Ananthu (screenwriter) explained

Ananthu
Birth Name:Ananthakrishnan
Birth Place:Kandiramanikkam
Death Date:1998
Occupation:Film director, Screenwriter
Years Active:1970–1997

Ananthakrishnan, better known as Ananthu, was an Indian screenwriter working on Tamil language films, often collaborating with K. Balachander. He was the mentor of actor Kamal Haasan.[1] [2] [3] [4]

Early life

Ananthu was born as Ananthakrishnan at a village called Kandiramanickam near Karaikudi and Thirupathur. His father Thiruvengadam was working in South Indian Corporation. He studied B. S. C. chemistry. He worked as demonstrator at colleges and then later worked as clerk at A. G. S. Office where he met Balachander.[5] He worked as dialogue writer for Balachander's plays while also participating in story discussions.

Career

Ananthu was a screenwriter and close associate of director K. Balachander. He also worked with director C. Rudraiah on his two films. In the title card, Rudhraiya had dedicated the film Aval Appadithan to Ananthu. Ananthu was sub-dialogue writer with Chitralaya Gopu for the films Anubhavam Pudhumai and Galatta Kalyanam directed by C. V. Rajendran. Ananthu acted in the film Galatta Kalyanam with Sivaji Ganesan and Jayalalitha after intermission.[6] [7]

In 1991, Ananthu directed Sigaram starring S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, Anand Babu, Radha and Ramya Krishnan.[8] A critic noted "with an eye for realism and a talent for profound dialogue, Ananthu makes this a memorable entry into the annals of parallel cinema."[9]

Work experience with Kamal Haasan

Ananthu was considered by Kamal Haasan as a close associate and mentor.[10] Through Ananthu, Haasan was able to maintain close ties with K. Balachander.[11]

In the early 1970s, Kamal Haasan had become jaded and suicidal with the monotonous, low-key roles that he was receiving from Tamil cinema. He later credited Ananthu for reinvigorating his interest in films, after taking up his suggestion of moving to work on Malayalam films.[12] During the period, Ananthu continued to nurture Kamal Haasan's talent by evaluating his on-screen performances and by introducing him to world cinema.[13] Haasan has also credited Ananthu for teaching him screenwriting.

Ananthu continued to work closely with Haasan for a number of his films in the 1990s through various capacities. He was behind the title of Nammavar, a term also later adapted by Kamal Haasan in his political activities.[14]

Following Ananthu's death in 1998, Kamal Haasan's first Tamil directorial venture Hey Ram (2000) was dedicated to Ananthu.[15] After winning the Henri Langlois award in 2016, Kamal Haasan dedicated the award to Ananthu.[16] An official portrait of Ananthu was inaugurated in 2019 at Kamal Haasan's offices as a part of celebrations marking the actor's 60th year in the film industry.[17]

Partial filmography

Year! rowspan="2"
WorkCredited forNotes
StoryScreenplayDialoguesDirectionActing
1968Galatta Kalyanam
1970Kalyaana Oorvalam
1978Aval Appadithan
1980Gramathu Athiyayam
1981Meendum Kokila[18]
1981Raja Paarvai
1984Pudhiavan
1987Kadamai Kanniyam Kattupaadu
1988Sathyaa
1988En Thamizh En Makkal
1989Apoorva Sagodharargal
1989Siva
1990Unnai Solli Kutramillai
1990Keladi Kannmanii[19]
1990Michael Madana Kama Rajan[20]
1990Raja Kaiya Vacha
1990Oru Veedu Iru Vaasal[21]
1990Anjali
1991Sigaram[22]
1991Gunaa[23]
1995Sathi Leelavathi
1996Kalloori Vaasal
1996Kadhal PagadaiTV series
1997Aahaa

