Prema Karanth
Prema Karanth | |
---|---|
British India | |
Died | 29 October 2007 Bangalore, India | (aged 71)
Occupation(s) | Playwright, film director |
Spouse | B. V. Karanth (1958–2002) |
Prema Karanth (15 August 1936 – 29 October 2007) was an Indian theatre personality and the first-ever woman film-maker of Kannada cinema.[1] She was the wife of B. V. Karanth and was known for the children's plays that she staged. She became the first ever woman director in Kannada cinema when she directed the film Phaniyamma (1983), which was based on a novel by M. K. Indira.[1]
Early life
Prema Karanth was born in 1936 in
Career
In drama
Prema Karanth started her career as a dramatist and directed plays like Heddayana, Daithya, Banda Banda Gunavantha and Giant Mama which were mainly oriented towards children. Her plays were mainly those that were written in
In cinema
Prema's association with the cinema world started when she was chosen as the costume designer for G. V. Iyer's movie Hamsageethe.[3] She was also chosen as the art director for a film Kudre Motte in 1977. Initially associated only with art direction, Prema also tried her hand at film-making. Her first directorial venture was Phaniyamma which was based on a Kannada novel and this film earned her critical acclaim. The film is about the story of a girl who is widowed at a young age and her struggles and courage to overcome the stigma attached to it in a male-dominated society.[4]
Filmography
- Phaniyamma (1983) (director)
- Kudre Motte (1977) (art director)
- Hamsageethe (1975) (costume designer)
- Nakkala Rajakumari (1992) (director0
- Band jharonken (hindi) (1996)
References
- ^ a b c d e f "Theatre personality Prema Karanth dead". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 30 October 2007. Retrieved 1 November 2007.
- ^ a b c d "Committed to theatre". Online Edition of The Hindu, dated 2002-12-02. Retrieved 1 November 2001.
- ^ Wimal Dissanayake (2004), p83
- ^ Gwendolyn Audrey Foster (1995), p206
Sources
- Dissanayake, Wimal (2004). Indian Popular Cinema: A Narrative of Cultural Change. Trentham Books. ISBN 1-85856-329-1.
- Audrey Foster, Gwendolyn (1995). Women Film Directors: An International Bio-Critical Dictionary. Greenwood Press. ISBN 0-313-28972-7.