B S Lingadevaru

A renowned film director in the Kannada film industry, B.S. Lingadevaru (Byalakere Shivananjappa Lingadevaru) is mostly famous for his movies Kaada Beladingalu and Nannu Avanalla… Avalu. He directed an award-winning movie name “Mouni”. The movie is a film adaption of a novel by Dr. Ananthamurthy. The author is a holder of the Jnanpith Award and through the movie, he conveys that silence is the strongest protest of all. The story revolves around two Brahmins, Kuppanna Bhatta and Appanna Bhatta. The latter torments Kuppanna, who reacts by maintaining silence throughout their relation. The story moves forward with increasing tension between the two characters. The movie received a National Film Award in 2003 and Karnataka State Film Award for Best Story to U R Ananthamurthy. Another one of Lingadevaru’s film, “Kaada Beladingalu”, featuring Lokanath, Dattanna and Ananya Kasaravalli Fathered by a highly esteemed recipient of nationa >> Read More... bagged another National Film Award for the director. It was selected along with three other Kannada films to be screened in the Panorama section of the International Film Festival in 2007. The story revolves around the impact urbanisation has on the old age people residing in the rural area. 

Lingadevaru’s latest film, “Naanu Avanalla... Avalu” is another film adaption of an autobiographical novel, I am Vidya. The novel is based on the life of a transgender describing her transformation from a boy to a woman. The movie stars Sanchari Vijay Vijay Kumar B alias Sanchari Vijay is a Kannada Th >> Read More... and Kunal Punekar playing the roles of Vidya and Sumithra respectively. The film was premiered at the 62nd National Film Festival in May 2015 and at the Melbourne International Film Festival in August 2015. The movie won two awards at the National Film Awards The National Film Awards gets presented every year >> Read More... , one for Vijay in the category of Best Actor and the other for Raju and Nagaraj for Best Make-up Artist. 

B.S. Lingadevaru stated that his view on the transgender community changed entirely by the end of the film shooting. He states that the entire community should be able to question the treatment of such people.