Albeit the Dadasaheb Phalke Award has come a little late in life, ace director Kasinathuni Viswanath was full of cheer as he landed in the Capital with his family. An icon in the Telugu film industry, the remakes of his popular films introduced him to the Hindi belt. Not much was lost in translation, as films such as Sargam , Kaamchor and Eeshwar went on to become big hits. Though not always commercial money-spinners, his films invariably raised real social issues and drew a huge following of family audience.
Excerpts:
How does it feel to be bestowed with the highest award in filmdom?
Better late than never! I’m more than happy that my contribution to the film industry has been recognised, whatever be the timing. I’m still active enough to make this visit to the Capital which is itself a very precious thing for me. I feel so fulfilled after all the effort that spanned across decades. For me, films were and are my lifeblood, not just a career.
It was the first time that the awardee was allowed to make a small speech. Isn’t it?
Yes, this new convention started with me and it was a moment of pride for me. I made a brief speech beginning with the lines from Saint-composer Tyagaraja’s ‘Pancharatna kriti’ in Sri raga — endaro mahanubhavulu andariki vandanamulu (my salutations to the legacy of great men ) and that drew an instant applause. I’m indebted to all those prominent people in my life from my masters to my parents, my producers, actors who trusted my skills to my audiences for reposing faith in my films, the corpus of which has bestowed this award on me.
You directed the Hindi variants of your films and they were not just dubbed versions...
My Hindi directorial ventures like Sargam , Sur Sangam, Jaag Utha Insaan, Eeshwar , Dhanwan were re-makes of my original stories and not dubbed versions. Some of them were produced by Rakesh Roshan while Sangeet was produced by Gulshan Kumar. The cast was of my choice always because as a director I felt I knew who fit the roles I had etched for my stories and I never compromised on certain issues which were vital for me to get my story through the medium of cinema.
Many of your movies are based on dance. Why the preference for this art form?
It is like asking why Tyagaraja wrote all his music compositions on Lord Rama (he laughs). I can give a similar reason that classical dance appealed to me more than any other art form. V. Shantaram’s movies were also dance-oriented; yet we never got tired watching them. They were creations of art. My films are not just dance-based; they have a solid story base over which music or dance took shape.
I feel it is very essential for the present generation to know about their cultural heritage, their legacy which is our unique identity. Classical dance has immense scope. To get a canvas was challenging, and I love challenges.
Movies are visual by nature and visual art has to be aesthetic. The aesthetic element prevails in all my films; it lends a finesse to every frame.
Why such films are no longer being made?
All said and done, cinema has always been a commercial commodity where market determines the subject. We can’t blame anyone. There is no dearth of talent either. But the producer is an investor who needs returns on his investment.
Present day movie-making involves huge expenses and the risk element has increased. I have stopped directing because I believe that the producer should be tuned to my wave-length for me to make a film.
I would also like my grandsons and their sons to think of me as a grand-father who made valuable films; who has left them proud with his legacy. None of my sons are in this line because filmmaking is not passed over like property; it has to be in the veins.
Were you a tough director to your actors?
Though I lose my temper at home , I was never one to shout at my actors. I’m surprised at the immense patience I had while on the sets because I always felt that I should bring the best out of my actors and that can be done only under a free environment. It was not a put-on attitude; I genuinely interacted with cheer and gentleness with every one on the sets. May be I have a soft-corner for my crew and artistes!
Of late, you have moved over to acting in movies. Is this a deliberate move?
My arangetram (entry) into acting was by accident on the sets of my Telugu movie Subha Sakalpam produced by playback singer SP Balasubramaniam and actor Kamal Haasan. They forced me into a role for which they could not (neither could I) find a suitable actor. Then roles kept coming my way and I accepted them sometimes as obligation and sometimes as my preference.
Kamal would always quip, ‘Acting is like a paid holiday for you, please continue...’ It is not my mainstay; more of a hobby but now I’ve cut down on them too.
You are a legend in your lifetime. Did it not occur to you to pen an autobiography?
My life has been pretty normal, simple one. You need drama and adventure in life to make a book of it otherwise how will it sell? (he laughs). There are many people who come up to me wanting to write my biography if only I can talk to them. My answer to all such requests is my films are my life.
Though my day-to-day life was like anybody else’s, my convictions, my thoughts were different and they show in my films. If one is a keen observer, well, he can construct the personality of the director from the corpus of my films.
