A. Bhimsingh

A. Bhimsingh or Bhim Singh (15 October 1924–16 January 1978) was an Indian filmmaker who worked predominantly in Tamil cinema. Apart from Tamil, he made films in other languages that include 18 films in Hindi, 8 in Telugu, 5 in Malayalam and 1 film in Kannada. Hailing from Andhra Pradesh, he started his film career as an assistant editor with the film-making duo Krishnan–Panju in the late 1940s. Later, he became an assistant director before evolving as an independent director. His films mainly dealt with family and relationships. He made a series of films all of which started with the Tamil syllable pa, mainly with Sivaji Ganesan.

Personal life Bhimsingh married Sona, the sister of Krishnan, in 1949. He had eight children with her; one of their eight children, B. Lenin is a film editor, and another son, B. Kannan, is a cinematographer, who is known for his frequent collaborations with Bharathiraja. Later, Bhimsingh's eldest son Naren married Panju's daughter. Bhimsingh later married actress Sukumari in 1959 and has a son Suresh Bhimsingh.

Filmography Year Film Banner Language Screenwriter Notes 1954 Ammaiyappan National Productions Tamil M. Karunanidhi Directorial debut 1956 Raja Rani 1958 Pathi Bakthi Budda Pictures Valampuri Somanathan screenplay, dialogues and editor credits Thirumanam Valampuri Pictures M. S. Solamalai 1959 Ponnu Vilaiyum Bhoomi Oriental Pictures President Panchatcharam Savitri Pictures B. S. Ramaiah Bhaaga Pirivinai Saravana Films M. S. Solamalai Sahodhari Carnatic Films Murasoli Maran 1960 Aai Phirse Bahar Hindi M. Karunanidhi Padikkadha Medhai Bala Movies Tamil Asha Poorna Devi Kalathur Kannamma AVM Productions Javar Seetharaman Dubbed in Telugu as Mavoori Ammayi Petra Manam National Pictures Mu. Varadarajan 1961 Pava Mannippu Budhdha Pictures M. S. Solamalai National Film Award for Second Best Feature FilmDubbed in Telugu as Papa Pariharam Pasamalar Rajamani Pictures K. P. Kottarakkara Paalum Pazhamum Saravana Films G. Balasubramaniam, Pasumani Remade as Saathi 1962 Paarthaal Pasi Theerum AVM Productions A. C. Tirulokchandar Padithaal Mattum Podhuma Ranganathan Pictures Tharashankar Bandopadhyay Rakhi Hindi Remake of Pasamalar Senthamarai Madras Pictures Tamil Rama Arangannal Bandha Pasam Santhi Films Valampuri Somanathan Main Chup Rahungi AVM Productions Hindi Remake of Kalathur Kannamma 1963 Paar Magaley Paar Kasturi Films Tamil Pattu Based on stage play Petralthan Pillaiya 1964 Pachchai Vilakku Vel Pictures G. K. Suriyam Pooja Ke Phool AVM Productions Hindi K. S. Gopalakrishnan Remake of Kumudham, directed by Adurthi Subba Rao 1965 Pazhani Bharatha Matha Pictures Tamil G. V. Iyer Santhi ALS Productions M. S. Solaimalai Khandan Vasu Films Hindi Remake of Bhaaga Pirivinai 1966 Sadhu Mirandal Sunbeam Productions Tamil Writer and producer 1967 Pattathu Rani Tamil Producer Mehrban AVM Productions Hindi Remake of Padikkadha MedhaiNominated, Filmfare Award for Best Director Paaladai Kamala Pictures Tamil Bilahari (T. Raman) Aalayam Sunbeam Productions Writer and producer 1968 Gauri Sivaji Films Hindi Remake of Santhi Aadmi PSV Pictures Akhtar ul ImanKaushal BharatiRamaraoShamanna Remake of K. Shankar's Aalayamani Sadhu Aur Shaitaan Usilai Somanathan Remake of Sadhu Mirandal 1969 Manishichina Maguva Telugu Bhai Bahen Hindi 1970 Paadhukaappu Sunbeam Productions Tamil Paasumani Gopi Hindi Remake of B. R. Panthulu's Chinnada Gombe Oke Kutumbham Telugu 1972 Sub Ka Saathi Hindi Maalik Maa Inti Jyothi Telugu Joroo Ka Ghulam Hindi 1973 Loafer Century Films Jagdish Kanwal 1974 Paadha Poojai Kasiram Pictures Tamil Naya Din Nai Raat Hindi A. P. Nagarajan Remake of A. P. Nagarajan's Navarathiri 1975 Raagam Jammu Films Malayalam S. L. Puram Sadanandan Bhagyashalulu Telugu 1976 Sila Nerangalil Sila Manithargal ABS Productions Tamil Jayakanthan Kanavan Manaivi Sri Umachitra Combines Kalaignanam Remade as Haisiyat Chiranjeevi Telugu Bangaru Manishi 1977 Yaaron Ka Yaar Hindi Nirakudum Swapna Films Malayalam Surasu Remake of Bhaaga Pirivinai Sneham JS Films Sreekumaran Thampi Nee Vazha Vendum Fathima Amuda Combines Tamil Amaanat Hindi Evaru Devudu Telugu 1978 Vamsha Jyothi Sri Rama Enterprises Kannada Oru Nadigai Natakam Parkiral Girnar Films Tamil Jayakanthan Mishiha Charitram Malayalam Dubbed into Tamil and Telugu Kai Pidithaaval Ganeshanjali Productions Tamil Maattoly Swapna Films Malayalam R. Balakrishnan Iraivan Kodutha Varam Raja Cine Arts Tamil Karunamayudu VijayachanderRev. Louis F. KnollSTBC Telugu Fr. Christopher Coelho, O.F.M. Bhimsingh also acted as Judas Iscariot. Dubbed in Hindi as Daya Sagar, Tamil as Karunamoorthy and English as Ocean of Mercy. Karunai Ullam MSV Movies Tamil

