A real pearl among Telugu film directors
Sankarabharanam brought him eternal fame
Kasinadhuni Viswanath had given immense cultural wealth (siri) to the Telugu people through his courteous and respectable films. It is difficult to evaluate the treasure presented to the people by the great director. The film Sirivennela forced the youth in the eighties to check ‘Sabdaratnakaram’ to know the meaning of the songs in the film. “I was eye-witness to a group of friends who heard the songs of Sirivennela repeatedly throughout the entire night by using a hand-size tape-recorder in Machilipatnam”. The sentence ‘Kanula kolanulo Prathibimbinchina Viswaroopa Vinayasam’ in a song in Sirivennela film moved the youth at that time. The films like Sankarabharanam, Saptapadi and Siri Siri Muvva are not only musical hits but also considered revolutionary. In an interview, Viswanath said, “One should have devotion more than respect for Telugu literature. Only then good literature comes.”
Viswanath, the legend, introduced the best lyric writer Sitarama Sastry to Telugu film industry, who penned a number of Telugu lyrics rich with literature. A salute by the primepost to the great genius, a true Kalatapasvi.
