New Delhi: Legendary film director K. Vishwanath passed away in Hyderabad on Thursday, February 2, at the age of 92 while undergoing treatment for age-related illnesses at a hospital.
In a career spanning seven decades, Vishwanath wrote, directed and acted in several movies. Though his work was primarily in Telugu cinema, he also directed several Hindi remakes. He was known for making films about social issues and frequently collaborated with the actor Kamal Haasan, who starred in movies like Sagara Sangamam (1983) and Swathi Muthyam (1986). Vishwanath’s best-known film is Sankarabharanam (1980).
In a note posted on Twitter, Haasan paid tribute to Vishwanath, calling him “master”.
“Kalathapasvi K. Viswanath gaaru fully understood the transience of life and immortality of art. Hence, his art will be celebrated beyond his lifetime and reign. Long live his art. An ardent fan, Kamal Haasan,” the note said.
Salute to a master . pic.twitter.com/zs0ElDYVUM
— Kamal Haasan (@ikamalhaasan) February 3, 2023
His films won five National Film Awards and seven state Nandi Awards.
For his work, he was conferred with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, the highest award in Indian cinema, in 2017. He was also a recipient of the Padma Shri.
He began his career as an assistant director for the 1951 movie Patala Bhairavi. His first film was Aatma Gowaravan in 1965 and his last was Subhapradam in 2010. He last appeared on screen as an actor in the 2022 movie Oppanda.