The enduring legacy of Vishnuvardhan

The actor, just nominated for the Karnataka Ratna award, starred in 219 films, many of them blockbuster hits. K Puttaswamy remembers the powerhouse performer ahead of his 75th birth anniversary on September 18.

In 1972, when the legendary director Puttanna Kanagal was casting for ‘Naagarahaavu’, hundreds of youths auditioned at a hotel in Bengaluru. After a few days, he saw a boy who felt like the perfect fit for the role of the rebellious Ramachari. 

Ta Ra Subba Rao’s novel, on which the film is based, portrays Ramachari as a complex character. He speaks his mind and fights for his convictions. He is rejected by his parents but is still compassionate, romantic, and devoted to his favourite teacher. It was a challenge for any actor to portray such diverse emotions on screen.

Once Puttanna had found his protagonist, he renamed him Vishnuvardhan, after the illustrious Hoysala ruler and patron of the arts. Had the actor been alive today, his 75th birthday, on September 18, would have been a mega event attended by millions.

Born Sampath Kumar, Vishnuvardhan was destined for greatness. His father, H L Narayana Rao, was a journalist and scriptwriter, and his mother, Kamakshamma, nurtured a huge family. Growing up in an artistic household with six siblings, Sampath received his early education at Gopalaswamy School in Mysuru. He graduated from National College, Bengaluru, and actively participated in college theatre productions. Little did his peers know that he would soon leave an indelible mark on Indian cinema.

Vishnuvardhan made his acting debut in a supporting role, at 21, in the Girish Karnad-B V Karanth directorial ‘Vamsha Vriksha’ (1971), where he is credited as Kumar. The National Award-winning film showcased his raw talent and true potential. While his artistic roots were in parallel cinema, his destiny led him to become one of Kannada cinema’s biggest mass heroes. His second film, ‘Naagarahaavu’, was a blockbuster hit,
celebrating a silver jubilee run (25 weeks) at multiple centres and also earning him the state award for best actor.

Vishnuvardhan arrived in the ’70s, the golden age of Kannada cinema. Film production was thriving and Rajkumar dominated, but there was a dearth of other actors who could draw audiences to the theatres. Rajesh was limited to family dramas, Gangadhar to heroine-centric films, and Srinath to romantic roles. The decade saw both commercial and arthouse directors experimenting. Vishnuvardhan came at the right time and became an overnight sensation.

Highs and lows

After the release of ‘Naagarahaavu’, he was flooded with offers but his very next film, ‘Seetheyalla Savithri’, bombed at the box office. He bounced back with ‘Gandhada Gudi’ (1973) and ‘Bhootayyana Maga Ayyu’ (1974), both huge commercial hits. In the former he played Rajkumar’s brother, his only association with the thespian, and in the latter, he played an angry young man to perfection. 

Vishnuvardhan was seen in middling dramas like ‘Professor Huchchu Raya’ and ‘Anna Attige’ (1974) but ‘Devara Gudi’ (1974) propelled him to the limelight again. After ‘Kalla Kulla’ (1975), he was seen extensively in glamorous roles. In 1975, he acted in only three films. In 1977, ‘Sose Tanda Sowbhagya’ and ‘Nagarahole’ earned him success, but opportunities were still few and far between. Though ‘Sahodarara Sawaal’ (1977) was a hit, the credit went partly to Rajinikanth, his co-star. ‘Hombisilu’ (1978) showed him in a new light.

Decade of hits

From 1972 to 1981, he acted in 68 films, many of them box office hits. He did a variety of roles, from comedy to action, and family dramas to thrillers. Among his hits were ‘Galate Samsara’, ‘Kittu Puttu’, ‘Kiladi Jodi’, ‘Vasantha Lakshmi’, ‘Singapuradalli Raja Kulla’, ‘Makkala Sainya’, ‘Biligiriya Banadalli’, ‘Simha Jodi’, ‘Bangarada Jinke’, ‘Naga Kala Bhairava’ and ‘Guru Shishyaru’.

Superstardom

In 1982, ‘Sahasa Simha’, directed by Joe Simon, catapulted Vishnuvardhan to superstardom and earned him the title of Sahasa Simha (Lion of Action). This decade saw him expand his horizons with a Bollywood debut with Hema Malini — ‘Ek Naya Itihas’ (1984). His performance in ‘Bandhana’ (1984) as a dejected doctor won him critical acclaim and his third state award. Other notable films include ‘Sri Raghavendrar’ (1985, Tamil), ‘Malaya Marutha’ in which he played a classical singer, and commercial hits like ‘Onde Guri’, ‘Nee Bareda Kadambari’, and ‘Deva’.

Vishnuvardhan’s career in the 1990s demonstrated his versatility. He delivered a powerful performance in the National Award-winning film ‘Muthina Haara’ (1990) and played a double role in ‘Lion Jagapathi Rao’ (1991). He made a significant impact in Malayalam cinema with ‘Kauravar’ (1992) alongside Mammootty.

Throughout this decade, he continued to deliver commercial successes like ‘Halunda Tavaru’ (1994), while also appearing in arthouse films like ‘Harakeya Kuri’ (1992).

Brilliant last years

The new millennium brought him unprecedented success. ‘Yajamana’ (2000) became the highest-grossing Kannada film of its time.

A string of hits followed — ‘Kotigobba’, ‘Simhadriya Simha’, ‘Jamindarru’, and the horror thriller ‘Apthamitra’ (2004). In his final years, he played roles that matched his age — ‘Ee Bandhana’ (2007) and ‘Maathaad Maathaadu Mallige’ (2007). The last film released when he was still alive was ‘Bellary Naga’ (2009). It was followed by the posthumously released ‘Aptharakshaka’ (2010). They were both massive blockbusters.
In a career spanning 37 years, Vishnuvardhan acted in 205 Kannada, six Tamil, four Hindi, two Telugu and two Malayalam films. His computer generated images have been used in three Kannada films released after his death.

Vishnuvardhan’s contribution to the evolution of Kannada cinema is immense. His ability to transition seamlessly between commercial entertainers and arthouse cinema, between action-packed roles and emotionally nuanced ones sets him apart.

Awards and honours

Vishnuvardhan won seven state awards for best actor. The Karnataka government honoured him with the Rajyotsava award (1990) and the Dr Rajkumar lifetime achievement award (2007). Bangalore University conferred on him an honorary doctorate in 2005. The Dr Vishnuvardhan Award, instituted in 2011, honours long-serving film personalities. A 14.5-km road from Banashankari temple to Kengeri in Bengaluru is named after him; it is said to be the longest road in India named after an actor. A memorial has come up in Mysuru.

Married to Bharathi

Vishnuvardhan married Bharathi on February 27, 1975, when she was already a big star in multiple languages. The couple adopted two daughters, Keerthi and Chandana, building a strong family foundation. His friendship with fellow actor Ambareesh was legendary.

Fan faves

Naagarahaavu (1972), Gandhada Gudi (1973), Bhootayyana Maga Ayyu (1974), Kalla Kulla (1975), Nagarahole (1976), Galate Samsara (1977), Hombisilu (1978), Sahasa Simha (1981), Bandhana (1984), Muthina Hara (1990), Kotigobba (2001), Aaptha Mitra (2004)