K. S. Sethumadhavan | |
|---|---|
| Born | Kurukkalpadam Subrahmanyam Sethumadhavan (1931-05-15)15 May 1931 |
| Died | 24 December 2021(2021-12-24) (aged 90) Chennai,Tamil Nadu, India |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1960–1995 |
| Awards | Director of Best Film 1991 –Marupakkam (Tamil) |
Kurukkalpadam Subrahmanyam Sethumadhavan (15 May 1931 – 24 December 2021) was an Indian film director and screenwriter who worked predominantly inMalayalam cinema. He also directed films inHindi,Tamil,Kannada andTelugu.[1][2]
Since the early 1960s, he directed over 60 movies including many landmark films in the Malayalam film history such asOdayil Ninnu,Yakshi,Kadalpalam,Achanum Bappayum,Ara Nazhika Neram,Panitheeratha Veedu,Anubhavangal Palichakal,Punarjanmam andOppol.[3][4]
He won numerous awards including tenNational Film Awards and nineKerala State Film Awards including four for Best Direction. In 2009, he was awarded theJ. C. Daniel Award,Government of Kerala's highest honour for contributions to the Malayalam cinema.[3][5]
K. S. Sethumadhavan was born to Subrahmanyam and Lakshmiyamma atPalghat,Madras Presidency,British India on 15 May 1931.[citation needed] He had three sisters and one brother. His childhood was spent inPalakkad and inNorth Arcot,Tamil Nadu.[citation needed] He completed his degree inbiology fromGovernment Victoria College, Palakkad. He debuted in the film industry as the assistant director to K. Ramnath. He later assisted directors L. V. Prasad, A. S. A. Swamy, Sunder Rao Nadkarni.[citation needed]
He debuted as an independent film director withVeeravijaya, aSinhalese film in 1960.[6] His firstMalayalam film wasGnana Sundari,[5] produced by T. E. Vasudevan under the banner of Associates Pictures based on a short story byMuttathu Varkey. He then went on to direct over 60 films including noted filmsOdayil Ninnu,Daaham,Sthanarthi Saramma, Koottukudumbam,Vazhve Mayam,Ara Nazhika Neram,Anubhavangal Palichakal, Karakanakkadal,Achanum Bappayum,Punarjanmam,Chattakkari,Oppol,Marupakkam, Kannada MovieManini.[citation needed]
His filmAchanum Bappayum won theNargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration, a part ofNational Film Awards, in 1973. HisTamil filmMarupakkam won theNational Film Award for Best Feature Film in 1991. Thus it became the first Tamil film to win the award, the feat was repeated byKanchivaram in 2007.[7]
In 1996, hisTelugu filmStri won theNational Film Award for Best Feature Film in Telugu. He won theKerala State Film Award for Best Director 4 times: for filmsAra Nazhika Neram (1970),Karakanakkadal (1971),Pani Theeratha Veedu (1972) andOppol (1980). He was the jury member for theNational Film Awards in 1975 and 1980. In 1982, he was the chairman of the jury for theKerala State Film Awards. He was the chairman of theNational Film Awards jury in 2002,[6] and was awarded theJ. C. Daniel Award for the year 2009, honouring his achievements and contribution to Malayalam Cinema. In 2011, he was honoured with theChalachitra Ratnam Award by theKerala Film Critics Association.[8]
His sonSantosh Sethumadhavan is also a filmmaker who remade the 1974 cult classicChattakkari in 2012 but failed to create any impact, owing to the remake being overshadowed by the original film.[citation needed]
Sethumadhavan died at his home inChennai on 24 December 2021, at the age of 90.[9]
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