi Award in the year 2008 for the film Godavari. He is the son of renowned cinematographer C. Nageshwara Rao. Mr. Vijay Kumar's work is most noted for innovative use of lighting, subject specific visualization, use of natural colors on screen, Tele-focus shots, balancing the depth of focus between the subject and objects and many more techniques. Some of his films in the Telugu film industry are Vivaha Bhojanambu, Ammoru, Agraham, Dollar Dreams, Anand, and Happy Days. The movie, Dollar Dreams (film) won an award for Best First Film of a Director at 47th National film festival.

C.Vijay Kumar's father C. Nageswara Rao was a famous cinematographer who worked for classics like Pandava Vanavasam, Paramanandayya Sishyula Katha, Gudi Gantalu, Aastulu - Anthastulu, Aradhana (1962 film) etc. Unfortunately Mr.Nageswar Rao expired at the age of forty two, when Vijay Kumar was only seven years old. As his mother C. Sanadhana wanted him to carry on in his father's footsteps and continue in the same profession, he joined Sarada Enterprises (currently known as Anand Cine Services) outdoor unit at the age of thirteen as an apprentice.

Vijay Kumar worked under various cinematographers like S.Venkataratnam, V.S.R.Swami, Ravi Kanth Nagaich, S.S Lal, S.Gopal Reddy etc. in Telugu and Shomandar Roy, Eshaan Arya, Baba Azmi, Behran Mukherjee etc. in Hindi for eight years and earned lot of practical knowledge in the sense Knowledge in different kinds of lightning and exposures. In 1984 he joined as an operative cameraman under Lok Singh for Vijetha films. Producer Jaya Krishna gave Vijay Kumar his first break as cinematographer with Vivaaha Bhojanambu film under Jandhyala director which was a block buster hit. He later went out to work for 'Neeku Naaku Pellanta' with the same team.

Producer Shyam Prasad offered him to do unfinished work of Ankusam (official cinematographer was KS Hari). He worked for Agraham and Ammoru, which went on to be a path breaking movie in terms of technical work. Later on, he went on to work many successful films like Bachelors, Sampangi, Sreevarante Mavare, Jai Bhajaranga Bhali.

He met Sekhar Kammula when they worked for Dollar Dream which was the first film in their combination following which they worked together in many more super hits like Anand, Godavari, Happy Days, Leader, Life is Beautiful, Anamika and the latest Fidaa.The movie was also released in Tamil Nadu, after dubbing it as Nee Engae En Anbe.