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K. Viswanath Age, Death, Wife, Family, Biography & More

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Age: 92 Years
Death Cause: Age Related Ailments
Death Date: 02/02/2023

K. Viswanath

Bio/Wiki
Other nameKalatapasvi Viswanath [1]The Hindu
Full nameKasinadhuni Viswanath [2]The Hindu
Profession(s)Film Director, Screenwriter, Actor
Physical Stats & More
Height (approx.)in centimeters- 170 cm
in meters- 1.70 m
in feet & inches- 5’ 7”
Eye ColourBlack
Hair ColourSalt & Pepper (half bald)
Career
DebutFilm (Tamil-Telugu; As an assistant director): Pathala Bhairavi (1951)
Pathala Bhairavi (1951)
Film (Telugu; As a director): Aatma Gowravam (1965)
Aatma Gowravam (1965)
Film (Telugu; As an actor): Subha Sankalpam (1965) as Raayudu
Subha Sankalpam (1965)
Film (Hindi; As a director): Sargam (1979)
Sargam (1979)
Awards & HonoursCivilian Honour
1992: Padma Shri Award
National Film Awards
1980: National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment for the Telugu film Sankarabharanam
1982: Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration for the Telugu film Saptapadi
1987: Best Feature Film in Telugu for Swathi Muthyam
1990: Best Feature Film in Telugu for Sutradharulu
2005: Best Feature Film in Telugu for Swarabhishekam
2017: Dadasaheb Phalke Award for lifetime achievement in cinema
K. Viswanath receiving Dada Saheb Phalke Award
Nandi Awards
1980: Second Best Story Writer for the Telugu film Sankarabharanam
1981: Best Screenplay Writer for the Telugu film Saptapadi
1982: Best Story Writer for the Telugu film Subhalekha
1986: Best Director for the Telugu film Swathi Muthyam
1987: Best Director for the Telugu film Sruthilayalu
1992: Raghupathi Venkaiah Lifetime Achievement Award for outstanding contributions to Telugu cinema
1995: Best Character Actor for the Telugu film Subha Sankalpam
2000: Best Supporting Actor for the Telugu film Kalisundam Raa
Filmfare Awards South
1974: Best Director for the Telugu film O Seeta Katha
1975: Best Director for the Telugu film Jeevana Jyoti
1982: Best Director for the Telugu film Subhalekha
1983: Best Director for the Telugu film Sagara Sangamam
1986: Best Director for the Telugu film Swathi Muthyam
1987: Best Director for the Telugu film Sruthilayalu
1992: Best Director for the Telugu film Aapadbandhavudu
1995: Best Director for the Telugu film Subha Sankalpam
1994: Lifetime Achievement Award
Other Awards
1988: Cinema Express Award for Best Director for the Telugu film Swarnakamalam
1989: Filmfare Best Story Award for the Hindi film Eeshwar
1991: Raghupathy Venkaiah award by the State Government of Andhra Pradesh for his outstanding contribution to Telugu cinema in 1991
2008: CineMAA Award for Lifetime Achievement
2012: Viswa Vikhyata Darsaka Sarvabhowma for achievement in direction
2012: Chittoor V. Nagayya Puraskaram for lifetime achievement in cinema
2017: Film Nagar Cultural Center-Hyderabad Award for achievement in cinema
2017: Telugu Film Director's Association Award for achievement in direction
2017: Aathmeeya Sanmanam from the Government of Andhra Pradesh for achievement in cinema at Vijayawada Thummalapalli Kalakshetram
2021: South Indian International Movie Award for Lifetime Achievement
K. Viswanath receiving SIIMA
Note: He also received an honorary doctorate degree from Potti Sreeramulu Telugu University, Hyderabad, Telangana. Apart from this, he had many more accolades to his name.
K. Viswanath being felicitated by N. Chandrababu Naidu
Personal Life
Date of Birth19 February 1930 (Wednesday)
BirthplaceRepalle, Madras Presidency, British India (now in Andhra Pradesh, India)
Date of Death2 February 2023
Place of DeathA private hospital in Hyderabad, Telangana
Age (at the time of death) 92 Years
Death CauseAge-related ailments [3]The Times of India
Zodiac signPisces
SignatureK. Viswanath's signature
NationalityIndian
HometownPedapulivarru, Andhra Pradesh
School(s)• A municipal high school in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh
• Hindu College, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh (intermediate)
College/UniversityAndhra Christian College, Andhra University, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh [4]ETV Bharat
Educational QualificationBachelor of Science [5]The Times of India
Relationships & More
Marital Status (at the time of death)Married
Family
Wife/SpouseKasinadhuni Jayalakshmi
K. Viswanath and his wife
ChildrenSon(s)- Ravindranath Viswanath and Nagendranath Viswanath
K. Viswanath's son Nagendranath Viswanath

K. Viswanath's son Ravindranath Viswanath with his wife
Daughter- Padmavathi Viswanath
ParentsFather- Kasinadhuni Subramanyam (regional manager at Vijaya Vauhini Studios)
Mother- Kasinadhuni Saraswathy aka Saraswathamma
SiblingsHe had two sisters and no brother.
Other Relatives Cousin(s)- Chandra Mohan (actor), S. P. Balasubrahmanyam (singer and actor)
K. Vishnwanath with S. P. Balasubramaniam

K. Viswanath

Some Lesser Known Facts About K. Viswanath

  • K. Viswanath was an Indian film director, screenwriter, actor, and audiographer, who mainly worked in Telugu films. In 2017, he was honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for his contribution to Telugu cinema.
  • After completing his graduation, he wanted to do an administrative job but his uncle suggested him to do an acting course at Vijaya Vauhini Studios. Apart from an acting course, he did a few training courses there including a course in audiography. In 1957, he started his career as a sound artist and assisted the Telugu filmmaker Adurthi Subba Rao.

