 Murthy began his career in films with "Maharana Prathap".He worked as an assistant to cinematographer V. Ratra in the 1951 film "Baazi" which was Guru Dutt's first as a director.Dutt, impressed by Murthy's smooth and fluid captures with the camera, took him on for his next film "Jaal" (1952), which was Murthy's first film as a chief cinematographer.