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Kasinadhuni Viswanath (born 19 February 1930) is an Indian film director, screenwriter and actor, known for his works primarily in Telugu cinema.[1][2] He is recipient of five National Film Awards, seven state Nandi Awards, ten Filmfare Awards South, and a Filmfare Award in Hindi.[3] He was honored with the "Prize of the Public" at the "Besançon Film Festival of France" in 1981.[4] In 1992, he received the Andhra Pradesh state Raghupathi Venkaiah Award, and the civilian honor Padma Shri for his contribution to the field of arts. In 2017, he was conferred with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, the highest award in Indian cinema.[5][6][7]

K. Viswanath
K. Viswanath in 2014
Born	Kasinadhuni Viswanath (1930-02-19) 19 February 1930 (age 92) Repalle, Madras Presidency, British India (now in Andhra Pradesh, India)
Occupation	Film director screenwriter actor
Years active	1951–present
Works	Full list
Awards	Padma Shri (1992) Dadasaheb Phalke Award (2016) Honorary doctorate – Potti Sreeramulu Telugu University

Viswanath started his film career as an audiographer and in sixty years, he has directed fifty three feature films in a variety of genres, including films based on performing arts, visual arts, and aesthetics.[8][1][2] He received international recognition for his works, and is known for blending parallel cinema with mainstream commercial cinema.[1][2][8][9] Viswanath's filmography is known for addressing the issues of caste, colour, disability, gender discrimination, misogyny, alcoholism and socio-economic challenges through liberal arts medium.[1][2]

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 into Russian language and have been theatrically released in Moscow.[10][11]

Early life

Kasinadhuni Viswanath was born on 19 February 1930 in Repalle of Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh.[12] His parents are Kasinadhuni Subramanyam and Kasinadhuni Saraswathy (Saraswathamma) and his ancestral roots come from Pedapulivarru, Andhra Pradesh, a small village on the banks of River Krishna.[13][14] Kasinadhuni is his family name, Viswanath is his given name. Viswanath studied Intermediate from Guntur Hindu College, and holds a BSc degree from Andhra Christian College of Andhra University.[15] He began his career as a sound recordist at Vauhini Studios in Madras, 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 under Adurthi Subba Rao and K. Ramnoth.[16][17] He wished to work as an assistant to director K. Balachander and Bapu.[15]

Career

In 1951 he started as an assistant director in the Telugu-Tamil Film Pathala Bhairavi. In 1965, Viswanath debuted as a director with Telugu film Aatma Gowravam, which won the Nandi Award for Best Feature Film of the year. Viswanath followed it up with drama films Chelleli Kapuram (1971), Sarada (1973), O Seeta Katha (1974) and Jeevana Jyoti (1975) which are women-centric films.[1][2] It was in Siri Siri Muvva (1976) that the artistic touch in his craft first became visible.[1][2]

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, how Sankarabharanam contributed to the revival of Carnatic music in a big way.[18] The film broke many commercial records by running for over one year in cinemas. In a recent study published in Journal 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 film Sarada (1973), which exploits a psychologically deranged woman, Swathi Muthyam (1986), which exploits an autistic man's humanism, Sirivennela (1986) which revels in situations between deaf and dumb characters, and Kalam Marindi (1972), which dwells on characters stuck in a caste-based society.[1][2]

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.[1][2]

Films with social issues

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, and Swarnakamalam have lead characters representing different strata of society, meticulously etched to suit the larger picture.[1][2]

In Saptapadi, he decries the evils of untouchability and the caste system. In Subhodayam and Swayam Krushi he emphasizes the dignity and respectability of manual labor. In Subhalekha, he deals, in a humorous way, with the dowry system – one of the major evils in today's society. While Sutradharulu 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.[1][2]

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 is a director with social-conscious mind and who believes cinema can bring out desirable changes in society if presented in a format liked by a cross-section of audience.[1][2]

Association with Poornodaya Creations

Edida Nageswara Rao founded "Poornodaya Movie Creations", which encouraged Viswanath to make aesthetic films.[19][20][10] Poornodaya has produced several of Viswanath's films like Sankarabharanam, Swatimutyam, Saagarasangamam, Sutradharulu, and Aapadbandhavudu. Most of these films were dubbed into Russian and were screened at the Moscow Film Festival.[19][20][21]

Bollywood

Viswanath has also directed Hindi language films such as Sargam (1979), Kaamchor (1982), Shubh Kaamna (1983), Jaag Utha Insan (1984), Sur Sangam (1985), Sanjog (1985), Eeshwar (1989), Sangeet (1992) and Dhanwan (1993). Some of these films (especially his collaboration with actress Jayaprada) have been super hits at the box office.[22]

