Prominent film personality M. Bhaktavatsala, an octogenarian, passed away in the city on Sunday morning, owing to age-related ailments. Bhaktavatsala entered the film industry in the 1960s quitting a job in HMT.
He produced critically acclaimed Kannada film Kanneshwara Rama that was directed by M.S. Sathyu.
A multi-faceted personality, he was also a writer, film producer, film distributor, and even exhibitor.
He also tried his hand in acting in Pattabhirama Reddy’s film Chanda Maruta . He authored several books on the history of the film industry.
He not only had a long stint as president of the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce, but also headed the South India Film Chamber of Commerce for two terms and is the only Kannadiga till date who headed the Film Federation of India. The State government felicitated him with the Dr. Rajkumar Award in 2012. He had diverse interests such as literature, mountaineering apart from films.
“With his death, the Karnataka film industry has lost a great leader,” said Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy.
