K. Viswanath
K. Vishwanath at theNational Film Awards Function, 2017
Born	Kasinadhuni Viswanath (1930-02-19)19 February 1930 Repalle,Madras Presidency,British India (now inAndhra Pradesh, India)
Died	2 February 2023(2023-02-02) (aged 92) Hyderabad,Telangana, India
Occupations	Film director Screenwriter Actor Lyricist
Years active	1951–2023
Works	Full list
Awards	Padma Shri (1992) Dadasaheb Phalke Award (2016)

Kasinadhuni Viswanath (19 February 1930 – 2 February 2023) was an Indian film director, screenwriter, lyricist and actor who predominantly worked inTelugu cinema. One of the greatest auteurs ofIndian cinema,^[1][2][3][4] he received international recognition for his works, and is known for blendingparallel cinema with mainstream cinema.^[a] He was honoured with the "Prize of the Public" at the "Besançon Film Festival ofFrance" in 1981.^[7] In 1992, he received the Andhra Pradesh stateRaghupathi Venkaiah Award, and the civilian honourPadma Shri for his contribution to the field of arts. In 2016, he was conferred with theDadasaheb Phalke Award, the highest award inIndian cinema.^[8][9][10] He is popularly known as "Kalatapasvi."

Viswanath started his film career as anaudiographer and over sixty years, he directed 53 feature films in a variety of genres, including central themes based onperforming arts,visual arts,aesthetics,melodrama, andpoetry.^[5][3][4] Viswanath's filmography is known for addressing the issues of discrimination and socio-economic challenges^[11] throughliberal arts medium.^[3][4]

Viswanath's classic blockbustersSankarabharanam (1980) andSagara Sangamam (1983) were featured amongCNN-IBN's100 greatest Indian films of all time.^[12] His directorial worksSankarabharanam andSaptapadi (1981) fetched theNational Film Awards forBest Popular Film for Providing Wholesome Entertainment andBest Feature Film on National Integration, respectively.Sankarabharanam, was featured at the8th IFFI,^[13][14] theTashkent Film Festival, theMoscow International Film Festival,^[15] and theBesançon Film Festival.^[16]

Viswanath'sSwathi Muthyam (1986) wasIndia's official entry to the 59th Academy Awards.Swathi Muthyam,Sagara Sangamam andSirivennela (1986), were featured at theAsia-Pacific Film Festival.^[17]Swayamkrushi (1987) was screened to special mention at the Moscow International Film Festival.^[18]Sankarabharanam,Sagara Sangamam,Sruthilayalu (1987),Swarnakamalam (1988), andSwathi Kiranam (1992) were featured in the Indian Panorama sections ofIFFI,^[19][20]Ann Arbor Film Festival,^[21][22] andAISFM Film Festival respectively.^[23]

Viswanath was a recipient of fiveNational Film Awards, seven stateNandi Awards, tenFilmfare Awards South, and aFilmfare Award inHindi.^[24] His directorial works which are produced by Poornodaya Movie Creations were screened to special mention at the Moscow International Film Festival; such films were dubbed intoRussian language and have been theatrically released inMoscow.^[25][26]

Viswanath was born on 19 February 1930 in aTelugu family to Kasinadhuni Subramanyam and Kasinadhuni Saraswathy (Saraswathamma) inRepalle ofGuntur district,Andhra Pradesh.^[27] His ancestral roots come fromPedapulivarru,Andhra Pradesh, a small village on the banks of RiverKrishna.^[28][29] Viswanath studied Intermediate fromGuntur Hindu College, and holds a BSc degree from Andhra Christian College ofAndhra University.^[30] He began his career as asound recordist atVauhini Studios inMadras, where his father was an associate. There, he apprenticed under the guidance of A Krishnan, who was the Head of Sound Engineering at Vauhini. Viswanath and A Krishnan developed a close rapport and later after the former made the transition into film direction, he would always bounce ideas off the latter. Viswanath made his entry into film direction at Annapurna Pictures underAdurthi Subba Rao andK. Ramnoth.^[31][32] He wished to work as an assistant to directorK. Balachander andBapu.^[30]

During his early career, Viswanath was associated withAdurthi Subba Rao on National Award-winning films such asMooga Manasulu (1964) andDoctor Chakravarty (1964).^[3][4] Viswanath scriptedSudigundalu (1968), and directed works such asAatma Gowravam (1965),O Seeta Katha (1974) andJeevana Jyothi (1975) which garnered the stateNandi Awards, and were screened at the Asian and African film Festival at Tashkent.^[33][5]

In 1951 he started as an assistant director in the Telugu-Tamil FilmPathala Bhairavi (1951). In 1965, Viswanath debuted as a director with Telugu filmAatma Gowravam (1965), which won theNandi Award for Best Feature Film of the year. Viswanath followed it up with drama filmsChelleli Kapuram (1971),Sarada (1973),O Seeta Katha (1974) andJeevana Jyoti (1975) which are women-centric films.^[3][4] It was inSiri Siri Muvva (1976) that the artistic touch in his craft first became visible.^[3][4]

