Tribute 853.

Tribute to Director Puttanna Kanagal 853 Today, I am going to pen a tribute to another impressive director who created a significant impact three decades ago — none other than Director Puttanna Kanagal. His contribution to cinema across all four South Indian languages—Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam—as well as Hindi, is invaluable. The top-class actors of Kannada cinema today were introduced by this stalwart. Late Vishnu Vardhan held the highest regard for this doyenne of cinema. His films, often revolving around social issues, brought a revolution in those days—this is no exaggeration. He started his career with the late veteran B.R. Pantalu and later established his own identity. Known for his directorial touch and mass appeal, his films left a lasting impression. I have seen a few of his notable works, such as Teacharamma, Sudarum Suravaliyum, Irulum Oliyum (Tamil), Nagara Haavu (Kannada), Hum Paanch, and Zahreela Insaan (Hindi), all of which are significant in their own right. His films were known for crisp dialogues, lilting music, and good cinematography—elements that became more apparent in his creations. Puttanna Kanagal’s creativity and presentation were unmatched, and no one can deny his influence. He hailed from Kanagal, a town near Konnanur in Hassan District, Karnataka. I used to pass through Kanagal when I was working in Mysore three decades ago—a beautiful place indeed. Even though this stalwart is no longer with us, his memorable movies and his smiling face remain etched in our hearts. Karnataka can never forget this gifted and talented director. Today, I am happy to pay tribute to this legend. See you next week, K. Ragavan 20-1-25