Chithamur Vijayaraghavalu Sridhar (22 July 1933 – 20 October 2008) was an Indian screenwriter and film director. He has directed nearly 60 films in Tamil, Hindi and Telugu Languages.

C. V. Sridhar
Sridhar on a 2013 stamp of India
Born
Chithamur Vijayaragavalu Sridhar

(1933-07-22)22 July 1933
Chithamur, Chengalpattu, Madras Presidency, British India
Died20 October 2008(2008-10-20) (aged 75)
Chennai
Occupations
  • Film director
  • producer
  • screenwriter
Years active1959–1991
SpouseDevasena
Children1

Career

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Entry

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In 1951, 18-year-old Sridhar went to AVM Productions with his story Latchiyavathi but P. Neelakantan rejected his story.[1] Avvai T. K. Shanmugam was very much impressed by the story and Sridhar wrote the screenplay and dialogues for the drama. It was staged as Raththa Paasam and was one of the most successful dramas staged by TKS brothers. Sridhar was proudly taken to the stage and introduced to the audience as the writer. It was later produced jointly by TKS and Jupiter pictures under Jupiter – Avvai Productions where Jupiter pictures recommended some other writer to write the dialogues for the film. It was T. K. Shanmugam who was staunch that Sridhar should write the screenplay and dialogues. Sridhar made his entry into films as a screenwriter in Ratha Paasam. Later AVM Productions produced it in Hindi as Bhaai Bhaai in 1956 starring Ashok Kumar and Kishore Kumar but direction was by R. S. Mani. The film Bhai Bhai gave a big commercial break for the music director Madan Mohan and the writer Sridhar himself.[2]

Sridhar wrote story and dialogues for Edhir Paradhathu. Sridhar wrote the dialogues in Tamil for the Telugu movie Parivartana and the movie was dubbed in 1955 as Latchadhipathi. Sridhar continued on writing for films like Maaman Magal, Maheswari, Amara Deepam, Maadharkula Manikkam, Engal Veetu Mahalakshmi, Yaar Paiyan, Manjal Mahimai, Uthama Puthiran and Punar Jenmam.

While working in Modern Theatres as writer for the film Maheswari, Sridhar had an opportunity to improve his knowledge and skills about film production. T. R. Sundaram had a huge library of international books about great films and directors, about film production, critical and technical essays. Sridhar had a very high esteem on the legendary director V. Shantaram.[3]

Venus Pictures

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In 1956, Sridhar turned producer along with associates Krishnamoorthi, Govindarajan and Sundararajan in Venus Pictures where he scripted Amara Deepam and followed by Uthama Puthiran. Both films had Sivaji Ganesan and Padmini as the main roles. He made his debut as a director with Kalyana Parisu. This movie ran for more than 25 weeks, and is revered to this day as a milestone in the history of Tamil cinema. After this, he had a huge fan following and his name was talked about among the middle class movie going audience.[4]

Chitralaya

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He started his own production company Chitralaya (the emblem was designed by Art director Ganga) in 1961 with his friends Gopu, A. Vincent, P. N. Sundaram and Tiruchi Arunachalam made Then Nilavu. The latter which had Gemini Ganesan and Vyjayanthimala in the lead was the first Tamil film to be shot in Jammu and Kashmir.[5] He made a series of commercially successful films like Nenjil Or Aalayam, Kaadhalikka Neramillai, Vennira Adai and many more.[citation needed]

Film-making style

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Sridhar was known as Nava-rasa-director, as he made films in a variety of styles, from the comedy Kaadhalikka Neramillai to the serious Kalai-kovil and Nenjil Or Aalayam. The latter was remade in Hindi with Rajendra Kumar and Meena Kumari as Dil Ek Mandir which earn him two nomination at Filmfare Awards, Best Director and Best Story categories. He brought out the best in comedians T. R. Ramachandran, K. A. Thangavelu, and Nagesh, and helped introduce Murthy and Nirmala to a wider audience in Vennira Aadai. Moorthy, Nirmala, now a TV and movie comedian, is still referred to as Vennira Aadai Moorthy after the fame he received from his performance in the movie. Even the actresses Jayalalitha and Nirmala used to be referred to as Vennira AadaiJayalalitha and Vennira Aadai Nirmala[6][7]

Sridhar's Kaadhalikka Neramillai was one of the greatest blockbusters of Tamil film history. It was later remade in Hindi with actor Kishore Kumar and Shashi Kapoor by himself. Sridhar helped launch the career of many celebrities in Tamil cinema, namely, Saroja Devi in Kalyaana Parisu, R. Muthuraman and Devika in Nenjil Or Aalayam, Srikanth, J. Jayalalithaa, Vennira Aadai Nirmala and Vennira Aadai Moorthy in Vennira Adai (White Dress), Ravichandran, Kanchana and Rajasree in Kaadhalikka Neramillai, Kamal and Rajini in Ilamai Oonjal Aadigirathu, Karthik and Gigi in Ninaivellaam Nithya, Jayashree in Thendralae Ennai Thodu and Vikram in Thanthu Vitten Ennai.

