The brother of filmmaker and cinematographer M. Jeevan, Sukumar started out in showbiz in the mid-90s, as an assistant still photographer. After over a decade in the industry as a photographer, Sukumar made his debut as an independent cinematographer with the 2009 Prabhu Solomon film Laadam. Following this, Sukumar collaborated with Solomon in the acclaimed movies Mynaa (2010) and Kumki(2012), which marked a turning point in his career. Notable film credits since then include Kaaki Sattai (2015), the Vijay Sethupathi starrer Dharma Durai (2016), the Vijay starrer Bairavaa (2017), Sketch (2018) and Chi La Sow (2018). His 2019 release includes Manmadhudu 2, directed by Rahul Ravindran.