Renowned cinematographer and director KV Anand died early on Friday morning following a heart attack in Chennai. He was 54.

Karimanal Venkatesan Anand’s credits as a director include the Suriya starrers Ayan and Maattrraan, the Dhanush-led Anegan and the political drama Ko. He worked mostly in Tamil cinema, but began his career as a cinematographer with Malayalam director Priyadarshan’s Thenmavin Kombath in 1994. Anand won a National Film Award for his work on the blockbuster comedy.

A former news photographer, Anand shot the Tamil hits Kadhal Desam and Nerukku Ner. Anand’s association with the director Shankar yielded Mudhalvan, Boys and the monster hit Sivaji, starring Rajinikanth.

In 2005, Anand directed his first feature, Kana Kandean. Ayan, a 2009 crime thriller starring Suriya, was a huge success, as was the political drama Ko (2011), starring Jiiva. Anand collaborated with Suriya again in Maattrraan and Kaappaan. In Anand’s reincarnation drama Anegan, Dhanush played four roles.