K. Vishwanath, A Telugu Legendary Director Options

[swarapriya]

K. Vishwanath - A Telugu Legendary Director

Vishwanath is a distinguished director of Telugu film industry who also made himself name with several good Hindi movies. For a long time, he was an assistant to the Telugu film director Adurti Subba Rao (director of “Doli” starring Rajesh Khanna). He got a major break with Annapurna Studio’s home production in 1965 as a director for the film “Aatma Gowravam”. Even though the movie was not a money spinner, it didn’t loose its investments.

From that time onwards Vishwanath started making movies on a regular basis, some of them big hits. But not until 1980’s his full potential was realized. This started with “Shankarabharanam” which dealt with disappearing classical music of India. This movie fetched him President’s Gold Medal as the best picture for that year. In 1985 he made “Saptapadi” which dealt with intercast marriage issues. He also made “Swati Mutyam” the same year that dealt with an adult with a child’s mind and how he deals with struggles in his life. He made a movie in 1986, “Sirivennela”, that dealt with a deaf woman’s relationship with a blind man. The film “Swayam Krishi” made in 1987 dealt with issues related to work attitudes. He continued to make other fine movies through rest of the 80’s and into 90’s. Currently he only makes movies occasionally. Instead he has diverted his efforts into acting.

Some of Vishwanath’s Hindi movies include “Sargam”, “Kaam Chor”, and “Eeshwar”. Altogether he directed 55 movies. Of these 44 were in Telugu, one was in Tamil, and ten were in Hindi. In 1985 alone, he made three Hindi movies and two Telugu movies! His complete filmography as a director is shown below (H is for Hindi and T is for Tamil in the table).

Most of the albums from the period when Vishwanath found his groove and hit the stride are currently available in the marketplace in one form or another. It is the early albums that everyone has problems procuring them. Recently a friend of mine gave several albums including now “never to be found again” LPs that cover some of this early work. I will try to share as much of this music as possible through this thread provided there is enough interest.

Because of the popularity it has gained, and being considered to be a landmark achievement in Telugu cinema history, I will start with uploading songs of “Shankarabharanam” first.

[swarapriya]

Swaati Kiranam (1992)

Music maestro K.V. Mahadevan contributed music for over 600 movies in Tamil and Telugu. Most of his songs composed in Telugu were chart busters. I don't know about Tamil, but knwoing what KVM has done in Telugu, I'm sure he had similar record over there as usual.

In 80's KVM mightily contributed to the musical masterpieces Vishwanath created. This movie, made in 1992, was one of his last movies in Telugu. What a grand finale it was. Superb composition of some of the sweetest songs supported by rich lyrics. Vani Jairam's talents are in full display in this album. She had eight solos.

I read some place that KVM stated that because he was indisposed, most of the songs for this movie were composed by his longtime assistant, Pulihendu. Still this doesn't diminish any greatness of the music of this movie.

She won the National Award for the Best Female Singer for the song "Aanati Neeyara" from this movie. A masterpiece of singing and a richly deserved award.

I came across an article on this movie recently that at once was thought provoking with its fine analysis. I am going to quote the article written by Srinivas Kanchibhotla in idlebrain.com without changing anything. Here are his words ...

"... The master mentors the pupil without any regard to its lineage - Sankaraabharanam. The master trains the pupil, albeit reluctantly, to honor his commitment to its lineage - Saagara Sangamam. The master chidingly guides the pupil into respecting its culture and tradition - Swarna Kamalam. Sri. K.Viswanath breaks away from this mould and (de)humanizes the actual master-pupil relationship emphasizing on the emotions that transpire between and within each one involved in the mentoring 'transaction' and makes a complete circle about this common mileu that he so often sets his movies in. Sankaraabharanam, Sagara Sangamam, Swarana Kamamlam and Swati Kiranam complete his guru-sishya movie quartet and one could clearly observe the transition of the guru's character from an idealist to an emotionally degenerate, hopping one step down along the way. At the end of the quartet the guru, having completely been over-powered by his protégé's skill set, clearly gives way to him and retreats into the background. ..."

That is very well thought and succinctly put. In the end, he concludes the article with the following statement ...

"The warmth of the early dawn, the inherent energy and exuberance of the morning light, the blinding radiance of noon rays, the gradual receding of the glow during dusk and the complete disappearance during night - only to let a not-so-bright distant star glow - Swati Kiranam is a day in the life of a star completely outshone by the brilliance of the sun."

What a great way of surmising the essence of this movie.

Because of the number of songs in this movie, I will upload them in two back-to-back posts. Here is the first set ...