Film News Anandan | |
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| Born | Mani 1 January 1926 or 1928 [lower-alpha 1] |
| Died | 21 March 2016 [1] Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India |
| Occupation(s) | Film historian, photographer, public relations officer |
| Children | 3 (including Diamond Babu) |
Film News Anandan (born Mani) [2] was an Indian film historian and photographer based in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. [5] He was popularly known as the "walking encyclopedia" of Tamil cinema. [6] [7]
Anandan was born as Mani. His father P. K. Gnanasagaram was a government servant. When he was being admitted in school he told his principal his name was Anandakrishnan, which later became his legal name, and was further shortened to Anandan. [8] After school, he joined Quaide Millath Arts college, then known as Government Arts college. When he was a college student, he had a chance to interact with the drama troupes of Y. G. Parthasarathy and M. G. Ramachandran among others. He used to write the dialogues, do stage management and help in small odd jobs. [9]
Anandan was interested in becoming a cameraman and joined as an assistant to C. J. Mohan, who was the cameraman for Kalaivanar. He conducted photography classes for him. Mohan appreciated the photos of Anandan and asked him to buy a Rolliflex camera. After buying one, actor Sivaji Ganesan was the first person whom he had captured on camera. Anandan worked as a news reporter for Film Chamber and his job was to collect details about the actors, producer, director of a film. Devarajan of the magazine Film News once asked Anandan to take pictures for his magazine. When the pictures were published, credit in the magazine was given as "Film News Anandan" and eventually the pen name got prefixed to his name. [8] [9] [10]
Anandan noticed publicity stills of Nadodi Mannan (1958) on film producer R. M. Veerappan's office desk when he happened to visit the office of Em.Gee.Yar Pictures. He then offered to distribute them to the press. Veerappan agreed knowing that Anandan was then a member of the South Indian Film Journalists Association. After a few days, stills of the film were published in many magazines. M. G. Ramachandran, who was the director of Nadodi Mannan, was impressed with Anandan's work and, at Veerappan's suggestion, hired him as the film's public relations officer (PRO). [11] This was Anandan's debut film as a PRO. [8]
As an actor, Anandan's first film was Policekaran Magal (1962) where he played a police photographer. He reprised the role in its Telugu remake Constable Koothru . In Bommai (1964), he plays a doctor. In Natchathiram (1980), he played the role of a press reporter, posing questions to a disillusioned star. In the 1986 crime film Oomai Vizhigal , he played a press photographer. In Sugamana Sumaigal (1992), he played the role of the heroine’s father. He also made appearances in Aasai (1995) and Indian (1996), though his scenes were deleted in both; however, in the former, the credits read, "Thanks to Film News Anandan". [12] In March 2016, just a few days before his death, Anandan revealed that his dream was to have a permanent exhibition on cinema. [13]
Anandan was married to Sivagami. They had two daughters and a son Diamond Babu, who is also a PRO. [2]
Anandan died on 21 March 2016 after a week in hospital with breathing problems. [1] [14]
Anandan received Y. Venkanna Clowdary's "Kala Peedam" award for his tremendous contribution to Human Progress as a Film Historian. In 1991, the Tamil Nadu State Government awarded him with their highest honour in the title of Kalaimaamani. In 1989, Anandan was honoured as a veteran during the Golden Jubilee of the Film Chamber. [10] He was awarded the "Kalai Selvam" title by the South Indian Artist Association in Chennai. [10] In May 2008 at the 2nd Vijay Awards, he was awarded the Vijay Award for Contribution to Tamil Cinema. [15]
Anandan compiled a wide-scale database of Tamil films which was made into a book titled Sadhanaigal Padaitha Thamizh Thiraipada Varalaru ("History of Landmark Tamil Films") with the help of the Tamil Nadu State Government and was published on 23 October 2004 by Sivagami Publications. [16] [17] [18]
Bhanupriya is an Indian actress, Kuchipudi dancer, and voice artiste. In a career spanning over 4 decades, Bhanupriya has appeared in 155 feature films- predominantly in Tamil & Telugu, in addition to occasional performances in Malayalam, Kannada and Hindi films. She has starred in a variety of roles, ranging from slapstick comedy to epic dramas. She has won three state Nandi Awards, two Tamil Nadu State Film Awards, two Filmfare Awards South and two Cinema Express Awards.
Nadodi Mannan is a 1958 Indian Tamil-language action adventure film directed by M. G. Ramachandran in his debut as a filmmaker. He stars in dual roles alongside P. Bhanumathi, M. N. Rajam and B. Saroja Devi. P. S. Veerappa, M. N. Nambiar, M. G. Chakrapani, T. K. Balachandran and Chandrababu play supporting roles. The film revolves around a king being replaced by a look-alike after getting abducted on the eve of his coronation. The look-alike begins to implement social and economic reforms to uplift the poor which irks the kingdom's high priest, who has kidnapped the very person the look-alike resembles. The rest of the film shows how the look-alike saves the man he impersonates and defeats the high priest.
