K. S. Sethumadhavan

{{Infobox person

| name = K. S. Sethumadhavan

| image =

| imagesize = 1

| caption =

| birth_name = Kurukkalpadam Subrahmanyam Sethumadhavan

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1931|05|15|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Palghat, Malabar District, Madras Presidency, British India
(present day Palakkad, Kerala, India)

| death_date = {{Death date and age|2021|12|24|1931|05|15|df=yes}}

| death_place = Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

| restingplace =

| othername =

| occupation = {{hlist|Film director|Screenwriter}}

| years_active = 1960–1995

| spouse =

| children =

| parents =

| website =

| awards = Director of Best Film
1991 – Marupakkam (Tamil)

}}

{{Indian name|Sethumadhavan|Kurukkalpadam Subrahmanyam}}Kurukkalpadam Subrahmanyam Sethumadhavan (15 May 1931 – 24 December 2021) was an Indian film director and screenwriter who worked predominantly in Malayalam cinema. He also directed films in Hindi, Tamil, Kannada and Telugu.{{Cite news|last=Venkiteswaran|first=C.S|date=2022-01-07|title=Tribute: The departure of director K.S. Sethumadhavan marks the end of a glorious era in South Indian cinema|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/tribute-the-departure-of-director-ks-sethumadhavan-marks-the-end-of-a-glorious-era-in-south-indian-cinema/article38166830.ece|access-date=2022-01-08|issn=0971-751X}}Rediff – [http://www.rediff.com/entertai/2002/may/29kss.htm Interview]

Since the early 1960s, he directed over 60 movies including many landmark films in the Malayalam film history such as Odayil Ninnu, Yakshi, Kadalpalam, Achanum Bappayum, Ara Nazhika Neram, Panitheeratha Veedu, Anubhavangal Palichakal, Punarjanmam and Oppol.{{cite news |title=Legend of Honour award for director Sethumadhavan Kochi News - Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kochi/legend-of-honour-award-for-director-sethumadhavan/articleshow/86020523.cms |access-date=10 October 2021 |work=The Times of India |date=8 Sep 2021 |language=en}}{{Cite news|last=Venkiteswaran|first=C.S|date=2010-06-18|title=Auteur par excellence|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/Auteur-par-excellence/article16258016.ece|access-date=2021-12-24|issn=0971-751X}}

He won numerous awards including ten National Film Awards and nine Kerala State Film Awards including four for Best Direction. In 2009, he was awarded the J. C. Daniel Award, Government of Kerala's highest honour for contributions to the Malayalam cinema.{{cite news |last1=Mathew |first1=Roy |title=J.C. Daniel Award for Sethumadhavan |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Thiruvananthapuram/J.C.-Daniel-Award-for-Sethumadhavan/article16300922.ece |access-date=10 October 2021 |work=The Hindu |date=13 May 2010 |language=en-IN}}

Life and career

K. S. Sethumadhavan was born to Subrahmanyam and Lakshmiyamma at Palghat, Madras Presidency, British India on 15 May 1931.{{citation needed|date= September 2022}} He had three sisters and one brother. His childhood was spent in Palakkad and in North Arcot, Tamil Nadu.{{citation needed|date= September 2022}} He completed his degree in biology from Government Victoria College, Palakkad. He debuted in the film industry as the Assistant Director to K. Ramnath. He later assisted directors L. V. Prasad, A. S. A. Swamy, Sunder Rao Nadkarni.{{citation needed|date= September 2022}}

He debuted as an independent film director with Veeravijaya, a Sinhalese film in 1960.Weblokam – [http://www.weblokam.com/cinema/profiles/0212/29/1021229043_1.htm Profile] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071121172513/http://www.weblokam.com/cinema/profiles/0212/29/1021229043_1.htm |date=21 November 2007 }} His first Malayalam film was Gnana Sundari, produced by T. E. Vasudevan under the banner of Associates Pictures based on a short story by Muttathu Varkey. He then went on to direct over 60 films including noted films Odayil Ninnu, Daaham, Sthanarthi Saramma, Koottukudumbam, Vazhve Mayam, Ara Nazhika Neram, Anubhavangal Palichakal, Karakanakkadal, Achanum Bappayum, Punarjanmam, Chattakkari, Oppol, Marupakkam, Kannada Movie Manini.{{citation needed|date= September 2022}}

His film Achanum Bappayum won the Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration, a part of National Film Awards, in 1973. His Tamil film Marupakkam won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in 1991. Thus it became the first Tamil film to win the award, the feat was repeated by Kanchivaram in 2007.{{cite book|last=Baskaran|first=Sundararaj Theodore |title=The Eye of the Serpent: An Introduction To Tamil Cinema|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3jBcAgAAQBAJ&pg=PT164|year=2013|publisher=Westland|isbn=978-93-83260-74-4|pages=164–}}

In 1996, his Telugu film Stri won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Telugu. He won the Kerala State Film Award for Best Director 4 times: for films Ara Nazhika Neram (1970), Karakanakkadal (1971), Pani Theeratha Veedu (1972) and Oppol (1980). He was the jury member for the National Film Awards in 1975 and 1980. In 1982, he was the chairman of the jury for the Kerala State Film Awards. He was the chairman of the National Film Awards jury in 2002, and was awarded the J. C. Daniel Award for the year 2009, honouring his achievements and contribution to Malayalam Cinema. In 2011, he was honoured with the Chalachitra Ratnam Award by the Kerala Film Critics Association.

