B. R. Panthulu

B. R. Panthulu
Panthulu, pictured in 1948
Born	Boodgur Ramakrishnaiah Panthulu (1910-07-26)26 July 1910 Budaguru, Kolar, Madras Presidency, British India
Died	8 October 1974(1974-10-08) (aged 64)
Nationality	Indian
Occupation	Actor, director, producer
Spouse(s)	B. R. Andalammal
Children	B. R. Vijayalakshmi, B.R.Ravishankar

Budaguru Ramakrishnaiah Panthulu (26 July 1910 — 8 October 1974),^[1] better known as B. R. Panthulu, was an Indian film director, producer, and actor. He is best known for directing films in Kannada, Tamil, Telugu and Hindi. His most popular films are Sri Krishnadevaraya, School master, Kittur Channamma, Karnan, Veerapandiya Kattabomman, B. R. Panthulu which earned good name for ever for him in Indian film history converted Ma. Po. Si.'s biography works 'Veerapandiya Kattabomman' (a movie about a local chieftain who fought with the British in the 18th century in Tamil Nadu) and Kappalottiya Thamizhan' (a movie about a disciple Of Bal Gangathar Thilak, leading lawyer, first leader in South India, called as Thilak of South India) who rebelled against the British rule that forbade Tamils operating shipping companies) to celluloid.

Early life

Panthulu was born on 26 July 1910 in the village of Budaguru of Kolar district in the erstwhile Madras Presidency of British India (in present-day Kolar district of Karnataka).^[2] He began his career as a teacher. Influenced by professional theatre during the time, he joined the troupe Chandrakala Nataka Mandali. He acted in plays Samsara Nouka, Sadarame and Guleba Kavali. He also worked for some time with Gubbi Veeranna's troupe and acted in Sri Krishna Garudi among others. Panthulu then formed his own professional theatre troupe, the Kalaseva Nataka Mandali, staging plays of his own choice.^[2]

Career

He made his debut as an actor in the 1936 Kannada film Samsara Nauka, an adaptation of the play he acted in. It was produced by Devi Films based in Chennai. Directed by H. L. N. Simha, the film starred Panthulu, M. V. Rajamma, Dikki Madhava Rao, S. K. Padmadevi and M. S. Madhava Rao. The hero marries against his grandfather's wishes and is cast out. His troubles do not end here – he finds no favour with his in-laws, loses his job, and finds himself accused of murdering the bride his grandfather had chosen for him.The film was adapted from a play by the Chadrakala Natak Mandali, and remained true to the original's reformist ideal.

In 1950, he made the Tamil film Macharekhai partnering with filmmaker P. Pullaiah under a stage company that later came to be known as Sukumar Productions with musician T. R. Mahalingam as his partner. With writer P. Neelakantan, he started the company Padmini Pictures, and produced the Tamil film Kalyanam Panniyum Brahmachari in 1954. Under the banner, he would go on to produce the Kannada films School Master (1958), Kittur Chennamma (1961) and Sri Krishnadevaraya (1970), that went on to become landmark films. His portrayal of Timmarusu, the Prime minister of the Vijayanagara King Krishnadevaraya, won him the Karnataka State Film Award for Best Actor.

As director, Panthulu his debut as a director with the Kannada film Rathnagiri Rahasya, a major commercial success during the time.^[2] He has produced and directed 57 films in all South Indian languages under the banner of Padmini Pictures.^[3]

