Prema Karanth (15 August 1936 – 29 October 2007) was an Indian theatre personality and the first-ever woman film-maker of
Kannada cinema.
She was the wife of
B. V. Karanth and was known for the children's plays that she staged. She became the first ever woman director in
Kannada cinema when she directed the film ''
Phaniyamma
''Phaniyamma'' is a 1983 Indian Kannada award-winning drama film directed and produced by Prema Karanth. The story is based on acclaimed novelist M. K. Indira's 1977 Sahitya Academy Award-winning novel of the same name. The film highlighted the ...
'' (1983), which was based on a novel by
M. K. Indira
Mandagadde Krishnarao Indira ( kn, ಮಂಡಗದ್ದೆ ಕೃಷ್ಣರಾವ್ ಇಂದಿರ; 5 January 1917 – 15 March 1994) was a well-known Indian novelist in the Kannada language. Her works include ''Phaniyamma'', which won ...
.
Early life
Prema Karanth was born in 1936 in
Bhadravathi to a poor family. She lost her father Devoji Rao early.
Her mother Kamalamma was diagnosed of tuberculosis and was not even allowed to touch her.
Prema spent her early life at
Sidlaghatta in the
Kolar district and after her mother's death, she was brought up by her grandparents. After completing her schooling, she came to Bangalore to join the St. Teresa's convent as a teacher.
She learnt typing and began to teach in primary schools. Prema also started conducting small-time stage plays in the schools she worked in.
She was determined not to get married but she changed her mind when she met
B. V. Karanth at a friend's place. In 1958, they got married under
Arya Samaj
Arya Samaj ( hi, आर्य समाज, lit=Noble Society, ) is a monotheistic Indian Hindu reform movement that promotes values and practices based on the belief in the infallible authority of the Vedas. The samaj was founded by the sanny ...
rites and moved to
Varanasi, where
Prema joined the
Banaras Hindu University to continue her education.
B. V. Karanth later moved to
Delhi to join the
National School of Drama. Prema accompanied him and joined the
Aurobindo Ashram as a teacher.
She started experimenting drama in education, and started to teach even subjects like History and mathematics using plays. On her husband's persuasion, she too joined the National School of Drama where she studied
dramatics and completed her graduation. After graduation, she worked with the NSD repertory for two years.
Career
In drama
Prema Karanth started her career as a dramatist and directed plays like ''Heddayana'', ''Daithya'', ''Banda Banda Gunavantha'' and ''Giant Mama'' which were mainly oriented towards children. Her plays were mainly those that were written in
Kannada or of other Indian languages which were translated to
Kannada.
She started a children's repertory called as ''Benaka Makkala Kendra'' which apart from staging plays like ''Alilu Ramayana'', was also involved in teaching children the art of
mime, costume designing and usage of props. This repertory staged its first play titled ''Alibaba'' in 1979. She was also a well-known costume designer and has designed costumes for more than 120 plays including ''Hayavadana'', ''Oedipus'', ''Othello'' and ''King Lear''.
In cinema
Prema's association with the cinema world started when she was chosen as the costume designer for
G. V. Iyer's movie ''Hamsageethe''.
[Wimal Dissanayake (2004), p83] She was also chosen as the art director for a film ''Kudre Motte'' in 1977. Initially associated only with art direction, Prema also tried her hand at film-making. Her first directorial venture was ''
Phaniyamma
''Phaniyamma'' is a 1983 Indian Kannada award-winning drama film directed and produced by Prema Karanth. The story is based on acclaimed novelist M. K. Indira's 1977 Sahitya Academy Award-winning novel of the same name. The film highlighted the ...
'' which was based on a Kannada novel and this film earned her critical acclaim. The film is about the story of a girl who is widowed at a young age and her struggles and courage to overcome the stigma attached to it in a male-dominated society.
[Gwendolyn Audrey Foster (1995), p206]
Filmography
*''
Phaniyamma
''Phaniyamma'' is a 1983 Indian Kannada award-winning drama film directed and produced by Prema Karanth. The story is based on acclaimed novelist M. K. Indira's 1977 Sahitya Academy Award-winning novel of the same name. The film highlighted the ...
'' (1983) (director)
*''Kudre Motte'' (1977) (art director)
*''
Hamsageethe
''Hamsageethe'' ( kn, ಹಂಸಗೀತೆ, ''The Swan song'') is a 1975 Indian feature film in the Kannada language. It was directed by G. V. Iyer, based on a novel by T. R. Subba Rao with Anant Nag and Rekha Rao in lead roles.
The film won ...
'' (1975) (costume designer)
References
Sources
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Karanth, Prema
1936 births
2007 deaths
Kannada film directors
Indian women film directors
People from Shimoga district
Kannada dramatists and playwrights
20th-century Indian dramatists and playwrights
Indian women dramatists and playwrights
Women writers from Karnataka
20th-century Indian film directors
Screenwriters from Karnataka
Writers from Bangalore
20th-century Indian women writers
Film directors from Bangalore
20th-century Indian women artists
Dramatists and playwrights from Karnataka
Recipients of the Rajyotsava Award 2003
20th-century Indian screenwriters