Acting

In 1995, Viswanath debuted as an actor with Telugu film Subha Sankalpam. As a character actor, he has appeared in works such as Vajram (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), and Pandurangadu (2008), and Devasthanam (2012). He essayed characters in Tamil works such as Kuruthipunal (1995), Mugavaree (1999), Kakkai Siraginilae (2000), Bagavathi (2002), Pudhiya Geethai (2003), Yaaradi Nee Mohini (2008), Rajapattai (2011), Singam II (2013), Lingaa (2014) and Uttama Villain (2015).[6]

Television

Viswanath had also acted on a few television serials; Siva Narayana Teertha on SVBC TV, Chellamay on Sun TV, and Suryiavamsam on Vendhar TV. He also endorses brands such as GRT Jewellers and appears in various television commercials.[23]

Recognition

During his early career, Viswanath was associated with Adurthi Subba Rao on National Award-winning films such as Mooga Manasulu (1964) and Doctor Chakravarty (1964).[1][2] Viswanath scripted Sudigundalu (1968), and directed works such as Aatma Gowravam (1965), O Seeta Katha (1974) and Jeevana Jyothi (1975) which garnered the state Nandi Awards, and were screened at the Asian and African film Festival at Tashkent.[24][8]

Viswanath's classic blockbusters Sankarabharanam (1979) and Sagara Sangamam (1983) were included among CNN-IBN's list of one hundred greatest Indian films of all time.[25] His directorial works Sankarabharanam and Saptapadi have garnered the National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment and Best Feature Film on National Integration, respectively. Sankarabharanam, was premiered at the 8th International Film Festival of India,[26][27] the Tashkent Film Festival, and the Moscow International Film Festival held in May 1980.[28] Viswanath also won the Prize of the Public at the Besançon Film Festival of France in the year 1981.[29]

Viswanath's Swathi Muthyam was India's official entry to the 59th Academy Awards. Swathi Muthyam, Sagara Sangamam and Sirivennela were premiered at the Asia-Pacific Film Festival.[30] Swayamkrushi was premiered to special mention at the Moscow International Film Festival.[31] Sankarabharanam, Sagara Sangamam, Sruthilayalu, Swarnakamalam and Swathi Kiranam were screened in the Indian Panorama section at International Film Festival of India,[32][33] Ann Arbor Film Festival,[34][35] and AISFM Film Festival.[36]

Personal life

Viswanath is married to Kasinadhuni Jayalakshmi. Actor Chandra Mohan and singer S. P. Balasubrahmanyam and S. P. Sailaja are Viswanath's cousins.[37]