{{cite web | title = Critics award: 'Gaddama' adjudged best film |publisher= Indian Express| url = http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/critics-award-gaddama-adjudged-best-film/755271/ |date= 26 February 2011| access-date = 13 May 2014}}

His son Santosh Sethumadhavan is also a filmmaker who remade the 1974 cult classic Chattakkari in 2012 but failed to create any impact, owing to the remake being overshadowed by the original film.{{citation needed|date= September 2022}}

Sethumadhavan died at his home in Chennai on 24 December 2021, at the age of 90.{{Cite news|title=പ്രശസ്ത ചലച്ചിത്ര സംവിധായകൻ കെ.എസ്.സേതുമാധവന്‍ അന്തരിച്ചു|url=https://www.manoramaonline.com/news/latest-news/2021/12/24/director-ks-sethumadhavan-passed-away.html|access-date=2021-12-24|work=Malayala Manorama|language=ml}}

Awards

; Filmfare Awards South

1972 – Filmfare Award for Best Director - Malayalam : Punarjanmam
1973 – Filmfare Best Director Award (Malayalam) : Pani Theeratha Veedu
1974 – Filmfare Best Director Award (Malayalam) : Chattakari
1980 – Filmfare Best Director Award (Malayalam) : Oppol

; Kerala State Film Awards

1970 – Best Director : Aranazhika Neram
1971 – Best Director : Karakanakadal
1971 – Third Best Film: Karakanakadal
1972 – Best Director : Panitheeratha Veedu
1972 – Best Film: Pani Theeratha Veedu
1974 – Second Best Film: Chattakari
1980 – Best Director : Oppol
1980 – Best Film: Oppol
2009 – J. C. Daniel Award

; Nandi Awards{{Cite web |url=http://ipr.ap.nic.in/New_Links/Film.pdf|title=నంది అవార్డు విజేతల పరంపర (1964–2008)|trans-title=A series of Nandi Award Winners (1964–2008)|publisher=Information & Public Relations of Andhra Pradesh|access-date=21 August 2020 | language=Telugu}}

1995 – Nandi Special Jury Award for Stri

; National Film Awards

1965 – Best Feature Film in Malayalam for Odayil Ninnu
1969 – Best Feature Film in Malayalam for Adimakal
1971 – Best Feature Film in Malayalam for Karakanakadal
1972 – Best Film on National Integration for Achanum Bappayum
1972 – Best Feature Film in Malayalam for Panitheeratha Veedu
1980 – Second Best Feature Film for Oppol
1990 – Best Feature Film for Marupakkam
1990 – Best Screenplay for Marupakkam
1994 – Best Feature Film in Tamil for Nammavar
1995 – Best Feature Film in Telugu for Stri

Selected filmography

Jnana Sundari (1961)
Kannum Karalum (1962)
Susheela (1963)
Nithya Kanyaka (1963)
Omanakuttan (1964)
Manavatty (1964)
Anna (1964)
Odeyil Ninnu (1965)
Daaham (1965)
Sthanarthy Saramma (1966)
Rowdy (1966)
Archana (1966)
Ollathu Mathi (1967)
Naadan Pennu (1967)
Kottayam Kolacase (1967)
Yakshi (1968)
Thokkukal Katha Parayunnu (1968)
Paal Manam (1968) - Tamil
Bharyamar Sookshikkuka (1968)
Kootu Kudumbam (1969)
Kadalpalam (1969)
Adimakal (1969)
Kalyaana Oorvalam (1970) - Tamil
Vazhve Mayam (1970)
Mindapennu (1970)
Kuttavali (1970)
Kalpana (1970)
Ara Nazhika Neram (1970)
Amma Enna Stree (1970)
Thettu (1971)
Oru Penninte Katha (1971)
Line Bus (1971)
Karakanakadal (1971)
Inqulab Zindabbad (1971)
Anubhavangal Paalichakal (1971)
Punarjanmam (1972)
Devi (1972)
Aadhyathe Katha (1972)
Achanum Bappayum (1972)
Panitheeratha Veedu (1973)
Kaliyugam (1973)
Chukku (1973)
Azhakulla Saleena (1973)
Kanyakumari (1974)
Jeevikkan Marannu Poya Sthree (1974)
Chattakari (1974)
Naalai Namadhe (1975) - Tamil
Makkal (1975)
Chuvanna Sandhyakal (1975)
Julie (1975) - Hindi
Priyamvada (1976)
Ormakal Marikkumo (1977)
Amme Anupame (1977)
Yehi Hai Zindagi (1977) - Hindi
Nakshathrangale Kaaval (1978)
Manini (1979) - Kannada
Oppol (1980)
Nijangal (1982) - Tamil
Ariyatha Veethikal (1984)
Aarorumariyathe (1984)
Avidathepole Ivideyum (1985)
Sunil Vayassu 20 (1986)
Venal Kinavukal (1991)
Marupakkam (1991) - Tamil
Nammavar (1994) - Tamil
Stri (1995) - Telugu

References

[http://www.cinemaofmalayalam.net/sethu.html 'Cinema of Malayalam' profile] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070825043240/http://www.cinemaofmalayalam.net/sethu.html |date=25 August 2007 }}