K. R. Seetharama Sastry Explained

K. R. Seetharama Sastry
Birth Date:22 September 1922
Birth Place:Kingdom of Mysore, British India
Nationality:Indian
Death Date:12 November 1977

K. R. Seetharama Sastry (Kannada: ಕು. ರಾ. ಸೀತಾರಾಮ ಶಾಸ್ತ್ರಿ) popularly known as Ku. Ra. Seetharama Sastry or simply Ku. Ra. Si was an Indian actor, writer, lyricist and director in Kannada film industry. After a career in theatre, Sastry's career in films was those of an actor, director, producer, screenwriter, lyricist and an occasional composer. He is considered one of the most influential personalities in the history of Kannada cinema.

Sastry began his film career as an actor in the mythological film, Rajasuya Yaaga (1937). After a brief stint as an actor, he turned into director, lyricist, writer and music composer for the film Mahakavi Kalidasa (1955) which emerged as a biggest commercial and critical success of the year. The film won the President's silver medal for Best feature film for the year.

Ku.Raa.See. was offered the lead role of the 1954 movie Bedara Kannappa by Gubbi Veeranna. However, he rejected it owing to the opportunity he got to work in the direction department of Shaw Brothers Studio, Hong Kong. The role was subsequently played by Rajkumar who went on to be the matinee idol of Kannada cinema.

Apart from Kannada language, Sastry directed 2 movies in Malay language: Kuraana Kaav and Iman (1954) - both of which were selected for the international film festival of Japan - thereby making him the first director from Karnataka whose movies were exhibited in an international platform. He also won international award for his direction.

Early life

Seetharama Sastry hailed from the Mysore Kingdom and was very active in theater during his early age. He found tutelage under Gubbi Veeranna, who is considered the pioneer of Kannada cinema. All his initial movies as an actor was directed by Veeranna.

Filmography

YearFilmLanguageFunctioned asNotes
DirectorComposerWriter (Screenplay/ Lyrics)Actor
1937Rajasuya YaagaKannada
1945Hemareddy MallammaKannada
1953GunasagariKannadaAlso assistant director
1954ImanMalay
1955Mahakavi KalidasaKannadaNational Film Award for Best Feature Film in Kannada
1956SadaarameKannada
1956OhileshwaraKannada
1956Hari BhaktaKannada
1958Anna ThangiKannada
1958BhookailasaKannada
1960Rani HonnammaKannada
1962ThejaswiniKannada
1963Veera KesariKannada
1963Mana Mecchida MadadiKannada
1963Jenu GooduKannada
1963KanyarathnaKannada
1963GowriKannada
1964Thumbida KodaKannada
1964Shivarathri MahathmeKannada
1964Muriyada ManeKannada
1965Mavana MagaluKannada
1965Beratha JeevaKannadaAlso producer
1966Madhu MalathiKannada
1968ManassakshiKannada
1969Suvarna BhoomiKannada
1969Mallammana PavaadaKannada
1969Madhura MilanaKannada
1969KalpavrukshaKannada
1970Takka Bitre SikkaKannada
1970Nadina BhagyaKannada
1971Sothu GeddavaluKannada
1971Samshaya PhalaKannada
1971Baala BandhanaKannada
1972TriveniKannada
1973Devaru Kotta ThangiKannada
1974Professor HuchurayaKannada
1974Anna AtthigeKannada
1975Onde Roopa Eradu GunaKannada
1975NireeksheKannada
1978DevadaasiKannada

Awards

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "K. R. Seetharama Sastry".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.