C. V. Sridhar

C. V. Sridhar
Born	Chithamur Vijayaraghavulu Sridhar 22 July 1933 Chithamur, Chengalpattu, Tamil Nadu, India
Died	20 October 2008 (aged 75) Chennai
Occupation	Film director producer screenwriter
Years active	1959–1991
Spouse(s)	Devasena
Parent(s)	Vijayaraghavulu Reddiar Thaayaramma

C. V. Sridhar (22 July 1933 – 20 October 2008) was a South Indian screenwriter and film director. He has directed nearly 60 films in Tamil, Hindi and Telugu.

Early life

Sridhar hailed from Chitthamur, a village near Madurantakam, Tamil Nadu. He studied at St. Joseph's Higher Secondary School, where he began writing and staging plays while he was in Grade seven.

Career

Entry

In 1951, 18-year-old Sridhar went to AVM Productions with his story Latchiyavathi but P. Neelakantan rejected his story.^[1] Avvai T. K. Shanmugam was very much impressed by the story and Sridhar wrote the screenplay and dialogues for the drama. It was staged as Raththa Paasam and was one of the most successful dramas staged by TKS brothers. Sridhar was proudly taken to the stage and introduced to the audience as the writer. It was later produced jointly by TKS and Jupiter pictures under Jupiter – Avvai Productions where Jupiter pictures recommended some other writer to write the dialogues for the film. It was T. K. Shanmugam who was staunch that Sridhar should write the screenplay and dialogues. Sridhar made his entry into films as a screen writer in Raththa Paasam. Later AVM Productions produced it in Hindi as Bhaai Bhaai starring Ashok Kumar and Kishore Kumar. The film gave a big commercial break for the music director Madan Mohan.^[2]

Sridhar wrote story and dialogues for Edhir Paradhathu. Sridhar wrote the dialogues in Tamil for the Telugu movie Parivartana and the movie was dubbed in 1955 as Latchadhipathi. Sridhar continued on writing for films like Maaman Magal, Maheswari, Amara Deepam, Maadharkula Manikkam, Engal Veetu Mahalakshmi, Yaar Paiyan, Manjal Mahimai, Uthama Puthiran and Punar Jenmam.

While working in Modern Theatres as writer for the film Maheswari, Sridhar had an opportunity to improve his knowledge and skills about film production. T. R. Sundaram had a huge library of international books about great films and directors, about film production, critical and technical essays. Sridhar had a very high esteem on the legendary director V. Shantaram.^[3]

Venus Pictures

In 1956, Sridhar turned producer along with associates Krishnamoorthi, Govindarajan and Sundararajan in Venus Pictures where he scripted Amara Deepam and followed by Uthama Puthiran. Both films had Sivaji Ganesan and Padmini as the main roles. He made his debut as a director with Kalyana Parisu. This movie ran for more than 25 weeks, and is revered to this day as a milestone in the history of Tamil cinema. After this, he had a huge fan following and his name was talked about among the middle class movie going audience.^[4]

Chithralaya

He started his own production company Chithralaya (the emblem was designed by Art director Ganga) in 1961 with his friends Gopu, Vincent, Sundaram and Tiruchi Arunachalam made Then Nilavu. The latter which had Gemini Ganesan and Vyjayanthimala in the lead was the first Tamil film to be shot in Jammu and Kashmir.^[5] He made a series of commercially successful films like Nenjil Ore Alayam, Kaadhalikka Neramillai, Vennira Adai and many more.

