C. V. Sridhar

C. V. Sridhar
Born	Chithamur Vijayaraghavulu Sridhar (1933-07-22)22 July 1933 Chithamur, Chengalpattu, Madras Presidency, British India
Died	20 October 2008(2008-10-20) (aged 75) Chennai
Occupation	Film director producer screenwriter
Years active	1959–1991
Spouse(s)	Devasena
Parent(s)	Vijayaraghavulu Reddiar Thaayaramma

C. V. Sridhar (22 July 1933 – 20 October 2008) was a South Indian screenwriter and film director. He has directed nearly 60 films in Tamil, Hindi and Telugu.

Early life

Sridhar hailed from Chitthamur, a village near Madurantakam, Tamil Nadu. He studied at St. Joseph's Higher Secondary School, where he began writing and staging plays while he was in Grade seven.

Career

Entry

In 1951, 18-year-old Sridhar went to AVM Productions with his story Latchiyavathi but P. Neelakantan rejected his story.^[1] Avvai T. K. Shanmugam was very much impressed by the story and Sridhar wrote the screenplay and dialogues for the drama. It was staged as Raththa Paasam and was one of the most successful dramas staged by TKS brothers. Sridhar was proudly taken to the stage and introduced to the audience as the writer. It was later produced jointly by TKS and Jupiter pictures under Jupiter – Avvai Productions where Jupiter pictures recommended some other writer to write the dialogues for the film. It was T. K. Shanmugam who was staunch that Sridhar should write the screenplay and dialogues. Sridhar made his entry into films as a screen writer in Raththa Paasam. Later AVM Productions produced it in Hindi as Bhaai Bhaai starring Ashok Kumar and Kishore Kumar. The film gave a big commercial break for the music director Madan Mohan.^[2]

Sridhar wrote story and dialogues for Edhir Paradhathu. Sridhar wrote the dialogues in Tamil for the Telugu movie Parivartana and the movie was dubbed in 1955 as Latchadhipathi. Sridhar continued on writing for films like Maaman Magal, Maheswari, Amara Deepam, Maadharkula Manikkam, Engal Veetu Mahalakshmi, Yaar Paiyan, Manjal Mahimai, Uthama Puthiran and Punar Jenmam.

While working in Modern Theatres as writer for the film Maheswari, Sridhar had an opportunity to improve his knowledge and skills about film production. T. R. Sundaram had a huge library of international books about great films and directors, about film production, critical and technical essays. Sridhar had a very high esteem on the legendary director V. Shantaram.^[3]

Venus Pictures

In 1956, Sridhar turned producer along with associates Krishnamoorthi, Govindarajan and Sundararajan in Venus Pictures where he scripted Amara Deepam and followed by Uthama Puthiran. Both films had Sivaji Ganesan and Padmini as the main roles. He made his debut as a director with Kalyana Parisu. This movie ran for more than 25 weeks, and is revered to this day as a milestone in the history of Tamil cinema. After this, he had a huge fan following and his name was talked about among the middle class movie going audience.^[4]

Chithralaya

He started his own production company Chithralaya (the emblem was designed by Art director Ganga) in 1961 with his friends Gopu, Vincent, Sundaram and Tiruchi Arunachalam made Then Nilavu. The latter which had Gemini Ganesan and Vyjayanthimala in the lead was the first Tamil film to be shot in Jammu and Kashmir.^[5] He made a series of commercially successful films like Nenjil Ore Alayam, Kaadhalikka Neramillai, Vennira Adai and many more.

