T. S. Nagabharana

Talakadu Srinivasaiah Nagabharana (born 23 January 1953) is an Indian film director, in the Kannada film industry and a pioneer of the parallel cinema. He is one of the few film directors to have straddled the mainstream and parallel cinema worlds. He achieved success both in television and cinema. He has made 36 films in Kannada which have earned him 10 national awards, 23 State awards, 8 films entered into Indian Panorama in International Film Festivals.

He has contributed a lot to Kannada theatre. Being a student of legendary theatre personality Padmasri B V Karanth, Nagabharana has been active in theatre in capacities as actor, director and writer. He has directed 36 plays. He has been an administrator for several theatre repertories, especially Rangayana, Mysuru and Benaka Theatre Group, Bengaluru.

He has produced and directed number of serials and other programs for Doordarshan and other channels.

His movies were noted to be a major inspiration for some of the popular Hindi movies. His movie Mysore Mallige was an inspiration for 1942: A Love Story. The core plot of Chigurida Kanasu was an inspiration for Swades. The movie Nagamandala was an inspiration for Paheli. The core plot of Kallarali Hoovagi was an inspiration for the storyline of Bajrangi Bhaijaan.

He has been the recipient of international, national, state and other awards for 20 of his 34 Kannada movies in the last 40 years. He was nominated as the chairman of Karnataka Chalanachitra Academy (KCA), Bangalore [Government of Karnataka] (State Film Academy). Currently he is the Chairman of Kannada Development Authority of Govt of Karnataka.

Early life
T S Nagabharana was born on 23 January 1953 to A Srinivasaiah and Rudramma at Talakadu, Mysuru district, Karnataka. He is the second of the total five siblings. His grandfathers on both paternal and maternal side, Maddale Girigowda and Tippegowda were agriculturists but also Yakshagana exponents. Their influence on young Nagabharana was immense. His father Srinivasaiah served as deputy director in Agriculture Department, Bengaluru. After primary education in Talakadu, Nagabharana's further education was at Bengaluru. During his college days Nagabharana came under the indelible influence of the great playwright Adya Rangacharya. As a student he directed two plays Evam Indrajit and Shoka Chakra. He got involved with amateur theatre and initially worked backstage and as a technician and eventually became an actor, singer and director.

During his theatre days he met Nagini, who was also involved with theatre. They fell in love and got married on 10 December 1979. They continue to work together in films, TV and theatre till date. Nagini Bharana has won National Award for Best Children's Film, State award for Best Costume for Kallarali Hoovaagi, directed by Nagabharana. The couple have a son Pannaga Bharana, who is also a film director and a daughter Shrutha Bharana, who takes care of BAPA as faculty.

Career
By the time he completed his BSc degree, Nagabharana had established himself as a serious actor- director. He directed and acted plays like Sangya Balya, Kathale Belaku, Shakarana Sarotu, Jokumaraswamy, Oedipus, Sattavara Neralu, Krishna Parijata, Tingara Buddanna, Mundena Sakhi Mundena, Hayavadana, Neegikonda Samsa, Baka and Blood Wedding.

He joined LLB course in Sri Jagadguru Renukacharya collage of Law. Even as a student he worked as assistant director in the films Kaadu, directed by Girish Karnad, which won the national award; as associate to B V Karanth for Chomana Dudi. Even as a student he wanted to direct his own film and directed his first film Grahana, which won the National Award 1979- Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration, National Film Award for Best Screenplay – T S Nagabharana & T S Ranga, Karnataka State Film Awards 1978-79 - First Best Film, Best Cinematographer (B&W) – S. Ramachandra. The film was also selected for Internationales Film festival Mannheim-Heidelberg,Germany.

He also worked as a backstage worker, actor, singer and director. He associated with leading theatre personalities like B. V. Karanth, Chandrashekhara Kambara and Girish Karnad.

He received a gold medal from the Government of India for his achievement in theatre. He is the founder of a theatre organisation called "Benaka". He also started Shruthalaya, an organisation for organising, writing, composing, camera work, lighting, art, acting, editing and directing.

Theatre

 * Worked with Padmashri B. V. Karanth, Former Director Of NSD and  Chairman of Ranga Mandala Bhopal, Rangayana Mysore.
 * Working as President of Benaka Children Theatre since 30 years
 * Organising and Directing 3 Children plays every year continuously since from start.
 * Directed more than 36 Plays of which Jnaanapeeth Sri Girish Karnad, Chandrashekhar Kambar, Sri Shivaram Karanth and Badal Sarkar etc.
 * Acted in more than 100 plays, totalling more than 10,000 shows.
 * Performed on National and International stages for several times
 * Conducted theatre workshops for the last 35 years regularly both National and International level.
 * Worked as an Administrator for several theatre repertories, specially Rangayana Mysore, Benaka Bengaluru
 * 40 years founder-actor, Benaka Amateur Troupe founded by B.V. Karanth
 * 30 years President, Benaka Children Theatre founded by Prema Karanth.
 * Karnataka Rajyotsava Awardees for Theatre
 * Represented Government of India Cultural Committees several times.
 * Working as Administrator and teacher in Bharana Academy of Performing Arts (BAPA) school by encouraging and teaching students who are interested in Theatre and Film acting.
 * Directed and acted in a one-man show Ahatha.
 * Conceptualised, directed a musical play on the life of Bengaluru Nagarathnamma.
 * Awarded by the Sangeeth Natak Academy, Karnataka.

