Veteran cinematographer K. Ramachandra Babu passed away in Kozhikode where he was hunting for locations of a new movie and suddenly fainted. The doctors declared him dead when the crew rushed him to the hospital. He was 72 and his last rites will be held today.

Ramachandra Babu was born in Madhuranthagam in Chengalput district and studied cinematography at the Pune Film Institute where legendary filmmakers Balu Mahendra, K.G. George and John Abraham were his classmates. He had worked in 130 films predominantly in Malayalam cinema and a few Tamil and English films as well.

Ramachandra Babu holds the distinction of shooting the first cinemascope film in South India 'Allaudinum Arpudha Vilakkum' directed by I.V. Sasi and starring Gemini Ganesan, Kamal Haasan and Rajinikanth and the first 70 MM film in Malayalam 'Padayottam. One of India's topmost cinematographers Ravi K Chandran is his younger brother who assisted him during his early days in cinema. We extend our deepest c