Filmography

K. Viswanath has directed over 50 feature films.

Directed feature films

Year	Film	Language	Credits	Notes	Ref.
1965	Aatma Gowravam	Telugu	Director	Nandi Award for Best Feature Film (Bronze); Debut as a director	[6]
1967	Private Master	Telugu	Director
1968	Kalisochina Adrushtam	Telugu	Director
	Undamma Bottu Pedata	Telugu	Director
1969	Nindu Hrudayalu	Telugu	Director
1971	Chelleli Kapuram	Telugu	Director	Nandi Award for Best Feature Film (Gold)	[6]
	Chinnanati Snehitulu	Telugu	Director
	Nindu Dampathulu	Telugu	Director
1972	Kalam Marindi	Telugu	Story, screenplay writer and director	Nandi Award for Best Feature Film (Gold)
1973	Neramu Siksha	Telugu	Screenplay, writer and director
	Sarada	Telugu	Director	Nandi Award for Best Feature Film (Gold)	[6]
1974	Amma Manasu	Telugu	Story, screenplay writer and director
	O Seeta Katha	Telugu	Director	Nandi Award for Best Feature Film (Silver) Filmfare Award for Best Film – Telugu Filmfare Award for Best Direction	[6]
1975	Chinnanati Kalalu	Telugu	Director
	Jeevana Jyothi	Telugu	Director	Nandi Award for Best Feature Film (Gold) Filmfare Award for Best Film – Telugu Filmfare Award for Best Direction	[6]
1976	Mangalyaniki Maromudi	Telugu	Screenplay, writer and director		[38]
	Siri Siri Muvva	Telugu	Story, screenplay, writer and director
	Prema Bandham	Telugu	Director
	Jeevitha Nouka	Telugu	Director
1978	Kalanthakulu	Telugu	Director
	Seetamalakshmi	Telugu	Story, screenplay, writer and director
1979	President Peramma	Telugu	Director
	Sankarabharanam	Telugu	Story writer and director	Prize of the Public at the Besançon Film Festival of France Special Mention – Moscow International Film Festival National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment Nandi Award for Best Feature Film (Gold)	[6]
	Sargam	Hindi	Director	Remake of Siri Siri Muvva
1980	Alludu Pattina Bharatam	Telugu	Director
	Subhodayam	Telugu	Story-writer and director
1981	Saptapadi	Telugu	Story, screenplay writer and director	Special Mention – Moscow International Film Festival National Film Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration Nandi Award for Best Screenplay Filmfare Award for Best Film – Telugu	[6]
1982	Kaamchor	Hindi	Director	Remake of Subhodayam	[6]
	Subhalekha	Telugu	Story, screenplay, writer and director	Filmfare Award for Best Direction
1983	Sagara Sangamam	Telugu	Story-writer and director	Nandi Award for Best Feature Film (Bronze) Filmfare Award for Best Direction Dubbed into Tamil as Salangai Oli	[6]
	Shubh Kaamna	Hindi	Director	Remake of Subhalekha
1984	Janani Janmabhoomi	Telugu	Story, screenplay writer and director
	Jaag Utha Insan	Hindi	Director	Remake of Saptapadi	[6]
1985	Sanjog	Hindi	Director	Remake of Jeevana Jyothi	[6]
	Sur Sangam	Hindi	Director	Remake of Sankarabharanam
	Swathi Muthyam	Telugu	Story, screenplay, writer and director	India's Official Entry for Best Foreign Language film at the 59th Academy Awards National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Telugu Nandi Award for Best Feature Film (Gold) Nandi Award for Best Direction Filmfare Award for Best Direction Special Mention – Asia Pacific Film Festival Special Mention – Moscow International Film Festival	[6]
1986	Sirivennela	Telugu	Story, screenplay, writer and director
1987	Sruthilayalu	Telugu	Story, screenplay, writer and director	Nandi Award for Best Feature Film (Gold) Nandi Award for Best Direction Filmfare Award for Best Direction
	Swayamkrushi	Telugu	Story, screenplay, writer and director	Special Mention – Moscow International Film Festival
1988	Swarnakamalam	Telugu	Story, screenplay, writer and director	Nandi Award for Best Feature Film (Gold) Filmfare Award for Best Film – Telugu Cinema Express Award for Best Direction Ann Arbor Film Festival
1989	Eeshwar	Hindi	Story, screenplay, writer and director	Remake of Swati Mutyam Filmfare Award for Best Story	[6]
	Sutradharulu	Telugu	Story, screenplay, writer and director	National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Telugu Nandi Award for Best Feature Film (Bronze)
1992	Aapadbandhavudu	Telugu	Story, screenplay, writer and director	Nandi Award for Best Feature Film (Bronze) Filmfare Award for Best Direction	[39]
	Sangeet	Hindi	Director
	Swathi Kiranam	Telugu	Story, screenplay, writer and director
1993	Dhanwaan	Hindi	Director
1995	Subha Sankalpam	Telugu	Director and Actor	Filmfare Award for Best Direction	[40]
1996	Aurat Aurat Aurat	Hindi	Director		[41]
1997	Chinnabbayi	Telugu	Director		[42]
2004	Swarabhishekam	Telugu	Actor, story, screenplay writer and director	National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Telugu	[6]
2010	Subhapradam	Telugu	Director		[43]

As an actor

Year	Film	Role	Language	Notes
1995	Subha Sankalpam	Raayudu	Telugu
	Kuruthipunal	Srinivasan	Tamil
	Vajram	Chakri's father	Telugu
1999	Mugavaree	Sridhar's father	Tamil
2000	Kalisundam Raa	Raghavayya	Telugu
	Kakkai Siraginilae	Sambasiva Iyer	Tamil
2001	Narasimha Naidu	Raghupathi Naidu	Telugu
2002	Seema Simham	Visweswara Rao	Telugu
	Nuvvu Leka Nenu Lenu	Ramachandrayya	Telugu
	Santosham	Ramachandrayya	Telugu
	Lahiri Lahiri Lahirilo	Balaramayya Naidu	Telugu
	Bagavathi	Chief Minister	Tamil
2003	Pudhiya Geethai	Swamy	Tamil	Cameo appearance
	Tagore	Chief Minister	Telugu
2004	Lakshmi Narasimha	Lakshmi Narasimha's father	Telugu
	Swarabhishekam	Srinivasachari	Telugu
2005	Athadu	CBI Officer	Telugu	Cameo appearance
2007	Aadavari Matalaku Arthale Verule	Keerti's grandfather	Telugu
2008	Yaaradi Nee Mohini	Keerti's grandfather	Tamil
	Pandurangadu	Pandurangadu's father	Telugu
2011	Mr. Perfect	Maggie's grandfather	Telugu
	Rajapattai	Dakshanamurthy	Tamil
2012	Devasthanam	Srimannarayana	Telugu
2013	Singam II	Chief Minister	Tamil
2014	Lingaa	Karunakara	Tamil
2015	Uttama Villain	Poornachandra Rao	Tamil
2016	Hyper	Chief Minister	Telugu
2018	Prema Baraha	Seenu	Kannada
	Sollividava	Seenu	Tamil
2022	Oppanda	Rangaswamy	Kannada