He is a fan of Akira Kurosawa and Ingmar Bergman.

National Network

 * Serials for Doordarshan since its inception.
 * Tele serial Shasraphan was written by former Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao
 * Indo-Mauritius co-production Stone Boy
 * Samsmaran travalogue by Goruru Ramaswamy Iyengar extensively shot in the United States of America
 * Tenali Rama, Aradhana, Ganayogi Panchakshari

TV Serial List
National Network
 * An Indian in America
 * Sahasrapan
 * Stone Boy
 * Tenali Rama
 * O Nanna Belake
 * Ganayogi Panchakshari

Regional Network
 * Mussanje
 * Namma Nammalli
 * Tirugu Bana
 * Sankranthi (megaserial)
 * Aradhana
 * Gelathi
 * A variety of serials and other programs for Doordarshan, Udaya TV, SUN TV and others

Filmography

 * He holds several records for many of his films. Like Janumada Jodi, had record silver jubilee theatrical run in most number of theatres across Karnataka; some more than 365 days. The film is a subject for study in the humanities by an American University.
 * Directed a total of 36 films of which 18 films have received prestigious awards.
 * Directed 4 children's films.
 * Film fare awards 7 times as Best Director.
 * Has won 10 National Awards (3 for National Integration)
 * 23 State Awards (various categories)
 * 8 of his films have secured Indian Panorama Entry in International Film Festivals.
 * Has been on the Jury 4 times of the National Film Awards
 * Represented India as Jury and his films have been featured in International Film Festivals in Manheim, Milan, Iran, Chicago, Armenia and Karlovy Vary.
 * Allama, his film on 12th century saint, represented India at International U N Gandhi Medal. Also selected to Indian Panorama.
 * Mysuru Mallige, is a first of its kind experimental film, completely based on the poems of poet K S Narasimhaswamy.
 * He has made a host of short & documentary films for Films Division, Government of India and the State Govt.
 * He was awarded the Puttanna Kanagal Award for Life Time Achievement by Govt of Karnataka.

As actor
Nagabharana has also acted in many movies. Some of them are:

Achievements
Nagabharana has won nine National and 14 State awards.


 * Directed a total of 36 films of which 19 films have received prestigious awards & 4 are  Children's films.
 * 1st BRICS Film Festival Chairperson of Jury.
 * Represented India as Jury and his films have been featured in International Film Festivals in Manheim, Milan, Iran, Chicago, Armenia, china and Karlovy Vary
 * Jury member of Dadasaheb phalke Award at 64th National Film Award
 * Executive Committee Member, Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce - 3 years
 * Chairman of Subsidy Committee for Films, Government of Karnataka
 * President of Karnataka Film Directors’ Association
 * ONLY director who has secured ENTRY in both Mainstream and Indian Panorama TWICE in 1993-1994 and 1995–1996 in International Film Festivals of India
 * CIFEJ (‘Centre International de Film pour l’enfance et La Jeunesse’ meaning ‘International Centre of Films for Children and Youth’) Board Member for 13 years.
 * Adarsh Film Institute Principal and Faculty
 * Chairman, Karnataka Chalanachitra Academy 2008-2012
 * Member of the Central Censor Board since 2015
 * Working as Administrator and teacher in Bharana Academy of Performing Arts (BAPA) school by encouraging and teaching students who are interested in Theatre and Film acting.

Others

 * Dhwani- Sriranga international Kannada theatre award for 2009 by Dhwani Pratishthana
 * T.S. Nagabharana occupies the crown of a hat trick of national integration award. Three of his films won the best Film on National Integration, and he is the only director in India to have won so.
 * He established Shruthalaya, an organisation for organising, writing, composing, camera work, lighting, art, acting, editing and directing.
 * He also established Bharana Academy of Performing Arts (BAPA) and is the Managing Trustee.
 * Directed Light & Sound programmes for Tourism Department of Govt. of India and Govt. of Karnataka at Mysore, Hampi, Kittur, and Srirangapattana.
 * A doctoral thesis on his films was submitted by N K Padmanabha and was awarded.
 * Several commemorative volumes have been dedicated to Nagabharana on various occasions.
 * Nagabharana Film Festivals and Seminars on his works held on several occasions.