B. R. Panthulu

Panthulu was born on 26 July 1910 in the village of Rallabudaguru of Arcot district in the erstwhile Madras state (in present-day Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh ).[2] He began his career as a teacher. Influenced by professional theatre during the time, he joined the troupe Chandrakala Nataka Mandali. He acted in plays Samsara Nouka, Sadarame and Guleba Kavali. He also worked for some time with Gubbi Veeranna's troupe and acted in Sri Krishna Garudi among others. Panthulu then formed his own Kannada professional theatre troupe, the Kalaseva Nataka Mandali, staging plays of his own choice.[2]

He made his debut as an actor in the 1936 Kannada film Samsara Nauka, an adaptation of the play he acted in. It was produced by Devi Films, based in Chennai. Directed by H. L. N. Simha, the film starred Panthulu, M. V. Rajamma, Dikki Madhava Rao, S. K. Padmadevi and M. S. Madhava Rao. The hero marries against his grandfather's wishes and is cast out. His troubles do not end there – he finds no favour with his in-laws, loses his job, and finds himself accused of murdering the bride his grandfather had chosen for him. The film was adapted from a play by the Chadrakala Natak Mandali, and remained true to the original's reformist ideal.

In 1950, he made the Tamil film Macharekhai, partnering with filmmaker P. Pullaiah under a stage company that later came to be known as Sukumar Productions with musician T. R. Mahalingam as his partner. With writer P. Neelakantan, he started the company Padmini Pictures, and produced the Tamil film Kalyanam Panniyum Brahmachari in 1954. Under the banner, he would go on to produce the Kannada films School Master (1958), Kittur Chennamma (1961) and Sri Krishnadevaraya (1970), that went on to become landmark films. His portrayal of Timmarusu, the Prime minister of the Vijayanagara King Krishnadevaraya, won him the Karnataka State Film Award for Best Actor.

As director, Panthulu his debut as a director with the Kannada film Rathnagiri Rahasya, a major commercial success during the time.[2] He has produced and directed 57 films in all South Indian languages under the banner of Padmini Pictures.[3]

International Film Awards for his film "Veerapandia Kattapomman"

National Film Awards

• 1958: All India Certificate of Merit for Third Best Feature film – School Master[4]
• 1959: Certificate of Merit for Best Feature Film in Tamil – Veerapandiya Kattabomman[5]
• 1961: Certificate of Merit for Best Feature Film in Kannada – Kittur Chennamma[6]
• 1961: President's silver medal for Best Feature Film in Tamil – Kappalottiya Thamizhan[6]

Karnataka State Film Awards

• 1969-70: Karnataka State Film Award for Best Actor - Sri Krishnadevaraya

Filmfare Awards South

• 1970: Filmfare Award for Best Film – Kannada - Sri Krishnadevaraya

A. N. Prahlada Rao has written a Book '"Danivillada Dhani" on B.R.Panthulu in Kannada, consisting of the details of his childhood, theatre, films produced in Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Hindi and Malayalam. The book was published by Karnataka Chalanachitra Academy. The book was released in November 2016 by Dr. Bharati Vishnuvardhan. Journalist and short story writer Jogi spoke on Book. S.V. Rajendra Singh Baabu presided.