Sankarabharanam (1980) highlights the neglect of traditional Indian music under the increasing influence of western music. The film brings out the grandeur of Carnatic music, the traditional South Indian music towards the end. Bhaskaran, a media and film researcher from Chennai has documented, in his study of South Indian music culture, howSankarabharanam contributed to the revival ofCarnatic music in a big way.^[34] The film broke many commercial records by running for over one year in cinemas. In a recent study published inJournal of Dance, Movements & Spiritualities published by "Intellect Group" of the United Kingdom, C. S. H. N. Murthy, a media and film studies scholar from India, has demonstrated how Viswanath's filmography embraces a wide spectrum of characters that include mentally and physically challenged subjects as well, like the filmSarada (1973), which exploits a psychologically deranged woman,Swathi Muthyam (1986), which exploits a cognitively disabled man's humanism,Sirivennela (1986) which revels in situations between deaf and dumb characters, andKalam Marindi (1972), which dwells on characters stuck in a caste-based society.^[3][4]

Film researcher, C. S. H. N. Murthy observed that Viswanath's films offer a pathway towards inclusiveness, affecting positive spiritual change at both personal and social levels. Situating the content in the broad arena of de-westernizing media studies, through immersive and culturally embedded perspectives, Murthy endeavoured to offer modern and postmodern dimensions in Viswanath's films.^[3][4]

Viswanath has made many films dealing with a wide range of human and social issues:Saptapadi,Sirivennela,Sutradharulu,Subhalekha,Sruthilayalu,Subha Sankalpam,Aapadbandhavudu,Swayam Krushi, andSwarnakamalam have lead characters representing different strata of society, meticulously etched to suit the larger picture.^[3][4]

InSaptapadi, he decries the evils of untouchability and the caste system. InSubhodayam andSwayam Krushi he emphasizes the dignity and respectability of manual labor. InSubhalekha, he deals, in a humorous way, with the dowry system – one of the major evils in today's society. WhileSutradharulu urges present-day society to recognize the need to adopt the ideals of non-violence,Swati Kiranam depicts the harm that can be caused by the basic instincts of envy and anger in a man, however accomplished he may be.^[3][4]

In spite of the nature of these subjects, they are presented in a subtle manner with an imaginative storyline, with just the right amount of emphasis on the intended message. Yet Viswanath's films were never offbeat cinema, but wholesome entertainers those elevated the lead actors' image. He was a director with social-conscious mind and who believed cinema could bring out desirable changes in society if presented in a format liked by a cross-section of audience.^[3][4]

Edida Nageswara Rao founded "Poornodaya Movie Creations", which encouraged Viswanath to make aesthetic films.^[35][36][25] Poornodaya has produced several of Viswanath's films likeSankarabharanam,Swatimutyam,Saagarasangamam,Sutradharulu, andAapadbandhavudu. Most of these films were dubbed into Russian and were screened at theMoscow Film Festival.^[35][36][37]

Viswanath has also directed Hindi language films such asSargam (1979),Kaamchor (1982),Shubh Kaamna (1983),Jaag Utha Insan (1984),Sur Sangam (1985),Sanjog (1985),Eeshwar (1989),Sangeet (1992) andDhanwan (1993). Some of these films (especially his collaboration with actressJaya Prada) have been super hits at the box office.^[38]

In 1995, Viswanath debuted as an actor with Telugu filmSubha Sankalpam. As a character actor, he has appeared in works such asVajram (1995),Kalisundam Raa (2000),Narasimha Naidu (2001),Nuvvu Leka Nenu Lenu (2002),Santosham (2002),Seema Simham (2002),Tagore (2003),Lakshmi Narasimha (2004),Swarabhishekam (2004),Aadavari Matalaku Arthale Verule (2007),Athadu (2005), andPandurangadu (2008), andDevasthanam (2012). He essayed characters in Tamil works such asKuruthipunal (1995),Mugavaree (1999),Kakkai Siraginilae (2000),Bagavathi (2002),Pudhiya Geethai (2003),Yaaradi Nee Mohini (2008),Rajapattai (2011),Singam II (2013),Lingaa (2014) andUttama Villain (2015).^[9]

Viswanath had also acted in a few television serials;Siva Narayana Teertha onSVBC TV,Chellamay onSun TV, andSuryiavamsam onVendhar TV. He also endorsed brands such as GRT Jewellers and appeared in television commercials.^[39]

Viswadarshanam is an officialbiopic of K Viswanath, written and directed byJanardhana Maharshi, which tells the story of a 90-year-old acclaimed director.^[40] The film was telecast onETV (Telugu) on 19 February 2023, his 93rd birthday.^[41]

Viswanath was married to Kasinadhuni Jayalakshmi. ActorChandra Mohan, and singersS. P. Balasubrahmanyam andS. P. Sailaja were his cousins.^[42]

Viswanath died on 2 February 2023, aged 92, in a private hospital in Hyderabad due to age-related issues.^[43][44][45]

Honorary doctorate

• Potti Sreeramulu Telugu University

Wikimedia Commons has media related toKasinathuni Viswanath.

• K. Viswanath atIMDb

• 1930 births
• 2023 deaths
• People from Guntur
• Actors from Guntur district
• Telugu film directors
• Film directors from Andhra Pradesh
• Indian male screenwriters
• Hindi-language film directors
• Male actors in Telugu cinema
• Indian male film actors
• Male actors in Tamil cinema
• Indian male television actors
• Recipients of the Padma Shri in arts
• Filmfare Awards winners
• Filmfare Awards South winners
• Nandi Award winners
• Dadasaheb Phalke Award recipients
• Male actors from Andhra Pradesh
• 20th-century Indian male actors
• Male actors in Hindi cinema
• Directors who won the Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment National Film Award
• Directors who won the Best Film on National Integration National Film Award
• South Indian International Movie Awards winners

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