Nataraja Subramanian

Biography

Natarajan Subramanian, known mononymously as Natraj or Natty, is an Indian cinematographer, actor, and producer. After starting as an ad film cinematographer, he made his feature film debut as a cinematographer in the 2002 Tamil film Youth. Since then, Natraj has helmed the camera for over 20 films. 

Natraj`s cinematography credits span across the Tamil, Hindi, and Telugu film industries, while his filmography has an actor including several Tamil films. He has also been nominated for a Screen Award for Best Cinematographer for his work in Raanjhanaa (2013). His 2017 movies include Engitta Modhathey, Bongu, and Richie.

Natraj made his feature film debut as a cinematographer with the 2002 Vijay starrer Youth. In the following year, he helmed the camera for Anurag Kashyap`s crime thriller Paanch, which failed to secure a theatrical release for various reasons. 

The duo reunited in 2004 for Black Friday, a critically acclaimed yet controversial film chronicling the aftermath of the 1993 serial bomb blasts in Bombay. In the following year, Natraj earned much praise for his work in the acclaimed romantic period drama Parineeta, where the emphasis was on creating vintage-looking visuals.

In 2014, Natraj starred in the heist film Sathuranga Vettai, the enormous critical and commercial success of which marked his breakout as an actor. Sathuranga Vettai went on to win the Second Best Feature Film Award at the Chennai International Film Festival that year. 

The action-drama Engitta Modhathey, Bongu, and the Nivin Pauly starrer Richie are some of Natraj`s major releases in 2017. His 2020 releases include Sandimuni and Walter.

It was director Ram Gopal Varma who introduced Natraj to Anurag Kashyap, which subsequently led to the duo collaborating on Kashyap`s telefilm Last Train to Mahakali. The film, which starred Kay Kay Menon and Nivedita Bhattacharya, went on to win a Special Jury Award at the Star Screen Awards that year.