B. V. Karanth

B. V. Karanth Biography

Babukodi Venkataramana Karanth, shortly known as B.V.Karanth was a renowned film and theatre personality from Karnataka. His contributions to Kannada theatre and movies are immensely huge. He was one of the pioneers of Kannada and Hindi New Wave Cinema. He completed his studies in National School of Drama in the year 1962 and has later given major contributions to Indian art world. Government of India has honoured him with the Padma Shri. He has also received Kalidas Samman (Madhya Pradesh), the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (1976) and the Gubbi Veeranna Award (Karnataka Government). He has received National awards four times - For Best Direction - Vamsha Vriksha (1972), Best Feature Film - Chomana Dudi (1976) and National Film Award for Best Music Direction continuously for two years (1977 and 1978) for the movies, Rishya Shrunga and Ghata Shraddha, thus completing a hat-trick at National awards.

Babukodi Venkataramana Karanth was born in Manchi of Bantwal taluk of Dakshina Kannada district in 1928. From a child itself he was fascinated with theatre and drama and did his first play when he was only 8. He then ran away from home and joined the legendary Gubbi Veeranna drama company where he worked along with Kannada actor Rajkumar. He went to Benaras to pursue Master’s degree in Arts and he happened to learn Hindustani music under Guru Omkarnath Thakur. Karanth set up "Benaka", one of Bangalore's oldest theater groups with the help of his wife, Prema. He graduated from the NSD, and eventually became the director of his drama group. Karanth directed over a hundred plays, majority of them were of Kannada with Hindi following second.

Apart from drama direction, he directed four feature films and four documentaries and majority of them have won National awards as well. He has played the role of music composer for 26 movies of which he won National awards twice. Karanth conducted three workshops in Andra Pradesh - 'Bhishma' in 1996, 'Chandipriya' in 1997 and 'Basthidevatha yadamma'. He did so to make drama popular among common man. He is also responsible for starting the new theatre movement in Madhya Pradesh.

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Updated: April 10, 2014