K. Subramaniyam (20 April 1904 – 7 April 1971), born Krishnasamy Subramaniyam, was an Indian film director of the 1930s and 1940s. Dancer Padma Subrahmanyam is his daughter.[1]
![]() | This article needs additional citations for verification. (October 2016) |
K. Subramaniyam | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Born | Krishnasamy Subramaniyam (1904-04-20)20 April 1904 Papanasam, Madras Presidency, British India |
Died | 7 April 1971(1971-04-07) (aged 66) Madras |
Occupation | Film Director, film producer, and screenwriter |
Years active | 1931–1957 |
Spouse(s) | Meenakshi, S. D. Subbulakshmi |
Children |
|
Parent(s) | Father: Krishnasamy Iyer Mother: Venkadalakshmi |
Relatives | K. Viswanathan (Younger brother) |
Subramanyam was a key figure behind the establishment of the Tamil film industry. He was born in a Brahmin family.[2] He started his film career as a scenarist and producer, working on P. K. Raja Sandow's silent films such as Peyum Pennum. He started Meenakshi Cineton with Alagappa Chettiar, directing his first film Pavalakkodi, in which the Tamil film star M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar debuted. He made a remarkable shift with the politically emphatic Balayogini, criticizing the caste system prevalent then.
In 1938, he made Sevasadanam, advocating a better deal for women, the saint film Bhaktha Chetha, critiquing untouchability and the war effort film Maanasamrakshanam. His best-known work is the strident nationalistic reformist film Thyaga Bhoomi. Thyaga Bhoomi was a novel by Kalki Krishnamurthy, which was banned by the British government.[3] He also directed the Malayalam film Prahlada (1941), which was scripted by noted playwright N. P. Chellappan Nair. He was one of the founders of Nadigar Sangam in 1952.
Subrahmanyam married Meenakshi and had children multiple children: Lalitha, Balakrishnan, Bama, Neela, S. V. Ramanan, Krishnaswami, Shan Chandrasekar and Padma Subrahmanyam. He married S. D. Subbulakshmi with the consent of his first wife Meenakshi and was blessed with Abaswaram Ramji. He kept both the families together and managed them without any discrimination. Among his children, only S. V. Ramanan, S. Krishnaswamy and Padma Subramanyam are associated with cinema and dance. His first grandson and son of Bama Sundaram, Raghuram, followed his footsteps and became a dance choreographer in the Indian film industry and directed five films and choreographed over 1600 films, achieving many awards. His great-granddaughter and daughter of Raghuram, Gayathri Raguram and Suja Manoj, are well known as actresses and choreographers in the Tamil film industry. Anirudh Ravichander, his great-grandson and grandson of S.V. Ramanan, well known music director, started at a very young age. Hrishikesh, also great-grandson and grandson of S.V. Ramanan is a new actor in VIP, and acted as Danush's brother.
General | |
---|---|
National libraries | |
Other |