Other roles

Year	Film	Language	Credits	Notes	Ref.
1951	Pathala Bhairavi	Telugu Tamil	Assistant Director
1957	Thodi Kodallu	Telugu	Audiographer	National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Telugu
	Enga Veetu Mahalakshmi	Tamil	Audiographer
1959	Banda Ramudu	Telugu	Audiographer
1961	Iddaru Mitrulu	Telugu	Assistant Director
1963	Chaduvukunna Ammayilu	Telugu	Screenplay, writer
1964	Mooga Manasulu	Telugu	Assistant director	National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Telugu Filmfare Award for Best Film – Telugu
1964	Doctor Chakravarty	Telugu	Assistant director	National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Telugu Nandi Award for Best Feature Film (Gold)
1968	Sudigundalu	Telugu	Writer	National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Telugu Nandi Award for Best Feature Film (Gold) Filmfare Award for Best Film – Telugu Tashkent Film Festival

Awards

Civilian honour

• Padma Shri (1992), Government of India[44]

International honours

• 1981 – Prize of the Public at the Besançon Film Festival of France[45]
• 1982–87 – Special Mention – Moscow International Film Festival[45]
• 2014 – Gulf Andhra Award for Life Time Achievement in Cinema – U.A.E.[46]

National Film Awards

• 2017 – Dadasaheb Phalke Award for lifetime achievement in cinema.[47][48]
• 1980 – National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment – Sankarabharanam
• 1982 – Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration – Saptapadi
• 1987 – Best Feature Film in Telugu – Swathi Muthyam
• 1990 – Best Feature Film in Telugu – Sutradharulu
• 2005 – Best Feature Film in Telugu – Swarabhishekam

Nandi Awards[49]

• 1980: Second Best Story Writer - Sankarabharanam
• 1981: Best Screenplay Writer – Saptapadi
• 1982: Best Story Writer - Subhalekha
• 1986: Best Director – Swathi Muthyam
• 1987: Best Director – Sruthilayalu
• 1992: Raghupathi Venkaiah Award – Lifetime achievement for outstanding contributions to Telugu cinema
• 1995: Best Character Actor – Subha Sankalpam
• 2000: Best Supporting Actor – Kalisundam Raa

Cinema Express Awards

• 1988: Cinema Express Award for Best Director – Swarnakamalam[50]

CineMAA Awards

• CineMAA Award for lifetime achievement – (2008)[51]

South Indian International Movie Awards

• 2021: Lifetime Achievement Award

Filmfare Awards

• 1989: Filmfare Best Story Award – Eeshwar

Filmfare Awards South[3]

• 1974: Best Director – O Seeta Katha
• 1975: Best Director – Jeevana Jyoti
• 1982: Best Director – Subhalekha
• 1983: Best Director – Sagara Sangamam
• 1986: Best Director – Swathi Muthyam
• 1987: Best Director – Sruthilayalu[52]
• 1992: Best Director – Aapadbandhavudu
• 1995: Best Director – Subha Sankalpam
• 1994: Lifetime Achievement

Honorary doctorate

• Potti Sreeramulu Telugu University

Other honours

• 2012 – Viswa Vikhyata Darsaka Sarvabhowma for achievement in direction.[9]
• 2012 – Chittoor V. Nagayya Puraskaram for lifetime achievement in cinema.[8]
• 2017 – Film Nagar Cultural Center – Hyderabad Award for achievement in cinema.[53]
• 2017 – Telugu Film Director's Association Award for achievement in direction.[54]
• 2017 – Aathmeeya Sanmanam from Government of Andhra Pradesh for achievement in cinema at Vijayawada Thummalapalli Kalakshetram.[55]

References

External links

• K. Viswanath at IMDb

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