K S L Swamy, a very energetic and passionate artiste

Veteran Kannada filmmaker K S L Swamy ‘Ravee,’ known for his ‘classicist movies,’ passed away here on Tuesday. He was 77.

Kikkeri Shamanna Lakshminarasimha Swamy, who underwent treatment for respiratory problem at a private hospital last week, died at his residence in Horamavu early Tuesday morning. A native of Kikkeri village in Mandya district, he is survived by wife and actress B V Radha and daughter Dhanalakshmi.

Scores of people from various walks of life paid their last respects to Swamy after his body was kept at Samsa Open Air Theatre at Ravindra Kalakshetra.

Swamy breathed his last when he was working on his dream mega serial ‘Sri Shankara Digvijayam’, based on the life and achievements of Adi Shankara, the proponent of Advaita Vendanta.

50-year film career
A BSc graduate from Mysore University, Swamy was known to be a ‘very energetic and passionate’ artiste of both big and small screens.

In his nearly 50-year film career, Swamy preferred parallel and classic cinema, says his close associate and senior journalist-writer K N Venkatasubba Rao who wrote the teleplay and dialogues for the serial ‘Sri Shankara Digvijayam.’

After his graduation, while working at the cultural exhibitions as part of Mysore Dasara, Swamy developed keen interest in singing as well as filmmaking.

In 1966, he directed his maiden film ‘Thoogudeepa’. The films ‘Gandhinagara’ (1968), ‘Bhagya Jyothi’ (1975), ‘Masanada Hoovu’ (1984), ‘Malaya Marutha’ (1986) brought him much fame, while his film ‘Jamboo Savari’ (1989) received the Best Children’s Film at the 37th National Film Awards. ‘Savira Mettilu’ (2006), which he co-directed, was his last film. Swamy also played the lead role in two popular Kannada television serials - ‘Moodala Mane’ and ‘Mutthina Thorana’ directed by Vaishali Kasaravalli.

Body donated to hospital
The family of K S L Swamy donated his body to M S Ramaiah Hospital in Bengaluru.
Quoting Swamy’s wife B V Radha, hospital authorities said it was decided upon earlier that the family would donate the veteran director’s body and did so accordingly. His eyes were donated to Narayana Nethralaya.