Kothanda Ramaiah

Kothanda Ramaiah (also known as K. R. and Keyaar) is an Indian film director, producer, distributor and exhibitor. He has held various leading positions in different film industry organizations.

Career

KR studied film processing at the Adyar Film Institute in Chennai in 1972.

Since 1991, KR has directed and produced a series of medium budget films. His directorial debut in Tamil Eeramana Rojave featured new actors and was a huge commercial success. His most notable collaborations are with actors Vijayakanth, Ramki, Khushbu, and with Urvashi on several occasions. In total he has directed fourteen feature films. His film Dancer, released in 2005, most notable for its protagonist who was a one legged dancer played by Kutty, a highly talented and disabled artist, won the National Award, three State Awards, and an award at the prestigious Canadian film festival. The film also had a special screening at the London Disability Arts Forum.

His involvement in film production includes producing and financing over forty films in various Indian Languages. While he was involved in film distribution he was also an exhibitor with twenty-eight theatres leased across: Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry, and Tirupathi; he also ran the Sathyam Cinemas in Chennai from 1984 to 1993.

He was elected president of the Tamil Film Producers' Council (TFPC) in 2013 and has worked on issues including title registration, financially supporting bankrupt producers, and helping see through the release of delayed projects. Other initiatives include streamlining and reducing the cost of publicity and having actors participate in all promotional activities for their films.

KR has also written a book Idhuthaan Cinema (This is Cinema) in Tamil published in 2003. It details the nuances of cinema and predicts its future viewed from today. He has been an authority on cinema since the early 1980s giving the industry insights and a way forward for the years ahead.

KR worked at Raadaan Mediaworks as vice president.

Member and honorary positions

Post Organisation Notes Chairman of the Jury Chennai International Film Festival - Tamil Feature Film Category Dec 2022 President Tamil Film Producers' Council From 2013 – 2014 President South Indian Film Chamber of Commerce From 2000 – 2001 Jury Member National Film Awards 2001 Vice President South Indian Film Chamber of Commerce From 1985 – 2000 Several Occasions Member South Indian Film Chamber of Commerce From 1985, representing Dispute Committee, Title Registration, Publicity Clearance, Property Development Committee, Management Committee of Cinema Centenary ClubChair Person National Award Selection Committee For "Wholesome Entertainment" Chair Person National Award Selection Committee For "Oscar Award" in the category of "Best Foreign Film Award" General Secretary South Indian Film & TV Directors Association Founder President Tamil Film Chamber of Commerce From 1987 – 1991 Founder, Permanent Trustee Tamil Film Producers' Welfare Trust Founded in 1994 Former President Madras City, Chengai District Film Distributors Welfare Association From 1985 – 1988

He was one of the members of an eight-member advisory committee, which included several personalities from across the country, to advise the Honorable Union Minister in the Indian Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Mrs.Sushma Swaraj on major issues related to policy and other matters pertaining to the Indian film industry in 2001.

He also served on the five-member committee appointed by the Government of Tamil Nadu in 1989 to study and submit a white paper on the state of the Tamil Film Industry.

Filmography

As director Year Film Notes 1980 Shishirathil Oru Vasantham Malayalam film; Also producer 1991 Eeramana Rojave Also producer 1994 Vanaja Girija 1995 Mayabazar 1996 Irattai Roja Remake of Telugu film Shubha Lagnam Enakkoru Magan Pirappan Remake of Malayalam film Aadyathe Kanmani Alexander 1997 Thaali Pudhusu Remake of Telugu film Aame1998 Kavalai Padathe Sagodhara Remake of Malayalam film Kalyanji Anandji Dharma Remake of Hindi film Ziddi Kumbakonam Gopalu Remake of Kannada film Gauri Ganesha 1999 Suyamvaram 2000 Kadhal Rojave Remake of Hindi film Dil Hai Ke Manta Nahin 2005 Dancer Also producer; Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Producer

As distributor

As actor Pondatti Thevai (1990) Kadhal Virus (2002)