Film-making style

Sridhar wrote in a variety of styles, from the comical Kaadhalikka Neramillai to the serious Nenjil Or Aalayam. The latter was remade in Hindi with Rajendra Kumar and Meena Kumari as Dil Ek Mandir which earn him two nomination at Filmfare Awards, Best Director and Best Story categories. He brought out the best in comedians T. R. Ramachandran, K. A. Thangavelu, and Nagesh, and helped introduce Murthy to a wider audience in Vennira Adai. Murthy, now a TV and movie comedian, is still sometimes referred to as "Venniradai Moorthy" after the fame he received from his performance in the movie.^[6][7]

Sridhar's Kaadhalikka Neramillai was one of the greatest blockbusters of Tamil film history;. It was later remade in Hindi with actor Kishore Kumar and Shashi Kapoor. Sridhar helped launch the career of some of the celebrities in Tamil cinema namely R. Muthuraman and Devika in Nenjil Or Aalayam, Sreekanth, J. Jayalalithaa, Vennira Aadai Nirmala and Venniradai Moorthy in Vennira Adai (White Dress), Ravichandran, Kanchana and Rajasree in Kaadhalikka Neramillai, Jayashree in Thendralae Ennai Thodu and Vikram in Thanthu Vitten Ennai.

His Bollywood films include Nazrana (1961), Dil Ek Mandir (1963), Pyar Kiye Jaa (1966) and Gehri Chaal (1973). Nazrana, starring by Raj Kapoor, Vyjayanthimala, Usha Kiran and Gemini Ganesan in guest appearance, earned him Filmfare Award for Best Story.

Sridhar's films with Sivaji Ganesan include Ooty Varai Uravu, Nenjirukkum Varai, Sivantha Mann. Sivanthaman was the first color movie in Tamil shot at foreign locations. Dharti, the Hindi version was released in 1970.

With M. G. Ramachandran, he made Urimai Kural (which was a commercial success) and Meenava Nanban (which happened to be MGR's last movie).

In all his films he used a combination of stars, melodrama and melodious songs. He has directed films in Tamil, Hindi and Telugu. Sridhar was considered an expert in song picturisation as he could transform any song into sheer poetry. The formidable Sridhar – Kannadasan – M. S. Viswanathan combination held a magic spell on the audience and the songs contributed to the tremendous success of those films.

Retirement and death

In 1997 when Sridhar was in poor health, Rajinikanth offered financial help to tide him over, but Sridhar refused the charity. He gave the same reply to director P. Vasu, who was his disciple. Sridhar, whose career spanned four decades, is credited with understanding the pulse of the public and creating movies in tune with the times.

Sridhar died of Heart attack in Chennai on 20 October 2008.^[8]

Filmography

List of films directed by Sridhar. You may refer to the notes for the extra activities of him in the particular films.

