The nonagenarian film maker M.V.Krishnaswamy the recent V Shantharam award winner died at his Malleswaram residence on Saturday in Bangalore. Two of his films ‘Indian Imprints’ and ‘India 5555′ were screened at the seven-day-long festival in Mumbai organized by 11th Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF)

Popularly known as MVK had an illustrious career as a film maker andthe first Indian who assisted legendary Italian filmmaker Roberto Rossellini on the sets of Viaggio in Italia, which starred Ingrid Bergman and George Sanders and later in India 57, which had Aldo Tonti of War and Peace fame as cameraman; he is probably the only one from the Mysore state who went to Paris, London and Rome in the late 1940s to study films and their direction. MVK began his fascination to film from Bharathi with the gorgeous Padmini.

As a documentary film maker MVK was the first convince Bharatha Rathna Sir M Visveswaraya for a documentary film on his life. MVK from towering members of the ‘Mysore Generation,’ which includes Kannada icon Kuvempu, essayist Murthy Rao, writer Rajaratnam, philosopher Hiryanna, advisor to Indian prime ministers H Y Sharada Prasad, English professor C D Narasimhaiah, scholar T N Srikantaiah, cartoonist R K Laxman, novelist R K Narayan and photojournalist T S Satyan.

His film career is rich with personal experiences in acting too. It began with a lead role in a Kannada film “Bharati”, where he co-starred with the leading ladies of the 1940s, T. Suryakumari and dancer Padmini. After a more than successful stint in the country’s major film institutions — including the National Film Development Corporation, the Film and Television Institute, Films Division of the I&B Ministry, the National Film awards Jury and the Film Censor Board — M.V. Krishnaswamy ventured into filmmaking.
He established his versatility in this genre when he recreated Moliere’s “Tartuffe” in that Kannada masterpiece “Subba Sastry” in 1966. After that, there was no turning back. Making films became his passion. Thirty years later, he surpassed himself by offering to the world of music this matchless portrayal of a well loved vainika.

The Karnataka Chalanachitra Academy mourned the death of MVK in a press release issued on Saturday. As an actor getting education abroad on cinema making and then heading the national film directorate MVK services are peerless says the KCA.

MVK HONORED AT HIS RESIDENCE! This report was in www.chitratara.com on February 27 2010.

The prestigious V Shantharam award for veteran director of Kannada films, documentary film maker M.V.Krishnaswamy was honored for his lifetime achievement at his residence in Malleswaram in Bangalore on Saturday morning.

The first directorate of International Film Festivals MVK was given Rs.5 lakh cheque, gold conch as part of the honor. The nonagenarian said he has not made such big achievement in his life very politely. Due to ill health MVK could not go to the V Shantharam awards evening.

Presenting the award to MVK the Film Division director Kuldip Sinha said a proper invitation was extended to the veteran to attend the awards evening.

The Producers Association President KCN Chandrasekhar pointed that the award for MVK is an award to every Kannadiga. For the terrific work done by MVK in documentary division he was awarded this honor said KCN.

Dr Jayamala in her address stated on March 9 the national award winners from Karnataka will be honored by KFCC. The veteran director Bhagwan, Saiprakash, Sa Ra Govindu, S.A.Chinne Gowda, Tiptur Raghu, Joe Simon, KS Basavaraju, Umesh Kulkarni, Vishwanatha Gowda, HMK Murthy, Ba Ma Harish and others took part in the felicitation event at MVK residence.