Bindiganavile Srinivas Iyengar Ranga (11 November 1917 – 12 December 2010[1]) was an Indian photographer, actor, producer and director who has made many landmark movies in Kannada, Telugu, and Tamil. He was also the owner of Vikram Studios.[2] He has directed and produced about 87 films in these three languages with a maximum of 18 films in Kannada alone starring matinee idol Rajkumar.[3]

B. S. Ranga
Born
Bindiganavile Srinivas Iyengar Ranga

(1917-11-11)11 November 1917
Died12 December 2010(2010-12-12) (aged 93)
Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
NationalityIndian
Occupation(s)Film director, producer, cinematographer, screenwriter

Biography edit

He was born in Magadi Village (near Bare, India) Mysore (now part of Karnataka State). After an art-enriched childhood wherein he interacted with many stage personalities, B.S. Ranga entered the field of photography. At the age of 17, the self-trained Ranga sent some of his work to be exhibited at the Royal Salon in London, and was elected an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Photographic Society.

Subsequently, he moved to Bombay (now Mumbai) and apprenticed himself to the cameraman and laboratory technician, Krishna Gopal. B.S. Ranga then embarked on a film career lasting more than five decades, during which he played the roles of cinematographer, director, producer, laboratory owner, studio owner, exhibitor and script-writer, sometimes all at once for one of his productions. His production company, Vikram Productions, gained prominence in the 1960s and 1970s, and won B.S. Ranga many awards, including two President's Awards. The first was for Tenali Ramakrishna in Telugu (starring N.T. Rama Rao and Akkineni Nageswara Rao), and the second was for Amarshilpi Jakkanachari, the first colour movie produced in Kannada.

Filmography edit

As director edit

Year Film Language
1940 Pardesi Hindi
1940 Pyaas Hindi
1940 Prakash Hindi
1941 Bhakta Tulsidas Hindi
1942 Mehman Hindi
1942 Fox Movietone News Hindi
1943 Bakta Naradar Hindi
1945 Dassi Aparanji Tamil
1947 Baktha Thulasidas Tamil
1952 Shanthi Telugu
1954 Maa Gopi Telugu
1954 Jaya Gopi Tamil
1955 Kannavane Kankanda Deivam Tamil
1955 Baktha Markandeya Telugu
1956 Tenali Ramakrishna Telugu
1956 Tenali Raman Tamil
1957 Kutumba Gauravam Telugu
1957 Kudumba Gauravam Tamil
1959 Mahishasura Mardini Kannada
1959 Raja Malaiya Simman Tamil
1959 Raja Malaya Simha Telugu
1960 Mohabbat Ki Jeet Hindi
1960 Chandrahasa (Gunavathi) Tamil
1961 Nichaya Thaamboolam Tamil
1961 Pelli Thambulam Telugu
1962 Ashajeevulu Telugu
1962 Thendral Veesum Tamil
1963 Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya Hindi
1964 Amarashilpi Jakanachari Kannada
1964 Amara Silpi Jakkanna Telugu
1964 Prathigne Kannada
1965 Chandrahasa Kannada
1965 Chandrahasa Telugu
1965 Mahasati Anusuya
1967 Parvathi Kalyana Kannada
1967 Vasantha Sena Telugu
1969 Shiva Bhakta Kannada
1969 Bhale Basava Kannada
1970 Mr. Rajkumar Kannada
1971 Sidila Mari Kannada
1972 Bhai Behen Hindi
1973 Mannina Magalu Kannada
1973 Pattikaattu Ponnaiya Tamil
1975 Ganga Ki Kasam Hindi
1978 Suli Kannada
1981 Bhagyavantha Kannada
1982 Hasyaratna Ramakrishna Kannada
1984 Huliyada Kala Kannada

As Cinematographer edit

Year Film Language
1944 Bala Nagamma Telugu
1951 Stree Sahasam Telugu
1951 Sthree Sahasam Tamil
1953 Devadasu Telugu
1956 Tenali Ramakrishna Telugu
1959 Mahishasura Mardini Kannada
1961 Nichaya Thaamboolam Tamil
1964 Prathigne Kannada

As producer edit

Year Film Language
1955 Baktha Markandeya Telugu
1956 Tenali Ramakrishna Telugu
1959 Mahishasura Mardini Kannada
1960 Dashavathara Kannada
1961 Nichaya Thaamboolam Tamil
1964 Amara Silpi Jakkanna Telugu
1964 Prathigne Kannada
1965 Chandrahasa Kannada
1965 Mahasati Anusuya
1966 Kiladi Ranga Kannada
1967 Parvathi Kalyana Kannada
1967 Rajashekara Kannada
1969 Odahuttidavaru Kannada
1969 Bhale Basava Kannada
1970 Mr. Rajkumar Kannada
1971 Sidila Mari Kannada
1973 Mannina Magalu Kannada
1973 Pattikaattu Ponnaiya Tamil
1978 Suli Kannada

As Screenwriter edit

Year Film Language
1959 Mahishasura Mardini Kannada
1967 Rajashekara Kannada
1981 Bhagyavantha Kannada

Awards edit

National Film Awards:

References edit

  1. ^ "Bidding obituary to BS Ranga | Cinefundas.com - One Stop Cinema Portal". Archived from the original on 1 January 2011. Retrieved 21 January 2011.
  2. ^ Guy, Randor (19 July 2014). "Ratnapuri Ilavarasi (1960)". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 31 August 2014. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  3. ^ "He brought colour to Kannada cinema". 13 December 2010.
  4. ^ a b "4th National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 2 September 2011.

External edit