''Phaniyamma'' is a 1983 Indian

Kannada Kannada () is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly in the state of Karnataka in southwestern India, and spoken by a minority of the population in all neighbouring states. It has 44 million native speakers, and is additionally a ...

award-winning

drama Drama is the specific Mode (literature), mode of fiction Mimesis, represented in performance: a Play (theatre), play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on Radio drama, radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a g ...

film directed and produced by

Prema Karanth Prema Karanth (15 August 1936 – 29 October 2007) was an Indian theatre personality and the first-ever woman film-maker of Kannada cinema. She was the wife of B. V. Karanth and was known for the children's plays that she staged. She became the ...

. The story is based on acclaimed novelist

M. K. Indira Mandagadde Krishnarao Indira (5 January 1917 – 15 March 1994) was a well-known Indian novelist in the Kannada language. Her works include ''Phaniyamma'', which won various awards. She began writing novels at the age of forty-five.Susie J. ...

's 1977

Sahitya Academy Award The Sahitya Akademi Award is a literary honour in India, which the Sahitya Akademi, India's National Academy of Letters, annually confers on writers of the most outstanding books of literary merit published in any of the 22 languages of the ...

-winning novel of the same name. The film highlighted the plight of a widow and her struggle for survival. The film's cast included many players from a theatrical background including L. V. Sharadha, Prathibha Kasaravalli, Archana Rao, Vishwanath Rao and Kasaragod Chinna. Actor

Ananth Nag Anant Nagarkatte (born 4 September 1948) is an Indian actor whose predominant contribution has been in Kannada cinema. He has acted in over 300 films which include over 250 Kannada films and few films in Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Marathi, Malaya ...

made a guest appearance in the film.Cast and Crew
/ref> The film was widely appreciated by critics and audience upon release. It went on to win

National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Kannada The National Film Award for Best Kannada Feature Film is one of the National Film Awards presented annually by the National Film Development Corporation of India. It is one of several awards presented for feature films and awarded with Rajat Ka ...

and many International film awards. The film also was awarded multiple

Karnataka State Film Awards Karnataka State Film Awards are the most notable and prestigious film awards given for Kannada film industry in Karnataka, India. These are considered the highest awards for Kannada language films. They are given annually by the Government ...

including Best Film, Best Supporting actress and Best Story writer.

Cast

* L. V. Sharadha * Baby Prathima * Pratibha Kasaravalli * Archana Rao * Poornima Gaonkar * Vishwanath Rao * Kasaragodu Chinna * Malathi Sridhar * Bhavani * Chidanand *

in a guest appearance * Venugopal Kasaragod in a guest appearance

Soundtrack

The music of the film was composed by B. V. Karanth to the lyrics of

Chandrashekhara Kambara Chandrashekhara Basavanneppa Kambara (born 2 January 1937) is a prominent Indian poet, playwright, folklorist, film director in Kannada language and the founder-vice-chancellor of Kannada University in Hampi also president of the Sahitya Akade ...

Awards

The film has won the following awards since its release. 1982 National Film Awards (India) * Won –

1982-83

(India) * Won –

Karnataka State Film Award for Best Film The Karnataka State Film Award for First Best Film is a state film award of the Indian state of Karnataka given during the annual Karnataka State Film Awards. The award honors Kannada language films. Winners See also * Karnataka State Film ...

* Won –

Karnataka State Film Award for Best Supporting Actress Karnataka State Film Award for Best Supporting Actress is a state film award of the Indian state of Karnataka given during the annual Karnataka State Film Awards. The award honours Kannada language films. Superlative Winners Award winners The ...

– Archana Rao * Won –

Karnataka State Film Award for Best Story Karnataka State Film Award for Best Story is a state film award of the Indian state of Karnataka given during the annual Karnataka State Film Awards. The award honors Kannada language films. Superlative winners Award winners The following is ...

–

This film screened at 9th IFFI.

References

External links

* * A detailed biography of novelist M. K. Indira. {{DEFAULTSORT:Phaniyamma 1983 films 1980s Kannada-language films 1980s Indian films Films based on Indian novels Best Kannada Feature Film National Film Award winners 1983 directorial debut films