Year	Film	Credited as				Language	Notes
		Director	Producer	Story	Screenplay/ Dialogues
1954	Ratha Paasam	N	N	Y	Y	Tamil
1954	Edhir Paradhathu	N	N	Y	Y	Tamil
1955	Maheswari			Y	Y	Tamil
1955	Latchadhipathi	N	N	N	Y	Tamil	Telugu dubbing of Parivartana
1955	Maman Magal				Y	Tamil
1956	Amara Deepam	N	Y	Y	Y	Tamil
1956	Bhai-Bhai			Y		Hindi
1956	Madhar Kula Manikkam				Y	Tamil
1957	Enga Veettu Mahalakshmi				Y	Tamil
1957	Yaar Paiyan				Y	Tamil
1958	Uthama Puthiran	N	Y	Y	Y	Tamil
1959	Manjal Mahimai				Y	Tamil
1959	Kalyana Parisu	Y	Y	Y	Y	Tamil	Certificate of Merit for Best Feature Film in Tamil
1960	Pelli Kanuka	Y		Y		Telugu
1960	Meenda Sorgam	Y				Tamil
1960	Vidivelli	Y	N	Y	Y	Tamil
1961	Then Nilavu	Y	Y	Y	Y	Tamil
1961	Punar Jenmam	N	N	N	Y	Tamil
1961	Nazrana	Y	N	Y		Hindi	Filmfare Award for Best Story
1962	Sumaithaangi	Y	N	Y	Y	Tamil
1962	Policekaran Magal	Y				Tamil
1962	Nenjil Or Aalayam	Y	Y	Y	Y	Tamil	President's Silver Medal for Best Feature Film in Tamil
1963	Nenjam Marappathillai	Y	N	N	Y	Tamil
1963	Dil Ek Mandir	Y	N	Y	N	Hindi	Nominated: Filmfare Award for Best Director Nominated: Filmfare Award for Best Story
1964	Kalai Kovil	Y	N	Y	Y	Tamil
1964	Kaadhalikka Neramillai	Y	Y	Y	Y	Tamil
1965	Vennira Aadai	Y	Y	Y	Y	Tamil
1966	Pyar Kiye Jaa	Y				Hindi
1966	Manase Mandiram	Y				Telugu
1966	Kodimalar	Y	N	Y	Y	Tamil
1967	Nenjirukkum Varai	Y	Y	Y	N	Tamil
1967	Nai Roshni	Y				Hindi
1967	Ooty Varai Uravu	Y	N	Y	Y	Tamil
1968	Saathi	Y	N	Y	N	Hindi
1969	Sivandha Mann	Y	Y	Y	Y	Tamil
1970	Uttharavindri Ulle Vaa	Y				Tamil
1970	Dharti	Y				Hindi
1971	Duniya Kya Jane	Y				Hindi
1971	Avalukendru Oru Manam	Y	Y	Y	Y	Tamil
1973	Alaigal	Y	Y	Y	Y	Tamil
1973	Gehri Chaal	Y	Y			Hindi
1974	Urimai Kural	Y	N	Y	Y	Tamil
1975	Vaira Nenjam	Y	Y	Y	Y	Tamil
1975	Ninagai Nanu	Y				Telugu
1975	Lakshmi Nirdoshi	Y
1975	Jagruthi	Y				Hindi
1976	Oh Manju	Y				Tamil
1977	Seeta Geeta Datithe	Y				Tamil
1977	Anna Nee En Deivam	Y	N	Y	Y	Tamil
1977	Meenava Nanban	Y	N	Y	Y	Tamil
1978	Ilamai Oonjalaadugirathu	Y	N	Y	Y	Tamil
1978	Vayasu Pilichindi	Y	N	Y	Y	Telugu
1979	Urvasi Niney Naa Priyasi	Y
1979	Azhage Unnai Aarathikkiren	Y	N	Y	Y	Tamil
1980	Saundariyame Varuga Varuga	Y				Tamil
1980	Hare Krishna Hello Radha	Y
1981	Mohana Punnagai	Y	N	Y	Y	Tamil
1982	Ninaivellam Nithya	Y	N	Y	Y	Tamil
1982	Dil-E-Nadaan	Y	N	Y	Y	Hindi
1983	Thudikkum Karangal	Y	N	Y	Y	Tamil
1983	Oru Odai Nadhiyagirathu	Y	Y	Y	Y	Tamil
1984	Alaya Deepam	Y	N	Y	Y	Tamil
1984	Unnaithedi Varuven	Y				Tamil
1984	Thendrale Ennai Thodu	Y				Tamil
1986	Yaaro Ezhuthiya Kavithai	Y	N	Y	Y	Tamil
1986	Naanum Oru Thozhilali	Y	Y	Y	Y	Tamil
1986	Kulirkaala Megangal	Y	N	Y	Y	Tamil
1987	Iniya Uravu Poothathu	Y	N	Y	Y	Tamil
1988	Premayanam	Y				Telugu
1991	Thanthu Vitten Ennai	Y	Y	Y	Y	Tamil

Awards

Won

• 1959: Certificate of Merit for Best Feature Film in Tamil – Kalyana Parisu^[9]
• 1962: President's Silver Medal for Best Feature Film in Tamil – Nenjil Or Aalayam^[10]
• Kalaimamani Award from State Sangeeth Natak Academy.
• Filmfare Award for Best Story for Nazrana (1961).

Nominated

• Filmfare Award for Best Director for Dil Ek Mandir (1963)
• Filmfare Award for Best Story for Dil Ek Mandir (1963)

References

External links

• C.V. Sridhar at the Internet Movie Database
• C. V. Sridhar's Sterling Face of Romance