Santosh Sivan (1964-) is a noted Indian cinematographer and filmmaker, known for his extensive work in Malayalam, Tamil and Hindi cinema. A prolific technician, he has worked on over 40 feature films and numerous documentaries.

Sivan made his feature film debut as a cinematographer with the Malayalam language film Nidhiyude Katha (1986). He went on to collaborate with Mani Ratnam on acclaimed films such as Thalapathi (1991), Roja (1992), Iruvar (1997), and Dil Se.. (1998). Besides numerous Filmfare Awards, he also won four National Film Awards for Best Cinematography for Perumthachan (1990), Kaalapani (1995), Iruvar (1997), and Dil Se.. (1998).

Trained at the Film and Television Institute of India, Pune, Sivan's cinematography is characterised by vibrant use of colour and arresting compositions, which has been praised for its lyrical quality.

His collaboration with Ratnam established his status in Indian cinematography as a name to be reckoned with. For Thalapathy (1991), his first Tamil project, which introduced bold contrasts and dynamic tracking shots to underscore themes of friendship and social conflict. For films like Roja (1992), Iruvar (1997), and Dil Se.. (1998), Sivan's use of vibrant hues and colour palettes, shifting from vibrant greens in rural sequences to desaturated tones for urban imagery, heightened the nationalistic themes of the narratives. In Dil Se.., he used wide-angle lenses and natural backlighting during the Ladakh sequences to create a poetic interplay of light and shadow, underscoring the film's themes of romantic and political turmoil. His photography on the song, 'Chaiyya Chaiyya', framed with vibrant colours and dynamic camera movements, complemented the dance sequences and is celebrated for its high-energy visuals.

He extended his cinematography skills to his directorial ventures. He made his directorial debut with Halo (1996), which earned him the National Film Award for Best Children's Film. Other films as a director include The Terrorist (2001), Asoka (2001), Before the Rains (2007), Tahaan (2008) and Urumi (2011).