Filmography

Year	Film	Credited as			Language	Notes
		Director	Producer	Actor
1936	Samsara Nauka	N	N	Y	Kannada
1943	Radha Ramana	N	N	Y	Kannada
1946	Lavangi	N	N	Y	Tamil
1947	Nam Iruvar	N	N	Y	Tamil
1954	Kalyanam Panniyum Brahmachari	N	Y	Y	Tamil
1954	Jaladurga	N	N	Y	Kannada
1954	Karkottai	N	N	Y	Tamil
1955	Modala Thedi	N	Y	Y	Kannada
1955	Mudhal Thethi	N	Y	Y	Tamil
1955	Nambekka	N	Y	Y	Kannada
1955	Doctor Savithri	N	N	Y	Tamil
1957	Thangamalai Ragasiyam	Y	Y	Y	Tamil
1957	Rathnagiri Rahasya	Y	Y	Y	Kannada
1958	Sabaash Meena	Y	Y	Y	Tamil
1958	Badi Pantulu	Y	Y	Y	Telugu
1958	School Master	Y	Y	Y	Kannada
1958	Engal Kudumbam Perisu	Y	Y	Y	Tamil
1958	Suhag	Y	Y	Y	Hindi
1959	School Master	Y	Y	Y	Hindi
1959	Veerapandya Kattabomman	Y	Y	N	Tamil
1959	Veerapandya Kattabrahmana	Y	Y	N	Telugu
1959	Sabaash Pilla	Y	Y	Y	Telugu
1959	Amar Shaheed	Y	Y	Y	Hindi
1960	Makkala Rajya	Y	Y	Y	Kannada
1960	Kuzhandhaigal Kanda Kudiyarasu	Y	Y	Y	Tamil
1960	Pillalu Techina Challani Rajyam	Y	Y	Y	Telugu
1960	Sangili Thevan	Y	Y	Y	Tamil
1961	Kittur Chennamma	Y	Y	Y	Kannada
1961	Kappalottiya Thamizhan	Y	Y	Y	Tamil
1962	Gaali Gopura	Y	Y	Y	Kannada
1962	Bale Pandiya	Y	Y	Y	Tamil
1962	Dil Tera Diwana	Y	Y	Y	Hindi
1962	Gaali Medalu	Y	Y	Y	Telugu
1963	Pempudu Kuthuru	Y	Y	Y	Telugu
1963	Saaku Magalu	Y	Y	Y	Kannada
1964	Chinnada Gombe	Y	Y	Y	Kannada
1964	Muradan Muthu	Y	Y	Y	Tamil
1964	Karnan	Y	Y	Y	Tamil
1965	Kathanayakudu Katha	Y	Y	Y	Telugu
1965	Aayirathil Oruvan	Y	Y	Y	Tamil
1966	Enga Pappa	Y	Y	Y	Tamil
1966	Nadodi	Y	Y	Y	Tamil
1966	Nammaveetu Lakshmi	Y	Y	Y	Tamil
1966	Dudde Doddappa	Y	Y	Y	Kannada
1966	Emme Thammanna	Y	Y	Y	Kannada
1967	Gange Gowri	Y			Kannada
1967	Beedi Basavanna	Y	Y	Y	Kannada
1968	Chinnari Puttanna	Y	Y	Y	Kannada
1968	Amma	Y	Y	Y	Kannada
1968	Ragasiya Police 115	Y	Y	Y	Tamil
1969	Gandondu Hennaru	Y	Y	Y	Kannada
1970	Sri Krishnadevaraya	Y	Y	Y	Kannada
1970	Thedi Vandha Mappillai	Y	Y	Y	Tamil
1971	Aliya Geleya	Y	Y	Y	Kannada
1971	Malathi Madhava	Y	Y	Y	Kannada
1972	Ondu Hennina Kathe	Y	Y	Y	Kannada
1973	Ganga Gowri	Y	Y	Y	Tamil
1973	School Master	Y	Y	Y	Tamil
1974	Kadavul Mama	Y	Y	Y	Tamil

Awards

National Film Awards

• 1958: All India Certificate of Merit for Third Best Feature film – School Master^[4]
• 1959: Certificate of Merit for Best Feature Film in Tamil – Veerapandiya Kattabomman^[5]
• 1961: Certificate of Merit for Best Feature Film in Kannada – Kittur Chennamma^[6]
• 1961: President's Silver Medal for Best Feature Film in Tamil – Kappalottiya Thamizhan^[6]

Karnataka State Film Awards

• 1969-70: Karnataka State Film Award for Best Actor - Sri Krishnadevaraya

Book on B.R.Pantulu

A. N. Prahlada Rao has written a Book on B.R.Pantulu in Kannada, consisting of the details of his childhood, theater, films produced in Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Hindi and Maleyalam. The book was published by Karnataka Chalanachitra Academy. The book was released in November 2016 by Dr. Bharati Vishnuvardhan. Journalist and short story writer Jogi spoke on Book. S.V. Rajendra Singh Baabu presided.

References