2 February 2023
Hyderabad
Kalatapasvi K Viswanath, maker of highly meaningful cinema and someone who put Telugu cinema on the international map with films like Swathi Muthyam, Sagara Sangamam, Sirivennela and Swayamkrushi, breathed his last at Apollo Hospitals, Hyderabad late on Thursday night. He has been not keeping well for the past couple of years and passed away while undergoing treatment.
Born on 19 February 1930 in Repalle of Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh, Viswanath, one of the greatest voices of Indian cinema, started his career as a sound engineer in Chennai. He later assisted filmmaker Adurthi Subba Rao in the direction department. He debuted as a director with Aatma Gowravam (1965), which won the Nandi Award for Best Feature Film of the year. He followed it up with women-centric drama films like Chelleli Kapuram (1971), Sarada (1973), O Seeta Katha (1974) and Jeevana Jyoti (1975). It was through Siri Siri Muvva (1976) that the artistic touch in his craft came into the spotlight. The film was remade in Hindi as Sargam starring Rishi Kapoor and Jayaprada.
Known for addressing the issues of disability, gender discrimination, misogyny, alcoholism and socio-economic challenges through liberal arts medium, Viswanath was also lauded for his endearing narrative, honest handling, cultural authenticity and blending parallel cinema with mainstream commercial cinema. His works are also known for giving full expression to music.
The trademark of his movies were titles beginning with the letter `S’ — Sankarabharanam, Sagara Sangamam, Siri Siri Muvva, Swathi Muthyam, Saptapadi, and Subhalekha .His stress on classicism in his films had earned him the moniker of “Kala Tapasvi”, which means a devotee of the arts.
He had a long association with producer Edida Nageswara Rao of Poornodaya Creations, the production house of which didn’t tamper with his vision and gave him a complete freehand. The banner produced the master filmmaker’s creations like Sankarabharanam, Swati Muthyam, Sagara Sangamam, Sutradharulu, and Aapadbandhavudu. Another interesting aspect of their partnership is the fact that most of these films were dubbed into Russian.
Stars like Kamal Haasan, Chiranjeevi, Anil Kapoor, Suhasini and Jayaprada consider Viswanath as a mentor-figure, for he has given them their best acting gigs.
His Sankarabharanam won the Prize of the Public at the "Besançon Film Festival of France" in the year 1981. The film threw light on the chasm between classical and western music based on the perspective of people from two different generations. It won four National Film Awards including the Best Film with Mass Appeal, Wholesome Entertainment & Aesthetic Values. In 2013, in an online poll conducted by CNN-IBN on their website as part of the hundred year’s celebration of Indian cinema, the film was ranked 11th. His Sagara Sangamam is also listed among CNN-IBN's list of 100 greatest Indian films of all time. In total, Viswanath has directed close to 50 films in Telugu, Tamil and Hindi.
In 1995, Viswanath made his acting debut in his directorial venture Subha Sankalpam, later going on to act in films like Vajram, Kalisundam Raa, Santosham, Tagore, Athadu and Aadavari Matalaku Arthale Verule among other films. He was also seen in Tamil films such as Kakkai Siraginilae, Pudhiya Geethai, Yaaradi Nee Mohini and Uttama Villain.
Viswanath is a recipient of five National Awards, 20 Nandi Awards, among other major film honours. He was felicitated with the Padma Shri in 1992 for his contribution in the world of cinema. In 1987, his film Swati Muthyam was nominated in the Best Foreign Film category at the 59th Academy Awards. In 2017, he was conferred with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, the highest award in Indian cinema.
