Veteran Malayalam Cinematographer MJ Radhakrishnan Passes Away!

MJ Radhakrishnan, who is one of the most renowned cinematographers of Malayalam cinema, is no more. According to reports, MJ Radhakrishnan breathed his last this evening at 7 PM. Reportedly, he was undergoing treatment in one of the private hospitals in Thiruvananthapuram after he suffered a cardiac arrest.

In a career spanning over three decades as a cinematographer, MJ Radhakrishnan has worked with some of the stalwarts of Malayalam cinema. He started off his career as an independent cinematographer with the film Maamalakalkkappurath, which released in 1988, directed by Ali Akbar.

Ever since then, he has cranked the camera for the films of popular film-makers like Shaji N Karun, Adoor Gopalakrishnan, Jayaraj, etc. M J Radhakrishnan also holds the record for winning the Kerala State Film Award for the Best Cinematographer for the maximum number of times.

He has won the prestigious award as many as seven times. It was for the 1996 movie Deshadanam that he won the title for the first time. Later, he was adjudged the winner in the years 1999 (Karunam), 2007 (Adayalangal, Ottakayyan), 2008 (Bioscope), 2010 (Veetilekkulla Vazhi), 2011 (Aakashathinte Niram) and 2016 (Kaadu Pookkunna Neram). He was also the cinematographer of acclaimed films like Naalu Pennungal, Thirakkatha, etc. Along with the state awards, some of his works have won international acclaim as well.

MJ Radhakrishnan's most recent work was Olu, the film which was directed by Shaji N Karun.