Cinematographer and Director R Chezhiyan Passes Away in Chennai at 57

Renowned cinematographer, director, and writer R Chezhiyan passed away in Chennai on Friday due to a prolonged illness. He was 57 years old at the time of his passing.

Born as Nedunchezhiyan in Nattarasankottai, which is in the Sivaganga district, he spent his early years developing a strong interest in creative fields. He completed his diploma in civil engineering at the Alagappa Chettiar College in Karaikkudi. However, due to his deep exposure to literature, painting, and photography from a very young age, he decided to pursue his dream of becoming a professional filmmaker. This goal brought him to Chennai, where he started his journey by becoming an assistant to the veteran cinematographer P C Sreeram.

Chezhiyan made his official debut in the film industry as an additional cinematographer for the 2006 film 'Thambi', which was directed by Seeman. By the following year, he transitioned into a full-fledged cinematographer, handling the camera for the 2007 film 'Kalloori', directed by Balaji Sakthivel.

Throughout his career, Chezhiyan became known for his visual storytelling in several prominent Tamil films. He handled the camera for director Thamira’s 'Rettaisuzhi' in 2010, and in the same year, shot Seenu Ramasamy’s 'Thenmerku Paruvakkaatru'. He later went on to work on Bala’s 'Paradesi' in 2013, and Raju Murugan’s 'Joker' in 2016.

His work earned significant national recognition. As a director, his film 'To Let' won the Best Feature Film in Tamil accolade at the 65th National Film Awards. Furthermore, two of the major films he shot as a cinematographer, 'Thenmerku Paruvakkaatru' and 'Joker', also achieved national acclaim, winning the Best Feature Film in Tamil awards at the national level.