Chota K. Naidu

Biography

Chota K. Naidu, ISC (born 3rd July 1962) is an Indian cinematographer, best known for his distinct style of cinematography for films like Matru Devo Bhava, Choodalani Vundi, and Kotha Bangaru Lokam.

Chota K. Naidu is a member of the Indian Society of Cinematographers, the South Indian Cinematographers Association, and the Telugu Cinematographers Association. He received two state "Nandi Awards", and two "Filmfare Awards South" for Cinematography. 

His outstanding contribution to the Indian film industry and Indian TV Industry working as DOP for Telugu, Tamil, Hindi, and Kannada languages more than 50 Feature films. 

Chota was born in Ramachandrapuram, East Godavari district, Andhra Pradesh, his father Chitti Babu Naidu a writer and director of stage plays in Andhra Pradesh, and mother Ananthalakshmi a housewife, Elder sister Padma Latha Electronics Engineer, Elder brother K.V.S. Naidu Mechanical Engineer, Younger sister Kanaka Durga Electronics Engineer, Younger brother Shyam K. Naidu is a Cinematographer.

 Chota married Seetha Devi a renowned Television and Film Maker. He attended "Skpgn Govt. Junior college" Rc Puram, Andhra Pradesh. Born into a family of Engineers, Chota spent most of his time focusing on watching films instead of concentrating on his studies due to which he failed in his 10th standard exams. 

To see more films he worked as a gatekeeper in a nearby theatre. He failed again in his supplementary exams by watching more and more films. Realizing his interest in cinema his father "Chitti Babu Naidu" gave him the challenge to pass at least 10th standard with a reward to join him in the "Film Industry". 

Chota took the Challenge and passed with good rank and duly his father made him join as a camera apprentice at Devar Films outdoor unit (camera rental house in the city of Chennai in 1979). Later he joined Taraka Prabhu outdoor unit under Dasari Narayana Rao. 

He was working with top cinematographers during the 1980s throughout India as a Focus puller. He is inspired by DOP V.S.R. Swamy for his discipline, dedication, and craftsmanship. He always considers Swamy as his role model.

 He used to get into exhaustive creative discourses with his colleagues Gunasekar, Bharath Parepalli, Gopi Chand Nadella, and T. Surendra Reddy. He developed his studiousness by looking at Creative Black Book and magazines like Harper's Bazaar, Film Fare, Star, Style, etc., along with watching films on a first-day first-show basis. 

Chota's first feature film as a cinematographer was Amma Rajinama (1991). He is also known as Block Buster Cinematographer.

Realizing his interest in cinema his father "Chitti Babu Naidu" gave him the challenge to pass at least 10th standard with a reward to join him in the "Film Industry". 

Chota took the Challenge and passed with good rank and duly his father made him join as a camera apprentice at 'Devar Films' outdoor unit (a camera rental house in the city of Chennai in 1979).

His artistically inclined father was a stage Writer and Director.

Member of the Indian Society of Cinematographers (ISC) since 1995, the South Indian Cinematographers Association (SICA) since 1980, and the Telugu Cinematographers Association (TCA) since 1990.

His sole intention of Joining the film Industry is his love of Cinema.

Inspired also by browsing Creative Black Book and magazines like Harper's Bazaar, Film Fare, Star, Style, etc.

In his leisure time other than watching films, does gardening and spends time with his pet dogs.