Puttanna Kanagal - A legendary film director

The full name of Puttanna Kanagal, Shubraveshti Ramaswamiah Seetharama Sharma, who hailed from a tiny village Kanagal which is situated on the banks of the river Kaveri, it was learnt that his childhood days were no so smooth he used to work as cleaner, driver in a private transport company, apart from these he has also worked as salesman and also as a teacher.



He started his role in the film world as a publicity boy, later he acted in several professional theatre groups, at this place he met the legendary film maker B.R.Panthulu and started working as his assistant.

The Kannada film were in trouble and also doldrums when Puttanna has entered the film world as most of production of the Kannada movies were used to took place at Madras or at Hyderabad, and majority of movies were also being dubbed from other languages, he has brought a stardom to directors position at this period.

Puttanna entered Kannada cinema when it was going through a crisis. Production of most Kannada films took place in Madras and Hyderabad, while a huge number of films were also being dubbed.

Among many greatest protagonists which Kannada film world, Puttanna Kanagal stands tall, as he has brought laurels not only to Kannada films but he has shown to the world that film directors too have a fan clubs. He has achieved this feat in 1960 to 1970, he is also famous for his technical mastery on certain subjects of contemporary aspect, he is a massive crowd puller through his movies, whether it could be romantic or psychological, he has directed several Malayalam and Hindi movies also.

In 1968 which he had made a movie Bellimoda a masterpiece, the star cast which includes Kalpana and T.N.Balakrishna, which was a grand success and a phenomenal movies till date.

In the late 1970's, one of the classic movie in the Kannada film world Gejjepooje, which was a tragic story and a grand galaxy of stars which includes Kalpana, Leelavath, Arathi and Aswath, whether it could be music, or photography everything in his movies were masterpiece.

Next in 1970's another classic movie Sharapanjara a film based on psychological connotation which was unusual in those times, the main role was portrayed by Late.Kalpana, this movie has been considered as the pinnacle of an mind.



The name ‘Ramachari', nobody can forget, the name of the movie is Nagarahavu. which was made in the year 1972, which was shot entirely in Chitradurga, the story revolves around an adolescent who revolts against society, Late.Vishnuvardhan was at his peak from acting point of view, other star cast includes Aswath, Leelavathi, Lokanath, Arathi, Shubha, Shivaram etc. This movie has brought the in depth talent from Vishnuardhan and this movie made a star overnight.

A most talented actress Arathi has been portrayed in and as Ranganayaki, which was made in the year 1981, this movie revolves round an intense passion for the profession she was in as a professional stage artist.



The films made by Puttanna Kanagal always saw women in a lime light and subject of his movies always bold and always used to highlight the problems in society not only of that time, but one can find such problems even today, the movies directed by him were even today considered as masterpieces, and undoubtedly he was one of the finest direct not only in Kannada film world but in India.

Puttanna Kanagal thought at that time that he had a long innings before him to make some more classics, but the end came too suddenly and expectedly. He died at the age of 52, creating a void in the Kannada film industry.