Hunsur Krishnamurthy

Hunsur Krishnamurthy
Born (1914-02-09)9 February 1914
Hunsur, Kingdom of Mysore, British India
Died 13 February 1989(1989-02-13) (aged 75)
Nationality Indian
Occupation Playwright, film director, producer, actor, screenwriter, lyricist
Relatives Dwarakish (nephew)

Hunsur Krishnamurthy (9 February 1914 – 13 February 1989)[1] was an Indian playwright, film director, producer, actor, screenwriter and lyricist in Kannada cinema.

He worked with noted theatre personalities early in his career, Gubbi Veeranna, Mohammed Peer and B. R. Panthulu, before entering films. As a film director, he made films mostly in the mythological genre such as Satya Harishchandra (1965), Bhakta Kumbara (1974) and Babruvahana (1977), all of which stars Rajkumar in the lead roles. The films were major critical and commercial successes and are seen as milestones in Kannada cinema and in the career of Rajkumar.[2]

Early life

Krishnamurthy was born on February 9, 1914, in Hunsur, in the erstwhile Kingdom of Mysore of British India, to M. Rajarao, who worked in the Public Works Department, and Padmavati. He attended school in Hunsur, and completed his high school education from Sharada Vilas High School and Basayya School, Mysore.[1]

Career

Theatre

Prior to working in films, Krishnamurthy worked in theatre as a playwright, writing plays such as Swarga Samrajya. He then worked for the Bangalore-based Bharat Nataka Company as a playwright and a scenarist, following which, he had a stint at Bombay Talkies. He then worked as a part of Marathi stage actor, Bal Gandharva's theatre troupe. During the time, he also worked with famed Kannada theatre personalities Gubbi Veeranna and Mohamed Peer. In 1936, during his work with the latter in his drama company Chandrakala Natak, he worked with B. R. Panthulu, another popular theatre personality at the time, in his play Samsara Nauke, as an assistant director.[2]

Films

Krishnamurthy entered the Kannada cinema primarily as a dialogue writer for films such as Hemareddy Mallamma (1945) and Krishnaleele (1947). He even wrote the screenplay for the films. Writing lyrics for the soundtracks of films such as Kanyadana, (1954), Devakannika (1954) and Sodari (1955), he made his debut as a director in the 1958 mythological film, Shree Krishna Gaarudi that features Rajkumar in the lead role, an actor who would go on to dominate Kannada cinema as an actor for over two decades. Krishnamurthy followed this up with other films such as Veera Sankalpa (1964) Satya Harishchandra (1965), Sri Kannika Parameshwari Kathe (1966), Bhakta Kumbara (1974), Babruvahana (1977), Bhakta Siriyala (1980), Bhakta Dnyanadeva (1982) and Shiva Kotta Sowbhagya (1985). Most of his films in the mythological genre had Rajkumar playing the lead role. Commercial successes during the time, they were instrumental in shaping Rajkumar's career as an actor. His film Satya Harishchandra won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Kannada at the 13th National Film Awards, and is seen as a milestone in Kannada cinema.[3] His 1977 film, Veera Sindhoora Lakshmana was based on the life of Lakshmana, a freedom fighter who fought the British during the Indian freedom struggle, was major commercial success.[4]

Actors M. P. Shankar and Rajesh were introduced by him in his films; with Shankar in Rathnamanjari (1962) and Rajesh in Veera Sankalpa.[5][6]

Filmography

Year Film Language Director Producer Screenwriter Actor Lyricist Notes
1945 Hemareddy Mallamma Kannada Yes
1947 Krishnaleele Kannada Yes
1950 Shiva Parvathi Kannada Yes
1951 Janganmohini Kannada Yes
1953 Sowbhagya Lakshmi Kannada Yes
1954 Madiddunno Maharaya Kannada Yes
1954 Kanyadana Kannada Yes
1954 Devakannika Kannada Yes
1955 Sodari Kannada Yes Yes
1956 Muttaide Bhagya Kannada Yes Yes Yes
1957 Nala Damayanti Kannada Yes Yes
1958 Shree Krishna Gaarudi Kannada Yes Yes
1958 Aasha Sundari Kannada Yes Yes Yes
1960 Bhakta Kanakadasa Kannada Yes Yes
1961 Mera Suhaag Hindi Yes
1961 Nagarjuna Kannada Yes
1961 Bhakta Cheta Kannada Yes
1962 Shri Dharmasthala Mahatme Kannada Yes Yes
1962 Ratnamanjari Kannada Yes Yes Yes Yes
1964 Veera Sankalpa Kannada Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
1965 Satya Harishchandra Kannada Yes Yes Won, National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Kannada
1965 Maduve Madi Nodu Kannada Yes Yes
1966 Sri Kanyaka Parameshwari Kathe Kannada Yes Yes Yes Yes
1967 Devara Gedda Manava Kannada Yes Yes
1967 Devuni Gelichina Manavudu Telugu Yes Yes
1968 Adda Dari Kannada Yes Yes Yes Yes
1971 Vishakanya Kannada Yes
1972 Jaga Mechida Maga Kannada Yes Yes
1972 Bangaarada Manushya Kannada Yes
1974 Bhakta Kumbara Kannada Yes Yes Yes
1975 Mantra Shakthi Kannada Yes
1977 Babruvahana Kannada Yes Yes Yes
1977 Veera Sindhoora Lakshmana Kannada Yes Yes Yes
1979 Kurubara Lakkanu Elizabeth Raniau Kannada Yes
1980 Bhakta Siriyala Kannada Yes Yes Yes
1980 Guru Sarvabhowma Sri Raghavendra Karune Kannada Yes
1981 Edeyuru Siddalingeshwara Mahatme Kannada Yes
1981 Shiva Mahima Malayalam Yes
1982 Bhakta Dnyanadeva Kannada Yes
1984 Shiva Kanye Kannada Yes Yes Yes
1985 Shiva Kotta Sowbhagya Kannada Yes Yes Yes

Award

National Film Awards

Karnataka State Film Awards

References

  1. 1 2 "Hunsur Krishnamurthy bio". chiloka.com. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
  2. 1 2 Ashish Rajadhyaksha; Paul Willemen (10 July 2014). Encyclopedia of Indian Cinema. Taylor & Francis. p. 129. ISBN 978-1-135-94325-7.
  3. ↑ "13th National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
  4. ↑ "Patriotism, Sandalwood style". The New Indian Express. 15 August 2012. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
  5. ↑ "Actor, producer M.P. Shankar is dead". The Hindu. 18 July 2008. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
  6. ↑ "From theatre to celluloid". The Hindu. 9 April 2011. Retrieved 14 October 2014.

External links

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