    K. Vishnwanath working as a sound recordist

    K. Vishnwanath working as a sound recordist

  • Thereafter, he worked as an audiographer in more than 50 Telugu and Tamil films which include ‘Thodi Kodallu’ (1957; Telugu), ‘Enga Veetu Mahalakshmi’ (1957; Tamil), and ‘Banda Ramudu’ (1959; Telugu).
  • In 1965, he started his career as a film director. He worked as a director in various Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi films. Some of his award-winning directorial films are ‘Chelleli Kapuram’ (1971; Telugu), ‘Kalam Marindi’ (1972; Telugu), ‘O Seeta Katha’ (1974; Telugu), ‘Eeshwar’ (1989; Hindi), ‘Sankarabharanam’ (1980; Telugu), ‘Aapadbandhavudu’ (1992; Telugu), and ‘Chinnabbayi’ (1997; Telugu). In 1980, his film ‘Sankarabharanam’ was premiered at the 8th International Film Festival of India, Tashkent Film Festival, and Moscow International Film Festival.

    K. Vishnwanath on the sets of a film

    K. Vishnwanath on the sets of a film

  • Viswanath was one of the directors who is known for depicting social issues and Indian culture through his films like ‘Saptapadi’ (1981), ‘Subhalekha’ (1982), ‘Sirivennela’ (1986), ‘Swayamkrushi’ (1987), and ‘Sutradharulu’ (1989).
  • He collaborated with the Poornodaya Movie Creations’ founder Edida Nageswara Rao to work as a director in South Indian films like ‘Sagara Sangamam; (1983), ‘Swathi Muthyam’ (1986), ‘Sutradharulu’ (1989), and ‘Aapadbandhavudu’ (1992).
  • Viswanath wrote the screenplay of many popular Telugu films like ‘Kalam Marindi’ (1972), ‘Neramu Siksha’ (1973), ‘Amma Manasu’ (1976), ‘Siri Siri Muvva’ (1981), and ‘Saptapadi’ (1981).
  • His film ‘Swathi Muthyam’ (1986) became India’s official entry to the 59th Academy Awards. Whereas, his films ‘Sankarabharanam’ (1980), ‘Sagara Sangamam’ (1983), ‘Sruthilayalu’ (1987), ‘Swarnakamalam’ (1988), and ‘Swathi Kiranam’ (1992) were screened at various film festivals like the International Film Festival of India, Ann Arbor Film Festival, and AISFM Film Festival.

    K. Vishnwanath directing Kamal Haasan in Sagara Sangamam (1983)

    K. Vishnwanath directing Kamal Haasan in Sagara Sangamam (1983)

  • Apart from South Indian films, he directed various Hindi films like ‘Kaamchor’ (1982), ‘Shubh Kaamna’ (1983), ‘Jaag Utha Insan’ (1984), ‘Eeshwar’ (1989), ‘Sangeet’ (1992), and ‘Dhanwan’ (1993).
  • Viswanath played the character actor in many Telugu films like ‘Vajram’ (1995), ‘Nuvvu Leka Nenu Lenu’ (2002), ‘Tagore’ (2003), ‘Aadavari Matalaku Arthale Verule’ (2007), and ‘Devasthanam’ (2012).

    A still of K. Viswanath from Aadavari Matalaku Arthale Verule (2007)

    A still of K. Viswanath from Aadavari Matalaku Arthale Verule (2007)

  • Some of his Tamil films as an actor are ‘Kuruthipunal’ (1995), ‘Mugavaree’ (1999), ‘Pudhiya Geethai’ (2003), ‘Lingaa’ (2014), and ‘Uttama Villain’ (2015).

    A still of K. Viswanath from Uttama Villain (2015)

    A still of K. Viswanath from Uttama Villain (2015)

  • Apart from films, he appeared in a few South Indian TV serials like ‘Chellamay’ (2009; aired on Sun TV), ‘Suryavamsam’ (2015; aired on Vendhar TV), and ‘Siva Narayana Theerdhulu’ (2018; aired on SVBC).

    A still of K. Viswanath from the TV serial Suryavamsam

    A still of K. Viswanath from the TV serial Suryavamsam

  • He was also featured in the TV commercial for various brands like Ramraj Panchalu, Triplex Soap, and GRT Jewellers.

  • In 2013, his directorial films ‘Sankarabharanam’ (1979) and ‘Sagara Sangamam’ (1983) were included in CNN-IBN’s list of one hundred greatest Indian films of all time. [6]Twitter – Sun NXT
  • In 2019, a biopic documentary titled ‘Viswadarshanam’ was released on the life of K. Viswanath which was produced by TG Viswa Prasad under the People Media Factory banner.
  • On 2 February 2023, he died of age-related ailments. On his demise, various Indian celebrities shared their grief. Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted,

    Saddened by the passing away of Shri K. Viswanath Garu. He was a stalwart of the cinema world, distinguishing himself as a creative and multifaceted director. His films covered various genres and enthralled audiences for decades. Condolences to his family and admirers. Om Shanti.”