Film-making style

Sridhar wrote in a variety of styles, from the comical Kaadhalikka Neramillai to the serious Nenjil Or Aalayam. The latter was remade in Hindi with Rajendra Kumar and Meena Kumari as Dil Ek Mandir which earn him two nomination at Filmfare Awards, Best Director and Best Story categories. He brought out the best in comedians T. R. Ramachandran, K. A. Thangavelu, and Nagesh, and helped introduce Murthy to a wider audience in Vennira Adai. Murthy, now a TV and movie comedian, is still sometimes referred to as "Venniradai Moorthy" after the fame he received from his performance in the movie.^[6][7]

Sridhar's Kaadhalikka Neramillai was one of the greatest blockbusters of Tamil film history;. It was later remade in Hindi with actor Kishore Kumar and Shashi Kapoor. Sridhar helped launch the career of some of the celebrities in Tamil cinema namely R. Muthuraman and Devika in Nenjil Or Aalayam, Sreekanth, J. Jayalalithaa, Vennira Aadai Nirmala and Venniradai Moorthy in Vennira Adai (White Dress), Ravichandran, Kanchana and Rajasree in Kaadhalikka Neramillai, Jayashree in Thendralae Ennai Thodu and Vikram in Thanthu Vitten Ennai.

His Bollywood films include Nazrana (1961), Dil Ek Mandir (1963), Pyar Kiye Jaa (1966) and Gehri Chaal (1973). Nazrana, starring by Raj Kapoor, Vyjayanthimala, Usha Kiran and Gemini Ganesan in guest appearance, earned him Filmfare Award for Best Story.

Sridhar's films with Sivaji Ganesan include Ooty Varai Uravu, Nenjirukkum Varai, Sivantha Mann. Sivanthaman was the first color movie in Tamil shot at foreign locations. Dharti, the Hindi version was released in 1970.

With M. G. Ramachandran, he made Urimai Kural (which was a commercial success) and Meenava Nanban (which happened to be MGR's last movie).

In all his films he used a combination of stars, melodrama and melodious songs. He has directed films in Tamil, Hindi and Telugu. Sridhar was considered an expert in song picturisation as he could transform any song into sheer poetry. The formidable Sridhar – Kannadasan – M. S. Viswanathan combination held a magic spell on the audience and the songs contributed to the tremendous success of those films.

Retirement and death

In 1997 when Sridhar was in poor health, Rajinikanth offered financial help to tide him over, but Sridhar refused the charity. He gave the same reply to director P. Vasu, who was his disciple. Sridhar, whose career spanned four decades, is credited with understanding the pulse of the public and creating movies in tune with the times.

Sridhar died of Heart attack in Chennai on 20 October 2008.^[8]

Filmography

List of films directed by Sridhar. You may refer to the notes for the extra activities of him in the particular films.

