Bengaluru, Feb 20: Famous Kannada film director SK Bhagavan passed away this morning at Jayadeva Hospital. He was 90 years old.
Srinivasa Krishna Iyengar Bhagavan is a veteran director and producer of Kannada cinema.
His pairing with another veteran director Dorairaj is popularly known as Dorai-Bhagavan. Together they have directed 55 Kannada films. He has made tasteful films and adapted 24 novels into cinema. Currently he is the Principal of 'Adarsha Cinema Institute' and retired from cinema direction.
S.K. Bhagavan was born on July 3, 1933 in a Tamil Brahmin Iyer family. Studied in Bangalore High School. When he was young, he used to do plays in 'Hirannayya Mitra Mandi'. In 1956, he started his career in cinema as an assistant to Kanagal Prabhakar Shastri.
In 1966 M.C. Sandhya Raaga directed the movie along with Narasimhamurthy. Later the Dorai-Bhagavan duo directed 'Jedara Bale' starring Rajkumar. It was the first James Bond film in Kannada.
He directed many successful movies including 'Kasturi Nivasa', 'Eradu Kanasu', 'Bayalu Dari', 'Giri Kanye', 'Chandanada Gombe', 'Vasanta Geeta', 'Operation Diamond Rocket', 'Hosabelaku', 'Yarivanu'. Dr. Rajkumar acted as the lead actor in 30 of his films.
Anantnag and Lakshmi played the lead roles in some of the films. SK Bhagwan has a long experience of 65 years in the cinema industry.
He took retirement from directing after Dorairaja's death. 1992 'Mangalya Bandhana' was the last film directed by Dorai-Bhagavan duo.
Considering his service to Kannada films Dadasaheb Phalke Academy Award 2017, 1995-96 Puttanna Kanagal Award from Government of Karnataka, Rajkumar Friendship Award in 2010.