Potpourri of tidbits about Tamil cinema - Vittalacharya
Q: What is the reason for your deep interest in stories with ‘mantra, tantra’ base?
A: I am immensely interested in this type of stories. Otherwise, I’ve not seen spirits or a real sorcerer in my life. Everything was only my imagination. I’ve staunch faith in the ‘mantras’ and their benefits as contained in the Vedas. Based on these, my imagination would take wings. I saw that all my movies had three factors without fail - a royal family, occult matters and faith in God.
Q: Which films had impressed you very much?
A: Maya bazaar’, ‘Kanavanae kannkanda deivam’, ‘Deivam’ and films of A. P. Nagarajan, B. R. Panthulu and Modern Theatres had stunned me.
Q: You had not produced any straight Tamil movie …
A: ‘Penn kulathin pon vilakku’ in which Gemini Ganesan and M. N. Rajam did the lead roles was my only Tamil movie. The film released on 10-7-1959. After this movie, I only dubbed my Telugu and Kannada movies in Tamil and I was totally successful in that attempt. Whenever Chinnappa Devar and I met, we would discuss only about animals, their behavior and maintenance. While mingling with animals rather than humans, we would feel very joyous and mentally peaceful.
Q: Tell us about your family …
A: My wife’s name is Jayalakshmi. We’ve four sons and four daughters. My eldest son Srinivasan directed ‘Pennai nampungal’, ‘Thaipasam’ and ‘Aval oru adhisayam’ in Tamil and another four movies in Telugu. He produced ‘Jai vedalam’ and directed it too. The movie was the second 3D movie at the national level. My second son Padmanabhan is distributing my old films. The other children have settled down in America, Mangalore and Hyderabad.
Q: Have you received any awards for your films?
A: I produced films only with the aim of entertaining people and making money. How can I expect awards for my films?!
Vittalacharya, who had directed more than hundred films, who had created a niche for himself in the industry died on 28-5-1999 at his 79th year. At death-bed, he called out for all his children and grandchildren and told them that he had lived a fully gratifying life and that he would die with that happiness in mind. He asked his family members to sing his favorite bhajans and he breathed his last with a peaceful smile on his lips.
It would be an honor to this veteran and noted filmmaker if the Tamil Nadu government or the Government of Andhra Pradesh institutes an award in his name and distributes it to the best ‘Mayajaal’ movie of the year.
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