# B. R. Panthulu

Budaguru Ramakrishnaiah Panthulu (26 July 1910 – 8 October 1974) was an Indian film director, producer and actor. He is best known for directing films in Tamil, Kannada, Telugu and Hindi. His most popular films are Karnan, Veerapandiya Kattabomman, Sri Krishnadevaraya, School Master and Kittur Channamma, B. R. Panthulu, is a successful actor and converted Ma. Po. Si.'s biographic works Veerapandiya Kattabomman (a movie about a local chieftain who fought with the British in the 18th century in Tamil Nadu) and Kappalottiya Thamizhan (a movie about a lawyer who rebelled against the British rule that forbade Tamils operating shipping companies) to celluloid.

## Early life

Panthulu was born on 26 July 1910 in the village of Rallabudaguru of North Arcot in the erstwhile Madras Presidency of British India (in present-day Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh, India). 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.

## Career

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 made his debut with the Kannada film Rathnagiri Rahasya (1957), a major commercial success during the time. He produced and directed a total of 57 films in all South Indian languages under the banner of Padmini Pictures.

## Filmography

| Year | Title | Credited as | Credited as | Credited as | Language | Role | Notes |
| Year | Title | Director | Producer | Actor | Language | Role | Notes |
| 1936 | Samsara Nauka | N | N | Y | Kannada | Sundar | |
| 1941 | Bhaktimala | N | N | Y | Telugu | Mohan | |
| 1943 | Radha Ramana | N | N | Y | Kannada | | |
| 1944 | Tahsildar | N | N | Y | Telugu | | |
| 1946 | Lavangi | N | N | Y | Tamil | | |
| 1947 | Nam Iruvar | N | N | Y | Tamil | Jayakumar | |
| 1948 | Bhaktha Jana | N | N | Y | Tamil | Panthoji | |
| 1950 | Macha Rekai | N | N | Y | Tamil | | |
| 1953 | Ammalakkalu | N | N | Y | Telugu | | |
| 1954 | Kalyanam Panniyum Brahmachari | N | Y | Y | Tamil | | |
| 1954 | Jaladurga | N | N | Y | Kannada | | |
| 1954 | Karkottai | N | N | Y | Tamil | | |
| 1955 | Modala Thedi | N | Y | Y | Kannada | Shivram | |
| 1955 | Mudhal Thethi | N | Y | Y | Tamil | | |
| 1955 | Vadina | N | Y | Y | Telugu | | |
| 1955 | Shivasharane Nambekka | N | Y | Y | Kannada | | |
| 1955 | Doctor Savithri | N | N | Y | Tamil | | |
| 1956 | Sivasakthi | N | Y | Y | Tamil | | |
| 1957 | Thangamalai Ragasiyam | Y | Y | Y | Tamil | | |
| 1957 | Rathnagiri Rahasya | Y | Y | Y | Kannada | | |
| 1958 | Sabaash Meena | Y | Y | Y | Tamil | | |
| 1958 | School Master | Y | Y | Y | Kannada | Ranganna | |
| 1958 | Suhag | Y | Y | Y | Hindi | | |
| 1959 | School Master | Y | Y | Y | Hindi | | |
| 1959 | Abba! A Hudgi | N | N | Y | Kannada | | |
| 1959 | Veerapandya Kattabomman | Y | Y | Y | Tamil | | |
| 1959 | Veerapandya Kattabrahmana | Y | Y | Y | Telugu | | |
| 1959 | Sabaash Pilla | Y | Y | Y | Telugu | | |
| 1959 | Amar Shaheed | Y | Y | Y | Hindi | | |
| 1960 | Pillalu Techina Challani Rajyam | Y | Y | Y | Telugu | | |
| 1960 | Kuzhandhaigal Kanda Kudiyarasu | Y | Y | Y | Tamil | | |
| 1960 | Makkala Rajya | Y | Y | Y | Kannada | | |
| 1960 | Sangaili Thevan | Y | Y | Y | Tamil | | |
| 1961 | Kittur Chennamma | Y | Y | Y | Kannada | | |
| 1961 | Kappalottiya Thamizhan | Y | Y | Y | Tamil | | |
| 1961 | Kaanal Neer | N | N | Y | Tamil | Apparao | |
| 1962 | Gaali Gopura | Y | Y | Y | Kannada | | |
| 1962 | Bale Pandiya | Y | Y | Y | Tamil | | |
| 1962 | Dil Tera Diwana | Y | Y | Y | Hindi | | |
| 1962 | Gaali Medalu | Y | Y | Y | Telugu | | |
| 1963 | Pempudu Koothuru | Y | Y | Y | Telugu | | |
| 1963 | Saaku Magalu | Y | Y | Y | Kannada | | |
| 1964 | School Master | N | Y | N | Malayalam | | |
| 1964 | Chinnada Gombe | Y | Y | Y | Kannada | | |
| 1964 | Karnan | Y | Y | Y | Tamil | | |
| 1964 | Muradan Muthu | Y | Y | Y | Tamil | | |
| 1965 | Aayirathil Oruvan | Y | Y | Y | Tamil | | |
| 1966 | Dudde Doddappa | Y | Y | Y | Kannada | Somayya | |
| 1966 | Nadodi | Y | Y | Y | Tamil | | |
| 1966 | Enga Paappa | Y | Y | Y | Tamil | | 25th Film |
| 1966 | Nammaveetu Lakshmi | Y | Y | Y | Tamil | | |
| 1966 | Emme Thammanna | Y | Y | Y | Kannada | | |
| 1966 | Parakkum Pavai | N | N | Y | Tamil | | |
| 1967 | Gange Gowri | Y | Y | | Kannada | | |
| 1967 | Beedi Basavanna | Y | Y | Y | Kannada | | |
| 1968 | Ragasiya Police 115 | Y | Y | Y | Tamil | | |
| 1968 | Amma | Y | Y | Y | Kannada | Hullalli Ramaraya | |
| 1968 | Chinnari Puttanna | Y | Y | Y | Kannada | | |
| 1969 | Gandondu Hennaru | Y | Y | Y | Kannada | | |
| 1970 | Sri Krishnadevaraya | Y | Y | Y | Kannada | Timmarusu | |
| 1970 | Thedi Vandha Mappillai | Y | Y | Y | Tamil | | |
| 1971 | Aliya Geleya | Y | Y | Y | Kannada | | |
| 1971 | Malathi Madhava | Y | Y | Y | Kannada | | |
| 1972 | Ondu Hennina Kathe | Y | Y | Y | Kannada | | |
| 1973 | Ganga Gowri | Y | Y | Y | Tamil | | |
| 1973 | School Master | Y | Y | Y | Tamil | | |
| 1974 | Kadavul Mama | Y | Y | Y | Tamil | | |

## Awards

International Film Awards for his film "Veerapandia Kattapomman"
| Award | Ceremony | Category | Nominee(s) | Outcome |
| Afro-Asian Film Festival | Afro-Asian Film Festival - 1960 | Best Film | B. R. Panthulu | Won |
| Afro-Asian Film Festival | Afro-Asian Film Festival - 1960 | Best Actor | Sivaji Ganesan | Won |
| Afro-Asian Film Festival | Afro-Asian Film Festival - 1960 | Best Music Director | G. Ramanathan | Won |

### National Film Awards

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

### 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

## Biography

Pathulu's biography in Kannada titled Danivillada Dhani was written by A. N. Prahlada Rao, and published in 2016 by the Karnataka Chalanachitra Academy.