His Bollywood films include Nazrana (1961), Dil Ek Mandir (1963), Pyar Kiye Jaa (1966) and Gehri Chaal (1973). Nazrana, starring by Raj Kapoor, Vyjayanthimala, Usha Kiran and Gemini Ganesan in guest appearance, earned him Filmfare Award for Best Story.The landmark film Nai Roshni directed by him in Hindi had Ashok Kumar, P. Bhanumati, Mala Sinha, Biwajeet and Raajkumar in lead roles and became the 7th highest-grossing film of the year 1967 in Hindi. Subsequently, this film was remade in Tamil as Poovum Pottum directed by Dada Mirasi.

Sridhar's films with Sivaji Ganesan include Ooty Varai Uravu, Nenjirukkum Varai, Sivantha Mann. Sivanthaman was the first color movie in Tamil shot at foreign locations. Dharti, the Hindi version was released in 1970 with Rajendra Kumar, Waheeda Rehman and Sivaji Ganesan in lead roles.

When in 1973, he went through sudden financial problems, at the insistence of Rajendra Kumar he approached M. G. Ramachandran, who suggested that a film be made and using that his financial woes would get resolved. Sridhar then made Urimai Kural which was a commercial success in 1974 and went on to direct M.G.R again in Meenava Nanban that was released in 1977.

In 1978, he brought together Kamal Hasan, Rajnikanth, Sripriya for romantic film Illamai Oonjal Aadugirathu. Then he remade the same in 1982 in Hindi as Dil-E-Nadan starring Rajesh Khanna, Shatrughan Sinha and Jaya Prada in lead roles. Both versions were successful.

In all his films he used a combination of stars, melodrama and melodious songs. He has directed films in Tamil, Hindi and Telugu. Sridhar was considered an expert in song picturisation as he could transform any song into sheer poetry. The formidable Sridhar – KannadasanM. S. Viswanathan combination held a magic spell on the audience and the songs contributed to the tremendous success of those films. Later on he switched to the Maestro Ilayaraaja for music and all his films with Ilayaraaja's music were known for their songs.

Death

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Sridhar died of Cardiac arrest in Chennai on 20 October 2008, aged 75.[8]

