Kashinath

Kashinath was born on 8 May 1951 in Kundapura, a town in the coastal Karnataka. He had a keen interest in theatre and drama since his childhood and participated in many plays and skits. He graduated from National College, Basavanagudi, Bangalore and worked as a clerk in a bank for a while. He then joined a theatre group called Aseema and started writing and directing plays. He also acted in some of them and gained recognition for his talent. He made his film debut as a director and actor with Aparoopada Athithigalu (1976), a comedy-drama that was well received by the audience. He then directed and acted in Aparichita (1978), a suspense thriller that was a huge hit and established him as a filmmaker with a unique style. He followed it up with many successful films in Kannada cinema, such as Anubhava (1984), Anantana Avantara (1989), Avale Nanna Hendthi (1988), Ajagajantara (1991), and Hendathi Endare Heegirabeku (1995). He was known for his double entendre dialogues and his exploration of taboo or unconventional subjects in his films. He also composed music for some of his films and sang a few songs. He also worked in other languages such as Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, and Malayalam. He directed the Hindi remake of Anubhava, titled Anubhav (1986), starring Shekhar Suman and Padmini Kolhapure. He also acted in the Telugu film Rajendra (1993) and the Malayalam film Keli (1991). He produced the Tamil film Kalyana Agathigal (1987), directed by K. Balachander. He was also a mentor and a guide to many newcomers who later became successful in the Kannada film industry. He introduced actors like Upendra, Bank Janardhan, and Tennis Krishna, directors like Sunil Kumar Desai and V. Manohar, and technicians like Ramesh Bhat and Sadhu Kokila. He also supported and encouraged many female artists like Abhinaya, Vanitha Vasu, and Bhavya. He died on 18 January 2018 in Bengaluru, Karnataka, India, after suffering from cancer for a year. He was 66 years old. He was cremated with state honors at Wilson Garden crematorium. He is remembered as one of the most influential and innovative filmmakers of Kannada cinema and a pioneer of the comedy genre. He has won several awards and honors, including the Karnataka State Film Awards, the Filmfare Awards South, and the Dr. Rajkumar Award.