R. Rathnavelu
R.Rathnavelu aka Randy is an acclaimed Indian cinematographer with a body of work that reflects his penchant for innovation and challenge. He has worked on films that range from mega budget period epics and gigantic sci-fi magnum opuses to smaller, hard-hitting path breaking films that set new benchmarks in raw and realistic visual storytelling techniques. With a BSc in Physics and DFTech in Cinematography from the FTIT he joined Rajiv Menon as assistant and worked with him on TV commercials and on Mani Ratnam's Bombay. Aravindan - his debut feature film in 1997 was followed swiftly by cult classics like Sethu, Nandha, Arya, Jagadam, Cyanide whose graphic and visceral visuals won accolades all over. Popular films like Vaaranam Aayiram, Nenokadine and Rangasthalam only pushed the bar even higher with the latter two being hailed as path breaking thanks to the aesthetic, unconventional and hard-hitting visuals He had successful collaborations with some of the best directors like ,Bala, Shankar,Sukumar ,Gautam Vasudev Menon. His collaboration with director Sukumar has brought tremendous creative and innovative story telling technique in Telugu film industry from Arya to Rangasthalam(16 years). He has created visual worlds ranging from swanky Sci-fi Enthiran( Robot-2010), to Rustic 1980's village Rangasthalam (2018) and Epic Period War drama in Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy(2019) . Some of his notable feature works include Sethu (1999), Nandha (2001), Cyanide (2005),Jagadam(2006)Vaaranam Aayiram ('08), Enthiran ('10), David ('12), Haridas(2013) ,1 Nenokkadine ('14), Kumari 21F ('15), Rangasthalam('18), Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy('19). Presently working on the much anticipated movie Indian 2 (under production). He has also shot numerous television commercials for leading national brands. Rathnavelu has been awarded three Filmfare Awards South Nanda ('04) ,Endhiran (Robot '10) and Rangasthalam('18), Vijay Awards for Endhiran ('10 ), Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Nandha ('04), two Zee Awards for Ranagasthalam ('18) and SyeRaa Narasimha Reddy('19), two SIIMA Awards for 1: Nenokkadine ('14) and Ranagasthalam ('18), and the prestigious Tamil Nadu Government Kalaimamani Award.
Read moreShow less
Biography from IMDb.
- Cinematographer
- 12 on MovieCove · 31 credits in all
What are R. Rathnavelu's films like?
Across their 11 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Morality.
Themes
What they feel like to watch
Ironic 0 · Wry 0 · Earnest 11
A split, not a type: Light 2 · Serious 3 · Dark 6
Grounded 3 · Stylized 5 · Heightened 3
Gentle 1 · Charged 2 · Intense 8
Steady 2 · Shifting 5 · Whiplash 4
Straight-faced 8 · Some laughs 3 · Funny 0
Slow burn 2 · Even-paced 6 · Relentless 3
Casual 1 · Engaged 9 · Full focus 1
Easy watch 3 · Affecting 1 · Heavy 7
Resolved 9 · Open-ended 2 · Ambiguous 0
Moods and endings
- Happy2
- Bittersweet6
- Tragic2
- Ambiguous1
AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.
Where can I watch R. Rathnavelu's films?
As of October 24, 2026, 11 of their 12 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Prime Video (5).
- ZEE5
Subscription and free streaming for R. Rathnavelu's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.
Filmography
31 credits, 12 with a MovieCove page.
Peddi(2026)
Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films
Devara Part 1(2024)
Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films
Etharkkum Thunindhavan(2022)
Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films
Sarileru Neekevvaru(2020)
Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films
Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy(2019)
Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films
Rangasthalam(2018)
Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films
Khaidi No. 150 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)
Brahmotsavam (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)
Kumari 21F (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)
Lingaa(2014)
Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films
1: Nenokkadine (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)
Haridas (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)
David(2013)
Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films
Enthiran(2010)
Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films
Vaaranam Aayiram(2008)
Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films
Jagadam (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)
Cyanide (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)
February 14 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)
Maayavi (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)
Arya(2004)
Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films
Perazhagan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)
Thirumalai (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)
Jayam (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)
Bagavathi (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)
Nandha(2001)
Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films
Sethu... (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)
Sandhippoma (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)
Aravindhan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)
Devara 2 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)
Indian 3: War Mode (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)
Vettri (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)
Career shape
A full career of 31 titles, 28 of them dated from 1997 to 2026.
Biggest box office
Devara Part 1 (2024)
Highest rated
Vaaranam Aayiram (2008)
Most popular right now
Peddi (2026)
Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.
How do R. Rathnavelu's films land?
Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 68th percentile, the median of all 12; across their 11 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 63rd percentile for acclaim.
- 75th and up6
- 50th to 74th3
- 25th to 49th3
Shape of the crowd
5 of their 12 titles are Mixed.
- Universally Loved4
- Loved with Detractors1
- Cult Classic2
- Mixed5
Reviewers score the cinematography 75/100 in their films, across 11 reviewed titles; fans 80, detractors 56. The element that speaks to their work as a cinematographer.
Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.
Is R. Rathnavelu's work okay for kids?
Across up to 7 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore and alcohol & drugs run heavier than most films.
Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.
Who does R. Rathnavelu work with?
People who share at least 2 of R. Rathnavelu's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Jagapathi Babu shares the most, 4.
Directors
- SukumarShared titles: Rangasthalam (2018), Arya (2004)See all 2 shared titles with Sukumar
Writers
- Swanand KirkireShared titles: Lingaa (2014), Enthiran (2010)See all 2 shared titles with Swanand Kirkire
Actors
- Jagapathi BabuShared titles: Peddi (2026), Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy (2019), Rangasthalam (2018), Lingaa (2014)See all 4 shared titles with Jagapathi Babu
- SuriyaShared titles: Etharkkum Thunindhavan (2022), Vaaranam Aayiram (2008), Nandha (2001)See all 3 shared titles with Suriya
- Ram CharanShared titles: Peddi (2026), Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy (2019), Rangasthalam (2018)See all 3 shared titles with Ram Charan
- Janhvi KapoorShared titles: Peddi (2026), Devara Part 1 (2024)See all 2 shared titles with Janhvi Kapoor
Composers and editors
- A.R. RahmanShared titles: Peddi (2026), Lingaa (2014), Enthiran (2010)See all 3 shared titles with A.R. Rahman
- Antony L. RubenShared titles: Peddi (2026), Etharkkum Thunindhavan (2022)See all 2 shared titles with Antony L. Ruben
- Naveen NooliShared titles: Peddi (2026), Rangasthalam (2018)See all 2 shared titles with Naveen Nooli
- A. Sreekar PrasadShared titles: Devara Part 1 (2024), David (2013)See all 2 shared titles with A. Sreekar Prasad
Producers
- Kalanithi MaranShared titles: Etharkkum Thunindhavan (2022), Enthiran (2010)See all 2 shared titles with Kalanithi Maran
