Cyril was born as Sebastian Vincent Cyril in the hill station of
Valparai,
Coimbatore District,
Tamil Nadu. He completed his schooling in Asan Memorial in
Chennai; he graduated from the
Government College of Fine Arts, Chennai, formerly
Government School of Arts and Crafts, Chennai). It was his grandfather, George Vincent, who first called him as 'Sabu'. George Vincent was known for opening the first photography studio in
Malabar,
Kozhikode, called Chitra Studio. His son,
A. Vincent, Sabu's uncle, was a reputed cinematographer and director in South Indian cinema. Vincent's sons,
Jayanan Vincent and
Ajayan Vincent, who are both cinematographers, are Sabu's cousins. It was probably his proximity to nature, wildlife, and cinema that subconsciously helped Sabu develop an affinity to the world of aesthetics and design. Ever since he was a child, Sabu was always interested in knowing how things work and how this can be applied in everyday life. This curiosity drew him to the world of physics and chemistry, which helped him develop a scientific and practical outlook to problem-solving. Sabu started his career as a graphic designer and illustrator. It was only as a favour to a friend that he entered a film set. Circumstance and chance made Sabu an art director on his first ever film. He believed that he could rise to the challenge because of his inclination towards science and art, it may seem as if he was destined to be a production designer all along. ==Career==