Hyderabad: The death of legendary filmmaker K. Viswanath late on Thursday night was mourned by celebrities and fans alike. They shared their tributes, experiences and memories of him with Deccan Chronicle on Friday.
He's the only legend to have made so many musicals that turned out to be blockbusters. Words fail to describe the genius that he was. He brought out the best in lyrics, choreography and performances and touched on very bold topics. Some of his films deserve an Oscar! He once asked me when he'd be working with me and I told him those words were the biggest award I could ever win. Devi Sri Prasad, music director
Though Vishwanath ji may not be amongst us physically, he will remain in our thoughts. An artist never dies. His contribution to Indian cinema, particularly Telugu cinema, is unparalleled. Wherever he is, may his soul rest in peace. Hariprasad Chaurasia, music director, flautist, via a statement
Viswanath sir was my biggest inspiration to pursue filmmaking. Like he said in the last frame of ‘Sagara Sangamam’ "There is no end to art", it rings true today. His timeless classics will remind us of the magic of storytelling and what it takes to make great cinema. There was a scene in one of my films that had the song Sagara Sangamam playing in the background - we were shooting right next to his house. He watched the entire shoot from his balcony and told us later when we met in person that the song brought back memories of him shooting that song!Sriram Adittya, Tollywood filmmaker
He is one of the very few filmmakers who challenged the prevalent societal norms and taught empathy and humanity over inequality and discrimination. His decisions as a filmmaker were gutsy but his stories, kind, and heartwarming.Anurag Palutla, screenwriter/director, TFI
Viswanath garu is a class apart. I grew up watching his classics which played an important role in my love for films. Who wouldn't admire his works, they were as unique as real in every sense of the word.Venkata Prasad, senior manager, programming, Imax
Movies of Viswanath garu influenced my love towards dance and music. Apparently, the first song I ever hummed was from one of his movies, Swati Kiranam. I really admire the way he portrayed the characters in his movies, especially the female characters - they were simple girls next door yet strong and independent, who calmly broke gender stereotypes. He was exceptional as a director in bringing out the best of his actors - right from Mamooty to Kamal Haasan and Chiranjeevi.Keerti N, advocate
His direction brought out the realities of life with such ease. He touched on several sensitive topics like the dignity of labour, dowry, depression, the dying art of classical dances, etc. T S Shanthi Kumar, retired employee