The Tamil State Film Awards for Best Actor is given by the state government as part of its annual Tamil Nadu State Film Awards for Tamil (Kollywood) films.
The Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actress is given by the state government as part of its annual Tamil Nadu State Film Awards for Tamil (Kollywood) films. The awards were first given in 1967 and discontinued after 1970. The awards were given again in 1977 and continued till 1982. The awards were not given in the years 1971 to 1976. This award was last given in the year 2015 to Aishwarya Rajesh for Kaaka Muttai.
The Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Music Director is given by the state government as part of its annual Tamil Nadu State Film Awards for Tamil feature films. Both Ilaiyaraaja and A. R. Rahman have won this award for a maximum of 6 times.
The Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer is given by the state government as part of its annual Tamil Nadu State Film Awards for Tamil (Kollywood) films. K. J. Yesudas has won the award the most times (5).
The Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer is given by the state government as part of its annual Tamil Nadu State Film Awards for Tamil (Kollywood) films.
The Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Director is given by the state government as part of its annual Tamil Nadu State Film Awards for Tamil (Kollywood) films.
Ambikapathy is a 1937 Indian Tamil musical period film directed by American film director Ellis R. Dungan. It starred M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar, M. R. Santhanalakshmi, Serugulathur Sama, T. S. Balaiya, N. S. Krishnan, T. A. Madhuram and P. G. Venkatesan. Ambikapathy is regarded as one of the greatest hits of pre-independence Tamil cinema. Ambikapathy, along with Chintamani were the greatest hits of 1937 and made critics regard Bhagavathar as the "first superstar of Tamil cinema". This was the first Tamil film to name a music director in its credits.
Kalidas is a 1931 Indian Tamil- and Telugu-language biographical film directed by H. M. Reddy and produced by Ardeshir Irani. It is notable for being the first sound film in the Tamil and Telugu languages, and the first sound film to be made in a language from South India. It was based on the life of the Sanskrit poet Kalidasa; it featured P. G. Venkatesan in the title role and T. P. Rajalakshmi as the female lead, with L. V. Prasad, Thevaram Rajambal, T. Susheela Devi, J. Sushila, and M. S. Santhanalakshmi in supporting roles.
Sevasadanam is a 1938 Indian Tamil-language drama film directed by K. Subrahmanyam. It is one of the early Tamil films to be set in a contemporary social setting and to advocate reformist social policies. This was the first film for M. S. Subbulakshmi and the Tamil debut of Telugu actress S. Varalakshmi.
Keechaka Vadham is an Indian silent film produced, directed, filmed and edited by R. Nataraja Mudaliar. The first film to have been made in South India, it was shot in five weeks at Nataraja Mudaliar's production house, India Film Company. As the members of the cast were Tamils, Keechaka Vadham is considered to be the first Tamil film. No print of it is known to have survived, making it a lost film.
Kaththi (transl. 'Knife') is a 2014 Indian Tamil-language action drama film written and directed by AR Murugadoss and produced by Lyca Productions. The film stars Vijay in dual role with Samantha, Neil Nitin Mukesh, Tota Roy Chowdhury and Sathish. It focuses on Kathiresan, a petty thief and lookalike of Jeevanantham, who assumes the identity and attempts to lead a rebellion by farmers from the latter's village, Thanoothu, and helps them fight against an entrepreneur who exploited Thanoothu's water resources.
Killing Veerappan is a 2016 Indian Kannada-language biographical crime film directed by Ram Gopal Varma, who co-wrote the film with K. Balaji. The film is based on the events leading to Operation Cocoon to capture or kill Indian bandit Veerappan. Featuring Shiva Rajkumar in the central role touted to be based on N. K. Senthamarai Kannan, the then Superintendent of police, with the Indian Special Task Force, and the spy who masterminded Operation Cocoon.
Venkataraman Gopalakrishnan, was an Indian stage and film actor who was active in Tamil cinema during the latter half of the 20th century. He was well known for playing negative and supporting roles, but was also a successful character actor. In a career spanning close to five decades, he acted in more than 400 movies in Tamil, Telugu and Hindi. With his eloquent and stylish English. The film industry admired his strong English.
Pathi Bhakthi is a 1936 Indian Tamil-language drama film directed by P. Y. Altekar. It is based on the Madurai Original Boy's Company (MOBC) theatre troupe's play of the same name. The film stars K. P. Kesavan, Radha Bai and Kali N. Rathnam.
Nagercoil Sudalaimuthu Krishnan, popularly known as Kalaivanar and also as NSK, was an Indian actor-comedian, theatre artist, playback singer and writer in the early stages of the Tamil film industry – in the 1940s and 1950s. He is considered as the "Charlie Chaplin of India."
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