K. G. Jayan (cinematographer)

K. G. Jayan
Born	Kodapully Gangadharan Jayan Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India
Alma mater	FTII
Occupations	Cinematographer dean

Kodapully Gangadharan Jayan is an Indian cinematographer who works predominantly in Malayalam cinema. He has won a National Film Award, two Kerala State Film Awards, a Kerala Film Critics Award and a Kerala State Television Award. He is a member of Indian Society of Cinematographers (ISC).

Early life

Jayan was born and brought up in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. His father Gangadharan was a radiologist. His uncle Velappan Alappad was a renowned film critic. He did his schooling from Government Model Boys Higher Secondary School. He pursued his bachelor's degree and master's degree from Mar Ivanios College and Government Arts College, Thiruvananthapuram. Jayan went to Film and Television Institute of India for pursuing diploma in cinematography, in where Santosh Sivan was his classmate and Venu was his senior. ^[1]

Career

Jayan began his career in Malayalam cinema with Harikumar's Jaalakam after taking over from Venu, who had to withdraw from the shoot after a couple of days. He continues to work in parallel cinema with directors like T. V. Chandran and Priyanandanan.

Jayan has shot over 1000 documentaries. His work in K. R. Mohanan's documentary Oru Vanavyavasthayude Sheshippukal won him the Kerala State Television Award for Best Videography, the first ever for a documentary in Kerala, and The 18th Elephant, in which he worked with P. Balan, won him the National Film Award for Best Cinematography in non-feature film section. He has also shot 197 episodes for Asianet's landmark travelogue Ente Keralam. ^[1]

Jayan also worked as a deputy director at the Centre for Development of Imaging Technology from 1990 to 2014. He is currently working as the head of department of cinematography at L. V. Prasad College of Media Studies, Thiruvananthapuram. ^[2]

In 2016, he made his directorial debut with the short film Chennikuthu. ^[3]

Selected filmography

Films

Year	Film	Director	Ref(s)
1987	Jaalakam	Harikumar	[1]
1988	Rugmini	K. P. Kumaran
1989	Jaathakam	Suresh Unnithan
1990	Marupuram	Viji Thampi
1999	Saree	Suma Josson
2000	Susanna	T. V. Chandran	[1]
	Kattu Vannu Vilichappol	Sashi Paravoor
2001	Pularvettam	Harikumar
	Dany	T. V. Chandran	[1]
2003	Paadam Onnu: Oru Vilapam
2004	Pravasam	Kalidas Puthumana
	Kathavaseshan	T. V. Chandran
	Chithariyavar	Lalji George
2006	Pulijanmam	Priyanandanan	[4]
	Nottam	Sashi Paravoor	[5]
	Drishtantham	M. P. Sukumaran Nair
2007	Paradeshi	P. T. Kunju Muhammed	[1]
2009	Raamanam	M. P. Sukumaran Nair
	Boomi Malayalam	T. V. Chandran	[1]
2010	Sufi Paranja Katha	Priyanandanan	[6]
2012	Ithramathram	K. Gopinathan	[7]
2014	Nayana	K. N. Sasidharan
	Chayilyam	Manoj Kana	[8]
	Jalamsham	M. P. Sukumaran Nair
2015	Vidooshakan	T. K. Santhosh
2016	Amoeba	Manoj Kana	[3]
2017	Crossroad - Lake House	Sashi Paravoor
2022	Gramavrikshathile Kuyil	K. P. Kumaran	[9]

Documentaries

Year	Film	Director	Ref(s)
1994	Oru Vanavyavasthayude Sheshippukal	K. R. Mohanan
2003	The 18th Elephant: Three Monologues	P. Balan	[3]
2013	In Search of our Lost Rice Seeds	Suma Josson	[10]
2016	In Return: Just a Book	Shiny Benjamin	[11]
2020	Maythil	K. Gopinathan

Short films

Year	Film	Director	Ref(s)
2016	Chennikuthu	Himself	[3]

Accolades

Year	Award	Category	Work	Ref(s)
1994	Kerala State Television Awards	Best Videography	Vanavyavasthayude Sheshippukal	[1]
2000	Kerala Film Critics Association Awards	Best Cinematographer	Susanna , Kattu Vannu Vilichappol	[12]
2001	Kerala State Film Awards	Best Cinematography	Dany
2003	National Film Awards	Best Cinematography (non-feature film)	The 18th Elephant: Three Monologues	[13]
2009	Kerala State Film Awards	Best Cinematography	Sufi Paranja Katha	[14]

References

1. Satyendran, Nita (23 April 2010). "Viewfinder". The Hindu . Archived from the original on 21 February 2025. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
2. "Staff K.G. JAYAN". LVPERF. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
3. Manu, Meera (9 June 2016). "Lensman dons director's cap". Deccan Chronicle . Retrieved 4 October 2025.
4. "Pulijanmam Malayalam movie review". IndiaGlitz. 23 May 2006. Archived from the original on 27 March 2025. Retrieved 5 October 2025.
5. Krishnavadhyar, Ratheesh (6 February 2008). "Nottam". LiveJournal . Retrieved 5 October 2025.
6. A. B., Vivekanandan. "Sufi Paranja Katha: Exploring Love, Religion, and Identity in Film". Studocu. Retrieved 5 October 2025.
7. Rajmohan, Sooraj (16 August 2012). "Memories of another day". The Hindu . Archived from the original on 21 December 2019. Retrieved 5 October 2025.
8. George, Vijay (30 January 2014). "Colours of life". The Hindu . Archived from the original on 3 February 2014. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
9. "Kumaran Asan biopic Gramavrikshathile Kuyil set for release". Cinema Express . 7 April 2022. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
10. "Crowning glory". The Hindu . 25 October 2013. Archived from the original on 28 October 2013. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
11. Ragesh, G. (26 November 2016). "In Return: Just a Book - a filmic tribute to Dostoyevsky and Perumbadavam". OnManorama . Retrieved 4 October 2025.
12. "Film Critics Award 1977 - 2012". Kerala Film Critics Association . 17 October 2020. Retrieved 5 October 2025.
13. "51st National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals . 14 August 2004. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 September 2019. Retrieved 5 October 2025.
14. "Kerala State Film Awards 2000 - 2012". PRD Kerala . Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 5 October 2025.

External links

• K.G. Jayan at IMDb