Sakthivel is an emerging talent in Indian cinema, best known for his work as the cinematographer for the critically acclaimed film Kottukali (also known as The Adamant Girl), which also marked his debut as a Director of Photography (DOP).
Born in Tiruppur, Tamil Nadu, Sakthivel came from a non-film background. However, his interest in visual arts began early. During his school years, he was deeply passionate about painting and photography. These creative interests eventually led him to the world of cinema. While attending college, he realized that filmmaking, particularly cinematography, was his true calling.
While looking for job opportunities, he came across Mr. Rajavel, a renowned cameraman. Sakthivel reached out to him through a text message and was fortunate enough to receive a reply. He was invited to meet Rajavel at his office, where they had a brief conversation. Later that night, he received a call asking him to report to a film set the next morning — it turned out to be the set of Kanchana 2. That day marked his first experience on a shooting spot, and it also became his first job as an assistant cameraman. He continued working with Rajavel on several other projects, including Neeya 2, Padaiveeran, and multiple advertisement shoots. Sakthivel also had the opportunity to assist Dinesh Krishnan, a respected cinematographer, on films like Mookkuththi Amman and Maara.
After the pandemic, he moved to Chennai, where he unexpectedly landed a chance to work on the film Paththu Thala alongside cinematographer Farook J. Basha. PS Vinothraj, who initially approached him for the award-winning film Koozhangal. Although he couldn’t join that project, Vinothraj came back to him in late 2022 with the script for Kottukali. Sakthivel connected deeply with the story and agreed to be a part of the film.
Kottukali turned out to be a major success, earning critical acclaim and multiple award nominations. During an interaction, Sakthivel shared various behind-the-scenes stories, including the dedication and hard work he poured into the project. His work in Kottukali received lot of applications from the Cinema industry professionals like Seamus Mcgarvey, Karthik Subburaj and Director Bala. With Kottukali establishing his place in the industry, Sakthivel now has several exciting projects in the pipeline. His journey from a small-town boy with a passion for images to a celebrated cinematographer is both inspiring and a testament to his perseverance and talent.
