Kasinathuni Viswanath

Kasinadhuni Viswanath (19 February 1930 – 2 February 2023) was an Indian film director, screenwriter, lyricist and actor who predominantly worked in Telugu cinema. One of the greatest auteurs of Indian cinema, He was honoured with the "Prize of the Public" at the "Besançon Film Festival of France" in 1981. In 1992, he received the Andhra Pradesh state Raghupathi Venkaiah Award, and the civilian honour Padma Shri for his contribution to the field of arts. In 2016, he was conferred with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, the highest award in Indian cinema. He is popularly known as "Kalatapasvi."

Viswanath started his film career as an audiographer and over sixty years, he directed 53 feature films in a variety of genres, including central themes based on performing arts, visual arts, aesthetics, melodrama, and poetry. through liberal arts medium. His directorial works Sankarabharanam and Saptapadi (1981) fetched the National Film Awards for Best Popular Film for Providing Wholesome Entertainment and Best Feature Film on National Integration, respectively. Sankarabharanam, was featured at the 8th IFFI, the Tashkent Film Festival, the Moscow International Film Festival, and the Besançon Film Festival.

Viswanath's Swathi Muthyam (1986) was India's official entry to the 59th Academy Awards. Swathi Muthyam, Sagara Sangamam and Sirivennela (1986), were featured at the Asia-Pacific Film Festival. Swayamkrushi (1987) was screened to special mention at the Moscow International Film Festival. Sankarabharanam, Sagara Sangamam, Sruthilayalu (1987), Swarnakamalam (1988), and Swathi Kiranam (1992) were featured in the Indian Panorama sections of IFFI, Ann Arbor Film Festival, and AISFM Film Festival respectively.

Viswanath was a recipient of five National Film Awards, seven state Nandi Awards, ten Filmfare Awards South, and a Filmfare Award in Hindi. 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.

Early life Viswanath was born on 19 February 1930 in a Telugu family to Kasinadhuni Subramanyam and Kasinadhuni Saraswathy (Saraswathamma) in Repalle of Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh. His ancestral roots come from Pedapulivarru, Andhra Pradesh, a small village on the banks of River Krishna. Viswanath studied Intermediate from Guntur Hindu College, and holds a BSc degree from Andhra Christian College of Andhra University. 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. He wished to work as an assistant to director K. Balachander and Bapu. 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 a cognitively disabled 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.

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.

Hindi cinema 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 Jaya Prada) have been super hits at the box office.

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).

Biopic Viswadarshanam is an official biopic of K Viswanath, written and directed by Janardhana Maharshi, which tells the story of a 90-year-old acclaimed director. The film was telecast on ETV (Telugu) on 19 February 2023, his 93rd birthday.

Personal life and death Viswanath was married to Kasinadhuni Jayalakshmi. Actor Chandra Mohan, and singers S. P. Balasubrahmanyam and S. P. Sailaja were his cousins.

Viswanath died on 2 February 2023, aged 92, in a private hospital in Hyderabad due to age-related issues.

Filmography As director and screenwriter National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Telugu 2010 SubhapradamLast Film as a director

As an actor Year Film Role Language Notes 1981 Saptapadi Telugu Dubbing artiste for Girish Pradhan 1995 Subha Sankalpam Raayudu Telugu Debut as an actor Kuruthipunal Srinivasan Tamil Vajram Chakri's father Telugu 1996 Drohi Srinivasan Telugu 1999 Mugavaree Sridhar's father Tamil 2000 Kalisundam Raa Raghavayya Telugu Manasu Paddanu Kaani Venu's father Telugu Kakkai Siraginilae Sambasiva Iyer Tamil 2001 Narasimha Naidu Raghupathi Naidu Telugu Chinna Governor Telugu 2002 Seema Simham Visweswara Rao Telugu Nuvvu Leka Nenu Lenu Ramachandrayya Telugu Santosham Ramachandrayya Telugu Lahiri Lahiri Lahirilo Balaramayya Naidu Telugu Kuchi Kuchi Koonamma Sai's grandfather 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 Andhrudu Sangeetham Teacher/Surendra's father Telugu 2006 Valliddari Vayasu Padahare Judge 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 Black & White President of India 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 Bilingual film Sollividava Seenu Tamil 2019 Viswadarshanam Telugu 2022OppandaRangaswamyKannadaLast film as an actor

Other roles Year Film Language Credits 1951 Pathala Bhairavi TeluguTamil Assistant director 1957 Thodi Kodallu Telugu Audiographer Enga Veetu Mahalakshmi Tamil Audiographer 1959 Banda Ramudu Telugu Audiographer 1961 Iddaru Mitrulu Telugu Assistant director 1964 Mooga Manasulu Telugu Assistant director 1964 Doctor Chakravarty Telugu Assistant director

Awards President Mukherjee presenting the Dadasaheb Phalke Award to Sh. Vishwanath at the 64th National Film Awards on 3 May 2017.

Honorary doctorate Potti Sreeramulu Telugu University

Other honours

Year Award Notes2012 Viswa Vikhyata Darsaka Sarvabhowma for achievement in direction. 2017 Telugu Film Director's Association Award for achievement in direction 2017 Aathmeeya Sanmanam from Government of Andhra Pradesh for achievement in cinema at Vijayawada Thummalapalli Kalakshetram