Sudhakar Reddy Yakkanti

Biography:

Known for his work in Hindi, Telugu, and Marathi cinema, Sudhakar Reddy Yakkanti is an Indian film cinematographer who transitioned into a director, screenwriter, editor, and producer. Reddy debuted in the film industry in 1999, working with Ajayan Vincent as an assistant cinematographer. He won the National Film Award for Best First Film of a Director in 2018 for his direction of the Marathi feature film Naal.

Reddy was born into a Telugu-speaking household on March 23, 1976, in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh. Reddy graduated with a postgraduate diploma in cinematography from the Film and Television Institute of India in Pune, and a bachelor’s degree in fine arts in photography from Jawaharlal Nehru Architecture and Fine Arts University in Hyderabad. Reddy made his foray into the world of parallel cinema with the 2003 short film Ek Aakash, for which he was granted the National Film Award – Special Jury Award. The film tells the story of two kids from different circumstances who first have a basic rivalry that develops into a competition between them as they fly kites. According to the Jury, “both are driven by their ego and aggressive instincts, but eventually reach a point when they need others help.” Ek Aakash has also won other foreign awards, including the Association for foreign Broadcasting’s Best Youth and Children’s Film, the International Film Festival for Young and Children in Argentina’s Special Mention, and the Four Art Film Fest in Slovakia.