K S Ashwath: Always the gentleman elder

This edition of BIFFes, beginning March 1, celebrates the birth centenary of the versatile actor. A tribute by K Puttaswamy

For those who grew up watching Kannada films between the 1960s and ’80s, K S Ashwath was a constant presence. He was either a father, grandfather, elder brother or elderly neighbour. In historical films, he was always the minister and never the king. Ashwath is perhaps the only actor who played father to actors of his own age. He was the quintessential ‘character’ actor.

Karagadahalli Subbarayappa Ashwathnarayana, who debuted as a hero around the same time as Rajkumar, Kalyan, and Udaya Kumar, was one of the finest actors in Kannada cinema. Softspoken and disciplined, he was often described as ‘an actor and a gentleman’.

Born in Mysuru on March 25, 1925, Ashwath’s formal education came to an end in 1942. Then an intermediate student, he had joined the freedom movement. He later got a government job as food inspector and served as a stenographer at the deputy commissioner’s office.

His penchant for acting led him to participate in radio plays, where his skills were honed by his friend N S Vamana Rao, who worked in the drama department of All India Radio (AIR). Gradually, he moved to amateur theatre where he etched lead roles in the plays of A N Murthy Rao and Parvathavani. Impressed by his acting, filmmaker K Subrahmanyam introduced him as the lead in Stree Ratna (1955).

A little later, despite opposition from the family, Ashwath quit his government job. Kannada cinema had a limited market and only a few films were being produced, and soon, Ashwath fell on hard times. But he settled in Chennai (then Madras), then the hub of film production for all southern states, to pursue acting. His determination paid off and he got to play the lead in Kachadevayani, Kokilavani (1956) and Chintamani (1957). He was cast opposite B Sarojadevi, who had also just started her acting career at that time, in his first four films. Shivalingasakshi (1960) was probably the last film in which he played the lead.

When he moved towards supporting roles, he was able to showcase his versatility. His portrayal of Ranganna in B R Panthulu’s Galigopura cemented a place for him as a character artiste. His portrayal of a father silently enduring the loss of his son and the betrayal of his friends was remarkable.

Ashwath soon became the most sought after character actor in Kannada cinema. In mythological films, he always got to play Narada — Mahishasura Mardhini, Swarna Gowri, Bhaktha Prahlada, Dashavathara and Nagarjuna. He took on negative roles as well — he was a chilling villain in Janma Rahasya, Tayi Devaru and Jedara Bale. He sometimes played insignificant roles, but played them well — he was an asthmatic doctor in Puttanna Kanagal’s Shubha Mangala.

Ashwath shared the screen with three generations of actors. His association with Rajkumar was long; they shared the screen in 94 films. He was especially loved by second-generation directors like Puttanna Kanagal, Siddalingaiah, Y R Swamy, and Dore Bhagawan. With Puttanna, Ashwath gave unforgettable performances as Sadashivaraya (Bellimoda), Chamaiah Mestru (Naagarahaavu), Ananthaiah (Gejjepooje), Subba Rao (Upasane), and Narayanappa (Sharapanjara).

Ashwath played a mischievous elderly husband and a doting father in Bellimoda. The scene where he recalls his romantic days with his wife on her deathbed is a lesson in method acting. Ashwath was outstanding in Naagarahaavu as a childless teacher who dotes on his beloved but rebellious student. His performance also contributed to the massive success of the film. In the Rajkumar hit Kasturi Nivasa (1973), he played a domestic worker, witnessing the ups and downs in his noble master’s life; the scene where he erupts in anger after his master’s death is particularly noteworthy. 

Although Ashwath was typecast as the sagely elder, he was able to explore variety. He played bookworm Sheshagiri in Uyyale. His characters suffer from remorse after committing murders in the name of family honour in Seetha and Nyayave Devaru. Another important role was that of a buck-toothed Subbaraya in Sarvamangala. 

Ashwath represented people whose objective was to live a life of dignity and that is how audiences related to his screen characters. In later years, he saw a dearth of meaningful characters. As tastes changed, versatile actors like Ashwath were no longer in demand. He cut off his four-decade-long connection with the industry.

It is fitting that BIFFes is paying a tribute to Ashwath, who came across as a representative of Karnataka’s gentle culture. 

(The author is a well-known film historian)