K. Subramaniam

Biography

Krishnaswami Subrahmanyam was an Indian film director of the 1930s-40s and a key figure in establishing the Tamil film industry. He directed around 20 films and is known for ground-breaking socio-political themes, criticizing the caste system, advocating for women, and critiquing untouchability. His most famous work is nationalistic film Thyagabhoomi (1939), which was based on the novel banned by the colonial British government (as was the film). Several of his children also worked in cinema and dance, namely; S. V. Ramanan, Dr. S. Krishnaswami and the popular danseuse; Dr. Padma Subramanyam. His grandson S. Raghuram is legendary in the Indian film industry for choreographing over 1600 films. His great-granddaughters; Gayathri, Raghuram and Suja Manoj are also actresses and choreographers, and then there are great grandsons; Anirudh Ravichandran (music director) and Hrishialso (actor). His son Dr . S . Krishnaswamy is known for his award winning historical films and TV series, one of which, He Swam Against the Colonial Current (2011); is a biography about the work of his pioneering film maker and freedom fighting father, Krishnaswami Subrahmanyam.