Budaguru Ramakrishnaiah Panthulu (26 July 1910 – 8 October 1974)KCA celebrating BR Panthulu's 100th birth anniversary at Oneindia.in was an Indian film director, producer and actor. He is best known for directing films in Tamil, Kannada, Telugu and Hindi. His most popular films are Karnan, Veerapandiya Kattabomman, Sri Krishnadevaraya, School Master and Kittur Channamma. B. R. Panthulu was a successful actor and converted Ma. Po. Si.'s biographical works Veerapandiya Kattabomman (a movie about a local chieftain who fought against the British in the 18th century in Tamil Nadu) and Kappalottiya Thamizhan (a movie about a lawyer 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 Rallabudaguru of North Arcot in the erstwhile Madras Presidency of British India (in present-day Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh, India). 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 Kannada professional theatre troupe, the Kalaseva Nataka Mandali, staging plays of his own choice.
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 there – 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 made his debut with the Kannada film Rathnagiri Rahasya (1957), a major commercial success during the time. He produced and directed a total of 57 films in all South Indian languages under the banner of Padmini Pictures.
Filmography Year Title Credited as Language Role Notes Director Producer Actor1936Samsara Nauka Kannada Sundar1941Bhaktimala Telugu Mohan1943Radha Ramana Kannada1944Tahsildar Telugu1946Lavangi Tamil1947Nam Iruvar Tamil Jayakumar1948Bhaktha Jana Tamil Panthoji 1950 Macha Rekai Tamil 1951 Mohana Sundaram Tamil 1953 Ammalakkalu Telugu1954Kalyanam Panniyum Brahmachari Tamil1954Jaladurga Kannada1954Karkottai Tamil1955Modala Thedi KannadaShivram1955Mudhal Thethi Tamil1955Vadina Telugu1955Shivasharane Nambekka Kannada1955Doctor Savithri Tamil1956Sivasakthi Tamil1957Thangamalai Ragasiyam Tamil1957 Rathnagiri Rahasya Kannada1958Sabaash Meena Tamil1958School Master Kannada Ranganna1958Suhag Hindi1959School Master Hindi1959Abba! A Hudgi Kannada1959Veerapandya Kattabomman Tamil1959Veerapandya Kattabrahmana Telugu1959Sabaash Pilla Telugu1959Amar Shaheed Hindi1960Pillalu Techina Challani Rajyam Telugu1960Kuzhandhaigal Kanda Kudiyarasu Tamil1960Makkala Rajya Kannada1960Sangaili Thevan Tamil1961Kittur Chennamma Kannada1961Kappalottiya Thamizhan Tamil1961Kaanal Neer Tamil Apparao1962Gaali Gopura Kannada1962Bale Pandiya Tamil1962Dil Tera Diwana Hindi1962Gaali Medalu Telugu1963Pempudu Koothuru Telugu1963Saaku Magalu Kannada1964School Master Malayalam1964Chinnada Gombe Kannada1964Karnan Tamil1964Muradan Muthu Tamil1965Aayirathil Oruvan Tamil1966Dudde Doddappa KannadaSomayya1966Nadodi Tamil1966Enga Paappa Tamil25th Film1966Nammaveetu Lakshmi Tamil1966Emme Thammanna Kannada 1966 Parakkum Pavai Tamil1967Gange Gowri Kannada1967Beedi Basavanna Kannada1968Ragasiya Police 115 Tamil1968Amma Kannada Hullalli Ramaraya1968Chinnari Puttanna Kannada1969Gandondu Hennaru Kannada1970Sri Krishnadevaraya Kannada Timmarusu1970Thedi Vandha Mappillai Tamil Also as Thanikachalam, Shankar's father (in photo)1971Aliya Geleya Kannada1971Malathi Madhava Kannada1972Ondu Hennina Kathe Kannada1973Ganga Gowri Tamil1973School Master Tamil1974Kadavul Mama Tamil
Awards
International Film Awards for his film "Veerapandia Kattapomman" AwardCeremonyCategoryNominee(s)OutcomeRef.Afro-Asian Film FestivalAfro-Asian Film Festival - 1960Best FilmB. R. PanthuluBest ActorSivaji GanesanBest Music DirectorG. Ramanathan
National Film Awards 1958: All India Certificate of Merit for Third Best Feature film – School Master 1959: Certificate of Merit for Best Feature Film in Tamil – Veerapandiya Kattabomman 1961: Certificate of Merit for Best Feature Film in Kannada – Kittur Chennamma 1961: President's silver medal for Best Feature Film in Tamil – Kappalottiya Thamizhan Karnataka State Film Awards 1969-70: Karnataka State Film Award for Best Actor - Sri Krishnadevaraya
Filmfare Awards South 1970: Filmfare Award for Best Film – Kannada - Sri Krishnadevaraya
Biography Pathulu's biography in Kannada titled Danivillada Dhani was written by A. N. Prahlada Rao, and published in 2016 by the Karnataka Chalanachitra Academy.
References