Sudhakar Reddy Yakkanti

Biography

Sudhakar Reddy Yakkanti is an Indian cinematographer, director, screenwriter, editor, and producer, known for his work across Hindi, Telugu, and Marathi cinema. He began his film career in 1999 as an assistant director of photography under Ajayan Vincent on Telugu films such as Raja Kumarudu and Yamajathakudu.

Born on 23 March 1976 in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, into a Telugu-speaking family, Reddy earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography from Jawaharlal Nehru Architecture and Fine Arts University, Hyderabad, and a postgraduate diploma in Cinematography from the Film and Television Institute of India, Pune.

Reddy entered parallel cinema with the 2003 short film Ek Aakash, which won the National Film Award – Special Jury Award for its portrayal of two children from different backgrounds whose kite-flying rivalry evolves into a journey of ego, competition, and cooperation.

The film also received international recognition, including Best Youth and Children's Film at the Association for International Broadcasting, a Special Mention at the International Film Festival for Young and Children in Argentina, and a screening at the Four Art Film Fest in Slovakia.

In 2018, he directed the Marathi feature film Naal, earning the National Film Award for Best First Film of a Director.