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Kumar . Rajitha . 8 November 2000 . Kamal, as we know him . live . https://archive.today/20190311093817/https://www.rediff.com/movies/2000/nov/08kamal.htm . 11 March 2019 . 16 August 2020 . Rediff.com.
  2. Web site: 6 April 2017 . 'Kamal does not have money': Rajini at Chandrahasan memorial meet . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20201122055044/http://www.coastaldigest.com/kamal-does-not-have-money-rajini-chandrahasan-memorial-meet . 22 November 2020 . 16 August 2020 . Coastal Digest.
  3. News: Raman . Mohan . Mohan Raman . 3 January 2015 . KB: Kollywood's Discovery Channel . . live . 16 August 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150501063135/http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/kb-kollywoods-discovery-channel/article6751541.ece . 1 May 2015.
  4. News: Guy . Randor . Randor Guy . 2 May 2011 . The KB school . . live . 16 August 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150428082107/http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/article1985626.ece . 28 April 2015.
  5. 29 December 1996 . எனக்கு எல்லாமே சினிமா தான்! . live . . ta . 66–67 . https://archive.today/20230328171701/https://archive.org/details/kalki1996-12-29/page/66/mode/2up . 28 March 2023 . 28 March 2023.
  6. News: 19 November 2014 . Rudhraiya: The man whose film shook the Tamil industry . . live . 16 August 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200725010901/https://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/rudhraiya-obituary-kamal-haasan-pays-homage-to-rudhraiya/article6615265.ece . 25 July 2020.
  7. Web site: Sundaram . Nandhu . 18 November 2017 . 'Aval Appadithan': Why this '70s drama was ahead of its time in telling women's stories . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20200226020048/https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/aval-appadithan-why-70s-drama-was-ahead-its-time-telling-women-s-stories-71813 . 26 February 2020 . 17 August 2020 . The News Minute.
  8. Web site: Muralidharan . Kavitha . 3 November 2016 . SPB's masterly voice, a tonic for all seasons . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20201023144959/https://www.dtnext.in/News/City/2016/11/03093833/1020621/SPBs-masterly-voice-a-tonic-for-all-seasons.vpf . 23 October 2020 . 16 August 2020 . DT Next.
  9. Web site: 19 January 2004 . Sigaram . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20201122055044/http://www.geocities.ws/ram_aishoo/Sigaram.htm . 22 November 2020 . 16 August 2020 . GeoCities.
  10. Web site: Nurullah . Abdullah . 7 December 2017 . Kamal Haasan reveals names of writers who have inspired him . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20190507085938/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/kamal-haasan-reveals-names-of-writers-who-have-inspired-him/articleshow/61967682.cms . 7 May 2019 . 16 August 2020 . The Times of India.
  11. Web site: Gupta . Priya . 22 June 2015 . I was possessive about K Balachander: Kamal Haasan . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20161020190412/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/kannada/movies/news/I-was-possessive-about-K-Balachander-Kamal-Haasan/articleshow/47765658.cms . 20 October 2016 . 16 August 2020 . The Times of India.
  12. Web site: 13 June 2020 . When Kamal Haasan Skyped AR Rahman In Thalaivanirukkindraan . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20200824033506/https://www.filmcompanion.in/features/tamil-features/when-kamal-haasan-skyped-ar-rahman-in-thalaivanirukkindraan/ . 24 August 2020 . 16 August 2020 . Film Companion.
  13. Web site: 22 December 2015 . Kamal Haasan's heart-to-heart with AISFM students! . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20200129005543/http://www.aisfm.edu.in/blog/2015/kamal-haasans-heart-to-heart-with-aisfm-students/ . 29 January 2020 . 16 August 2020 . AISFM Blog.
  14. Web site: Shoba . V . 2 August 2018 . Kamal Haasan: A Star in Search of a Bigger Sky . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20201122055111/https://openthemagazine.com/cover-stories/kamal-haasan-a-star-in-search-of-a-bigger-sky/ . 22 November 2020 . 16 August 2020 . Open.
  15. Web site: Rangan . Baradwaj . Baradwaj Rangan . 17 October 2014 . Master of Arts . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210211060934/https://baradwajrangan.wordpress.com/2014/10/17/master-of-arts/ . 11 February 2021 . 22 November 2020 . Baradwaj Rangan.
  16. Web site: 31 March 2016 . Henri Langlois award for Kamal Haasan . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160512160434/http://www.sify.com/movies/henri-langlois-award-for-kamal-haasan-news-tamil-qd5l1yacgchji.html . 12 May 2016 . 16 August 2020 . Sify.
  17. News: 8 November 2019 . Kamal Haasan and Rajinikanth join hands to unveil their mentor K Balachander's statue . . live . 16 August 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200831044754/https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/kamal-and-rajinikanth-join-hands-to-unveil-their-mentor-k-balachanders-statue/article29918631.ece . 31 August 2020.
  18. Web site: 8 January 2018 . 37 வருடத்துக்குப் பிறகு 'மீண்டும் கோகிலா' : இயக்குனர் நெகிழ்ச்சி . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210324191823/https://www.googletagservices.com/tag/js/gpt.js . 24 March 2021 . 24 March 2021 . . ta.
  19. Web site: Vinoth Kumar . N . 22 August 2020 . 30 years of Keladi Kanmani, a film that established SPB as an actor . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20201004120511/https://thefederal.com/features/30-years-of-keladi-kanmani-a-film-that-established-spb-as-an-actor/ . 4 October 2020 . 11 February 2021 . The Federal.
  20. News: ராம்ஜி . வி. . 18 October 2020 . 'திருப்பு திருப்புன்னான்', 'மீன் பிடிக்கிற கரண்டி', 'கேட்ச் மை பாயிண்ட்', 'கடன்பட்டார் நெஞ்சம் போல் கலங்கினான்', 'அங்கவஸ்திர ஜரிகை மாதிரி மளிகை லிஸ்ட்', 'இது இங்கிலீஷ் மீனாக்கும்!', 'பீம்பாய் பீம்பாய்'; - காமெடியில் தனி சரித்திரம் படைத்த 'மைக்கேல் மதன காமராஜன்' 30 ஆண்டுகள்! . ta . . live . 26 February 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201101103211/https://www.hindutamil.in/news/cinema/tamil-cinema/592325-30-years-of-michel-madhana-kamarajan.html . 1 November 2020.
  21. News: 7 September 1990 . Oru Veedu Iru Vaasal . 7 . . 22 November 2020.
  22. News: Krishnaswamy . N. . 25 January 1991 . Sigaram . 5 . . 22 November 2020.
  23. News: Rajendar . Gopinath . 14 June 2018 . Santhana Bharathi talks about going in circles for 'Guna' . . live . 22 November 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190114153359/http://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/2018/jun/14/santhana-bharathi-talks-about-going-in-circles-for-guna-1827800.html . 14 January 2019.

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