Filmography

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Year Film Credited as Language Notes
Director Producer Story Screenplay/ Dialogues
1954 Ratha Paasam  N  N  Y  Y Tamil
1954 Ethir Paradhathu  N  N  Y  Y Tamil
1955 Maheswari  Y  Y Tamil
1955 Latchadhipathi  N  N  N  Y Tamil Telugu dubbing of Parivartana
1955 Maaman Magal  Y Tamil
1956 Amara Deepam  N  Y  Y  Y Tamil
1956 Bhai-Bhai  Y Hindi
1956 Mathar Kula Manickam  Y Tamil
1957 Enga Veettu Mahalakshmi  Y Tamil
1957 Yaar Paiyyan  Y Tamil
1958 Uthama Puthiran  N  Y  Y  Y Tamil
1959 Manjal Mahimai  Y Tamil
1959 Kalyana Parisu  Y  Y  Y  Y Tamil Certificate of Merit for Best Feature Film in Tamil
1960 Pelli Kanuka  Y  Y Telugu
1960 Meenda Sorgam  Y Tamil
1960 Vidivelli  Y  N  Y  Y Tamil
1961 Nazrana  Y  N  Y Hindi Filmfare Award for Best Story
1961 Punar Jenmam  N  N  N  Y Tamil
1961 Then Nilavu  Y  Y  Y  Y Tamil
1962 Nenjil Or Aalayam  Y  Y  Y  Y Tamil President's Silver Medal for Best Feature Film in Tamil
1962 Policekaran Magal  Y Tamil
1962 Sumaithaangi  Y  N  Y  Y Tamil
1963 Chittor Rani Padmini  Y  Y Tamil
1963 Dil Ek Mandir  Y  N  Y  N Hindi Nominated: Filmfare Award for Best Director
Nominated: Filmfare Award for Best Story
1963 Nenjam Marappathillai  Y  N  N  Y Tamil
1964 Kaadhalikka Neramillai  Y  Y  Y  Y Tamil
1964 Kalai Kovil  Y  N  Y  Y Tamil
1965 Venniradai  Y  Y  Y  Y Tamil
1966 Kodimalar  Y  N  Y  Y Tamil
1966 Manase Mandiram  Y Telugu
1966 Pyar Kiye Jaa  Y Hindi
1967 Nenjirukkum Varai  Y  Y  Y  N Tamil
1967 Nai Roshni  Y Hindi
1967 Ooty Varai Uravu  Y  N  Y  Y Tamil
1968 Saathi  Y  N  Y  N Hindi
1968 Galatta Kalyanam  Y Tamil
1969 Sivantha Mann  Y  Y  Y  Y Tamil
1970 Dharti  Y Hindi
1971 Uttharavindri Ulle Vaa  N  Y  N  N Tamil
1971 Avalukendru Or Manam  Y  Y  Y  Y Tamil
1971 Duniya Kya Jane  Y Hindi
1973 Alaigal  Y  Y  Y  Y Tamil 25th Film
1973 Gehri Chaal  Y  Y Hindi
1974 Urimai Kural  Y  N  Y  Y Tamil First movie with MGR
1975 Vaira Nenjam  Y  Y  Y  Y Tamil
1975 Ninagai Nanu  Y Kannada
1975 Lakshmi Nirdoshi  Y Telugu Telugu dubbing of Alaigal (1973)
1975 Jagruthi  Y Hindi
1976 Oh Manju  Y Tamil
1977 Seeta Geeta Datithe  Y Telugu
1977 Anna Nee En Deivam  Y  N  Y  Y Tamil
1977 Meenava Nanban  Y  N  Y  Y Tamil Second movie with MGR.
1978 Ilamai Oonjalaadugirathu  Y  N  Y  Y Tamil
1978 Vayasu Pilichindi  Y  N  Y  Y Telugu
1979 Azhage Unnai Aarathikkiren / Urvasi Neene Nanna Preyasi / Urvasi Neeve Naa Preyasi  Y  N  Y  Y Tamil / Kannada / Telugu
1980 Soundaryame Varuga Varuga  Y Tamil
1980 Hare Krishna Hello Radha  Y Telugu Telugu dubbing of Soundaryame Varuga Varuga
1981 Mohana Punnagai  Y  N  Y  Y Tamil
1982 Ninaivellam Nithya  Y  N  Y  Y Tamil
1982 Dil-E-Nadaan  Y  N  Y  Y Hindi
1983 Thudikkum Karangal  Y  N  Y  Y Tamil
1983 Oru Odai Nadhiyagirathu  Y  Y  Y  Y Tamil
1984 Alaya Deepam  Y  N  Y  Y Tamil
1985 Unnai Thedi Varuven  Y Tamil
1985 Thendrale Ennai Thodu  Y Tamil
1986 Yaaro Ezhuthiya Kavithai  Y  N  Y  Y Tamil
1986 Naanum Oru Thozhilali  Y  Y  Y  Y Tamil
1986 Kulirkaala Megangal [9]  Y  N  Y  Y Tamil
1987 Iniya Uravu Poothathu  Y  N  Y  Y Tamil 50th Film
1988 Premayanam  Y Telugu
1991 Thanthu Vitten Ennai  Y  Y  Y  Y Tamil

Awards

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Won
Nominated

References

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  1. ^ "Maalaimalar cinema :Tamil Cinema news – Tamil Movies – Cinema seithigal". cinema.maalaimalar.com.
  2. ^ "Maalaimalar cinema :Tamil Cinema news – Tamil Movies – Cinema seithigal". cinema.maalaimalar.com.
  3. ^ "ஸ்ரீதர் டைரக்ட் செய்த முதல் படம் 'கல்யாணப் பரிசு'" [Sridhar's directorial debut 'Kalyana Parisu']. Maalaimalar. Archived from the original on 20 November 2013. Retrieved 6 October 2014.
  4. ^ "Maalaimalar cinema :Tamil Cinema news – Tamil Movies – Cinema seithigal". cinema.maalaimalar.com.
  5. ^ "Tamil film director Sridhar passes away". The Indian Express. 20 October 2008. Archived from the original on 22 October 2008. Retrieved 16 September 2011.
  6. ^ "Sridhar – Director, producer, producer, script writer, nenjil oru aalayam, vennira aadai, ratha pasam, ilamai oonjal aadugiradhu, ooty varai uravu, kadhalikka naeramillai, gala..." www.nilacharal.com. Archived from the original on 18 February 2012. Retrieved 12 June 2009.
  7. ^ "Veteran Director Sridhar Passes Away". www.indiaglitz.com. Archived from the original on 22 October 2008.
  8. ^ Dore, Shalini. "Indian director C.V. Sridhar dies". Variety. Retrieved 19 August 2012.
  9. ^ "குளிர்கால மேகங்கள் / Kulirkaala Megangal (1986)". Screen 4 Screen. Retrieved 29 August 2023.
  10. ^ "7th National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 4 September 2011.
  11. ^ "10th National Film Awards". International Film Festival of India. Archived from the original on 29 September 2015. Retrieved 9 September 2011.
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