Year	Film	Credited as				Language	Notes
		Director	Producer	Story	Screenplay/ Dialogues
1954	Ratha Paasam					Tamil
1954	Edhir Paradhathu					Tamil
1955	Maheswari					Tamil
1955	Latchadhipathi					Tamil	Telugu dubbing of Parivartana
1955	Maman Magal					Tamil
1956	Amara Deepam					Tamil
1956	Bhai-Bhai					Hindi
1956	Madhar Kula Manikkam					Tamil
1957	Enga Veettu Mahalakshmi					Tamil
1957	Yaar Paiyan					Tamil
1958	Uthama Puthiran					Tamil
1959	Manjal Mahimai					Tamil
1959	Kalyana Parisu					Tamil	Certificate of Merit for Best Feature Film in Tamil
1960	Pelli Kanuka					Telugu
1960	Meenda Sorgam					Tamil
1960	Vidivelli					Tamil
1961	Then Nilavu					Tamil
1961	Punar Jenmam					Tamil
1961	Nazrana					Hindi	Filmfare Award for Best Story
1962	Sumaithaangi					Tamil
1962	Policekaran Magal					Tamil
1962	Nenjil Or Aalayam					Tamil	President's Silver Medal for Best Feature Film in Tamil
1963	Nenjam Marappathillai					Tamil
1963	Dil Ek Mandir					Hindi	Nominated: Filmfare Award for Best Director Nominated: Filmfare Award for Best Story
1964	Kalai Kovil					Tamil
1964	Kaadhalikka Neramillai					Tamil
1965	Vennira Aadai					Tamil
1966	Pyar Kiye Jaa					Hindi
1966	Manase Mandiram					Telugu
1966	Kodimalar					Tamil
1967	Nenjirukkum Varai					Tamil
1967	Nai Roshni					Hindi
1967	Ooty Varai Uravu					Tamil
1968	Saathi					Hindi
1969	Sivandha Mann					Tamil
1970	Uttharavindri Ulley Vaa					Tamil
1970	Dharti					Hindi
1971	Duniya Kya Jane					Hindi
1971	Avalukendru Oru Manam					Tamil
1973	Alaigal					Tamil
1973	Gehri Chaal					Hindi
1974	Urimai Kural					Tamil
1975	Vaira Nenjam					Tamil
1975	Ninagai Nanu					Telugu
1975	Lakshmi Nirdoshi
1975	Jagruthi					Hindi
1976	Oh Manju					Tamil
1977	Seeta Geeta Datithe					Tamil
1977	Anna Nee En Deivam					Tamil
1977	Meenava Nanban					Tamil
1978	Ilamai Oonjalaadugirathu					Tamil
1978	Vayasu Pilichindi					Telugu
1979	Urvasi Niney Naa Priyasi
1979	Azhage Unnai Aarathikkiren					Tamil
1980	Saundariyame Varuga Varuga					Tamil
1980	Hare Krishna Hello Radha
1981	Mohana Punnagai					Tamil
1982	Ninaivellam Nithya					Tamil
1982	Dil-E-Nadaan					Hindi
1983	Thudikkum Karangal					Tamil
1983	Oru Odai Nadhiyagirathu					Tamil
1984	Alaya Deepam					Tamil
1984	Unnaithedi Varuven					Tamil
1984	Thendrale Ennai Thodu					Tamil
1986	Yaaro Ezhuthiya Kavithai					Tamil
1986	Naanum Oru Thozhilali					Tamil
1986	Kulirkaala Megangal					Tamil
1987	Iniya Uravu Poothathu					Tamil
1988	Premayanam					Telugu
1991	Thanthu Vitten Ennai					Tamil

Awards

Won

• 1959: Certificate of Merit for Best Feature Film in Tamil – Kalyana Parisu^[9]
• 1962: President's Silver Medal for Best Feature Film in Tamil – Nenjil Or Aalayam^[10]
• Kalaimamani Award from State Sangeeth Natak Academy.
• Filmfare Award for Best Story for Nazrana (1961).

Nominated

• Filmfare Award for Best Director for Dil Ek Mandir (1963)
• Filmfare Award for Best Story for Dil Ek Mandir (1963)

References

1. http://cinema.maalaimalar.com/2012/03/18205113/ditector-sridhar-change-tamil.html
2. http://cinema.maalaimalar.com/2012/03/19191946/sridhar-story-Dialogue-write-f.html
3. http://cinema.maalaimalar.com/2012/03/20181928/director-sridhar-first-film.html
4. http://cinema.maalaimalar.com/2012/03/21163719/kalayanaparisu-film-release-da.html
5. "Tamil film director Sridhar passes away". The Indian Express. 20 October 2008. Retrieved 16 September 2011.
6. Sridhar – Director, producer, producer, script writer, nenjil oru aalaya, vennira aadai, ratha pasam, ilamai oonjal aadugiradhu, ooty varai uravu, kadhalikka naeramillai, gala...
7. IndiaGlitz – Events – Veteran Director Sridhar Passes Away
8. Dore, Shalini. "Indian director C.V. Sridhar dies". Variety. Retrieved 19 August 2012.
9. "7th National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 4 September 2011.
10. "10th National Film Awards". International Film Festival of India. Retrieved 9 September 2011.

External links

• C.V. Sridhar at the Internet Movie Database
• C. V. Sridhar's Sterling Face of Romance