Pa series Many of Bhimsingh's films began with the syllable Pa, starred Sivaji Ganesan, had music by Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy, and lyrics by Kannadasan. According to Ganesan, Bhimsingh hardly imagined that he would make a series of films that began with the letter Pa, implying that he "might have thought about it at first because his name starts with the same letter in Tamil. Later he might have decided to stay on with this letter for sentimental reasons."

Year Film Banner Music Actors 1958 Pathi Bakthi Buddha Pictures Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy Sivaji Ganesan, Gemini Ganesan, Savithri, M. N. Rajam, T. S. Balaiah, J. P. Chandrababu, V. Nagayya, C. R. Vijayakumari 1959 Bhaaga Pirivinai Saravana Films Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy Sivaji Ganesan, B. Saroja Devi, M. R. Radha, T. S. Balaiah, S. V. Subbaiah, M. N. Nambiar, M. V. Rajamma 1960 Padikkadha Medhai Bala Movies K. V. Mahadevan Sivaji Ganesan, Sowcar Janaki, S. V. Ranga Rao, P. Kannamba, T. R. Ramachandran, R. Muthuraman, E. V. Saroja, V. Gopalakrishnan 1961 Pasamalar Rajamani Pictures Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy Sivaji Ganesan, Gemini Ganesan, Savithri, M. N. Rajam, M. N. Nambiar, K. A. Thangavelu 1961 Palum Pazhamum Saravana Films Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy Sivaji Ganesan, B. Saroja Devi, Sowcar Janaki, Prem Nazir, T. S. Balaiah, S. V. Subbaiah, V. Nagayya, Sriram, Manorama 1961 Paava Mannippu Budhdha Pictures Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy Sivaji Ganesan, Gemini Ganesan, Savithri, Devika, V. Nagayya, M. R. Radha, T. S. Balaiah, S. V. Subbaiah, M. V. Rajamma 1962 Bandha Pasam Santhi Films Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy Sivaji Ganesan, Gemini Ganesan, Savithri, Devika, S. V. Ranga Rao, M. V. Rajamma, J. P. Chandrababu 1962 Parthal Pasi Theerum AVM Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy Sivaji Ganesan, Gemini Ganesan, Savithri, Sowcar Janaki, B. Saroja Devi, Kamal Haasan 1962 Padithal Mattum Podhuma Ranganathan Pictures Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy Sivaji Ganesan, K. Balaji, Savithri, Rajasulochana, M. R. Radha, S. V. Ranga Rao, S. V. Sahasranamam, P. Kannamba, M. V. Rajamma, R. Muthuraman 1963 Paar Magaley Paar Kasturi Films Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy Sivaji Ganesan, Sowcar Janaki, R. Muthuraman, A. V. M. Rajan, C. R. Vijayakumari, Pushpalatha, M. R. Radha, V. K. Ramasamy 1964 Pachhai Vilakku Vel Pictures Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy Sivaji Ganesan, S. S. Rajendran, A. V. M. Rajan, Sowcar Janaki, C. R. Vijayakumari, Pushpalatha, V. Nagayya, Nagesh, S. V. Ranga Rao, Sriram 1965 Pazhani Bharatha Matha Pictures Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy Sivaji Ganesan, Sriram, S. S. Rajendran, R. Muthuraman, Devika, Pushpalatha, T. S. Balaiah, M. R. Radha 1967 Paaladai Kamala Pictures K. V. Mahadevan Sivaji Ganesan, Padmini. K. R. Vijaya, V. K. Ramasamy, Nagesh, V. Gopalakrishnan, Manorama 1970 Paadhukaappu Sunbeam Productions M. S. Viswanathan Sivaji Ganesan, Jayalalithaa, T. S. Balaiah, Major Sundararajan, M. N. Nambiar, Nagesh, J. P. Chandrababu, Sowcar Janaki

As an actor 1975: Cinema Paithyam

Recurring collaborators Bhimsingh frequently associated with the same crew members. These included the assistant director duo Thirumalai–Mahalingam (who later became proper directors on films produced and written by Bhimsingh), cinematographer G. Vittal Rao and editor A. Paul Duraisingh. Ganesan appeared in 18 films directed by Bhimsingh, starting with Raja Rani (1956).

Accolades National Film Awards 1959: President's silver medal for Best Feature Film in Tamil – Bhaaga Pirivinai 1960: Certificate of Merit for Best Feature Film in Tamil – Kalathur Kannamma 1961: All India Certificate of Merit for the Second Best Feature Film – Paava Mannippu 1961: Certificate of Merit for Second Best Feature Film in Tamil – Pasamalar 1964: Certificate of Merit for Second Best Feature Film in Tamil – Pazhani