K. S. Sethumadhavan

Kurukkalpadam Subrahmanyam Sethumadhavan (15 May 1931 – 24 December 2021) was an Indian film director and screenwriter who worked predominantly in Malayalam cinema. He also directed films in Hindi, Tamil, Kannada and Telugu.

Active from the early 1960s to the mid-1990s, he directed over 60 movies including many landmark films in the Malayalam film history such as Odayil Ninnu, Yakshi, Kadalpalam, Achanum Bappayum, Ara Nazhika Neram, Panitheeratha Veedu, Anubhavangal Palichakal, Punarjanmam and Oppol.

He won numerous awards including ten National Film Awards and nine Kerala State Film Awards, four of them for Best Direction. In 2009, he was awarded the J. C. Daniel Award, Government of Kerala's highest honour for contributions to the Malayalam cinema.

Life and career K. S. Sethumadhavan was born to Subrahmanyam and Lakshmiyamma at Palghat, Madras Presidency, British India on 15 May 1931. He had three sisters and one brother. His childhood was spent in Palakkad and in North Arcot, Tamil Nadu. He completed his degree in biology from Government Victoria College, Palakkad. He debuted in the film industry as an assistant director to K. Ramnath. He later assisted directors L. V. Prasad, A. S. A. Swamy, and Sunder Rao Nadkarni.

He debuted as an independent film director with Veeravijaya, a Sinhalese film in 1960. His first Malayalam film was Gnana Sundari,

In 1996, his Telugu film Stri won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Telugu. He won the Kerala State Film Award for Best Director 4 times: for films Ara Nazhika Neram (1970), Karakanakkadal (1971), Pani Theeratha Veedu (1972) and Oppol (1980). He was the jury member for the National Film Awards in 1975 and 1980. In 1982, he was the chairman of the jury for the Kerala State Film Awards. He was the chairman of the National Film Awards jury in 2002,

His son Santosh Sethumadhavan is also a filmmaker who remade the 1974 cult classic Chattakkari in 2012 but failed to create any impact, owing to the remake being overshadowed by the original film.

Sethumadhavan died at his home in Chennai on 24 December 2021, at the age of 90.

Awards

Filmfare Awards South 1972 – Filmfare Award for Best Director - Malayalam : Punarjanmam 1973 – Filmfare Best Director Award (Malayalam) : Pani Theeratha Veedu 1974 – Filmfare Best Director Award (Malayalam) : Chattakari 1980 – Filmfare Best Director Award (Malayalam) : Oppol

Kerala State Film Awards 1970 – Best Director : Aranazhika Neram 1971 – Best Director : Karakanakadal 1971 – Third Best Film: Karakanakadal 1972 – Best Director : Panitheeratha Veedu 1972 – Best Film: Pani Theeratha Veedu 1974 – Second Best Film: Chattakari 1980 – Best Director : Oppol 1980 – Best Film: Oppol 2009 – J. C. Daniel Award

Nandi Awards 1995 – Nandi Special Jury Award for Stri

National Film Awards 1965 – Best Feature Film in Malayalam for Odayil Ninnu 1969 – Best Feature Film in Malayalam for Adimakal 1971 – Best Feature Film in Malayalam for Karakanakadal 1972 – Best Film on National Integration for Achanum Bappayum 1972 – Best Feature Film in Malayalam for Panitheeratha Veedu 1980 – Second Best Feature Film for Oppol 1990 – Best Feature Film for Marupakkam 1990 – Best Screenplay for Marupakkam 1994 – Best Feature Film in Tamil for Nammavar 1995 – Best Feature Film in Telugu for Stri

Selected filmography

Jnana Sundari (1961) Kannum Karalum (1962) Susheela (1963) Nithya Kanyaka (1963) Omanakuttan (1964) Manavatty (1964) Anna (1964) Odeyil Ninnu (1965) Daaham (1965) Sthanarthy Saramma (1966) Rowdy (1966) Archana (1966) Ollathu Mathi (1967) Naadan Pennu (1967) Kottayam Kolacase (1967) Yakshi (1968) Thokkukal Katha Parayunnu (1968) Paal Manam (1968) - Tamil Bharyamar Sookshikkuka (1968) Kootu Kudumbam (1969) Kadalpalam (1969) Adimakal (1969) Kalyaana Oorvalam (1970) - Tamil Vazhve Mayam (1970) Mindapennu (1970) Kuttavali (1970) Kalpana (1970) Ara Nazhika Neram (1970) Amma Enna Stree (1970) Thettu (1971) Oru Penninte Katha (1971) Line Bus (1971) Karakanakadal (1971) Inqulab Zindabbad (1971) Anubhavangal Paalichakal (1971) Punarjanmam (1972) Devi (1972) Aadhyathe Katha (1972) Achanum Bappayum (1972) Panitheeratha Veedu (1973) Kaliyugam (1973) Chukku (1973) Azhakulla Saleena (1973) Kanyakumari (1974) Jeevikkan Marannu Poya Sthree (1974) Chattakari (1974) Naalai Namadhe (1975) - Tamil Makkal (1975) Chuvanna Sandhyakal (1975) Julie (1975) - Hindi Priyamvada (1976) Ormakal Marikkumo (1977) Amme Anupame (1977) Yehi Hai Zindagi (1977) - Hindi Nakshathrangale Kaaval (1978) Manini (1979) - Kannada Oppol (1980) Nijangal (1982) - Tamil Ariyatha Veethikal (1984) Aarorumariyathe (1984) Avidathepole Ivideyum (1985) Sunil Vayassu 20 (1986) Venal Kinavukal (1991) Marupakkam (1991) - Tamil Nammavar (1994) - Tamil Stri (1995) - Telugu