Venkatarama Pandit Krishnamurthy was a legendary cinematographer as well as a freedom fighter. In 1951, he worked as an assistant cinematographer on Guru Dutt's directorial debut, Baazi.
Guru Dutt and Murthy shared a special bond
Guru Dutt hired Murthy as the chief cinematographer for his next film after being impressed by his fluid captures. Murthy quickly became Guru's favorite, and the two shared a special bond that lasted until Guru's death on April 7, 2014.
Guru Dutt's Kaagaz Ke Phool, India's first cinemascope film, was released in 1959. Dutt's direction and Murthy's cinematography created Indian cinema history, making it one of the most illustrious examples of the medium.
Murthy produced some of India's best films, including Pyaasa, Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam, Aar Paar, Pakeezah, Razia Sultan, Naya Zamana, Jugnu, and Tamas. His contribution to the Indian film industry was so significant that he received the IIFA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2005 and the Dada Saheb Phalke Award in 2010.
Murthy received the prestigious Dada Saheb Phalke Award for outstanding contributions to the Indian film industry from the Government of India in 2008. He was the first cinematographer to receive the award, which was named after Dada Saheb Phalke, a pioneer of the Indian film industry and a cinematographer himself.
