Chezhiyan has passed away recently at the age of 57. He worked in the Tamil film industry for a long time and made his directorial debut a few years ago.
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Add BollywoodShaadis on GoogleWell-known cinematographer Chezhiyan recently passed away at the age of 57 on July 10, 2026. He was active in the Tamil film industry for a long time and worked on multiple projects. Chezhiyan died after battling some kind of illness for a long time, and he was reportedly undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Chennai over the last few weeks.
While social media platforms have been flooded with tributes, Chezhiyan’s career and personal life have come into the spotlight after his sudden demise. Keep reading to know more about his life outside the entertainment industry!
Chezhiyan started his career in the film industry years ago, in 2006. Amid building a successful journey as a cinematographer, Chezhiyan tied the knot with his wife, Prema. Although the couple kept their relationship away from the limelight, a few reports have claimed that they exchanged vows sometime before 2017. The duo also had a daughter named Ajitha.
For the unversed, Prema served as a producer of the Tamil drama-film, To Let, released in 2019. The movie marked Chezhiyan’s debut as a director. The film premiered at the Kolkata International Film Festival in 2017 and was screened at many other film festivals.
The storyline of To Let focused on a family residing in a rented house. The family includes a husband and wife and their five-year-old son. Situations take a different turn for the family when their landlady decides to provide the house to IT professionals for a better rent, following which she provides a 30-day notice to the family to leave. The movie featured Santhosh Sreeram, Sheela Rajkumar, Dharun, Aadhira Pandilakshmi, Ravi Subramaniyan, and many others.
Notably, To Let remains the only film in Prema’s career as a producer. Further details about her early life, educational background, and more are currently awaited.
Before entering the film industry, Chezhiyan enrolled at the Alagappa Chettiar College, obtaining a diploma in civil engineering. He then started working under popular cinematographer and film director P.C. Sreeram.
Chezhiyan’s career in the film industry started with the vigilante action-drama, Thambi, which featured Madhavan in the lead role. Released in 2006, Chezhiyan was an assistant director and additional cinematographer in the film. He gained recognition for his work in Balaji Sakthivel’s 2007 film, Kalloori. In 2010, Chezhiyan was a cinematographer for three more films, including Rettaisuzhi, Magizhchi, and Thenmerku Paruvakaatru.
In 2013, Chezhiyan joined Bala for his historical drama, Paradesi. The movie focused on an unemployed villager who is tricked into working as bonded labour at a tea plantation after being promised to get good wages and accommodation.
For his work in the film, Chezhiyan received the Edison Award for Best Cinematographer and the Ananda Vikatan Cinema Awards for Best Cinematographer. He was also nominated for a SIIMA Award and a Vijay Award. After Paradesi, Chezhiyan collaborated with Bala once again in the psychological action-drama, Tharai Thappattai, released in 2016.
Other feature films to Chezhiyan’s credit include Sawaari, Joker, Kondraal Paavam, and Ajayan Balavin Mylanji. He was also a cinematographer for some short films and documentaries, such as Thiruvizha, A Little Dream, and Ellaigalai Vistharitha Ezhuthu Kalaignan.
Rest in peace, Chezhiyan.
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