D. Shankar Singh

D. Shankar Singh Biography

D. Shankar Singh was one of the prominent film makers of Kannada film industry in the early talkies. He was one of the most established film directors & producers in the pre-independent era, who was also known as a screenwriter and exhibitor. He played an important role in establishing Kannada film industry, and one of the foremost filmmakers who own this designation. Jaganmohini in 1951 was his first film as a director, which holds the record of one of the earliest movies in Kannada language to complete 100 days of theatric run. He has directed many movies with themes taken from mythology, fantasy as well as family dramas.

Many of his family members belong to film industry. His wife Prathima Devi was a famous actress of yesterdays who appeared in more than 60 films, including some movies produced and directed by him. Their son Rajendra Singh Babu is a film director and daughter Vijayalakshmi Singh is an actress and producer. Filmmaker Jai Jagadish is his son-in-law while film actors of present day generation - Aditya Singh and Rishika Singh are his grandchildren.

Mysore based film director D. Shankar Singh was an employee with the Brooke Bond Tea company, before he forayed into films. He was also a freedom fighter, and a staunch follower of Mahatma Gandhi. His interest in movies brought him to the world where he was destined to. He came into contact with B. Vittalacharya, who also followed the same dream and wanted to get a break in films. They joined hands and started two talkies titled - "Mahatma Touring Talkies" and "Jawahar Touring Talkies", thus starting his career in films as an exhibitor.

The duo formed a new production house and named it "Mahatma Pictures" in 1946, one of the early banners in Kannada cinema. Krishnaleela was their first venture, released in 1947. Jaganmohini (1951), Bhakta Ramadas (1948), Nagakannika (1949), Dallali (1953), Madiddunno Maraaya (1954), Gandharva Kanya (1955), Bhale Kiladi (1970) and Bangarada Kalla (1973) are other major movies. Singh is credited to be first to explore the shooting locations in and around the state of Karnataka, when most of the films then were shot inside film studio. 

Published: September 17, 2018

Updated: September 17, 2018