Filmmaker Singeetham Srinivasa Rao remembered for inventive cinema
Director Singeetham Srinivasa Rao, who died at 94, is being remembered for an experimental body of work across South Indian cinema, including collaborations with Kamal Haasan on films such as Raaja Paarvai, Pushpak and Michael Madana Kama Rajan.
Filmmaker Singeetham Srinivasa Rao, who died at 94, is being remembered for a career defined by experimentation, humour and collaborations across South Indian cinema. The Hindu described Rao as a director with a sharp mind, a quirky sense of humour and a continuing willingness to try new ideas. His work with actor Kamal Haasan was particularly prominent in Tamil cinema.
Their 1981 film Raaja Paarvai centred on a visually challenged hero, while the 1987 film Pesum Padam, also known by titles including Pushpak and Pushpaka Vimana, used no spoken dialogue. The film relied on visual performance, actors and background music, and was extensively filmed in Bengaluru. In 1989, Rao directed Aboorva Sagodharargal, in which Haasan played, among other characters, a dwarf seeking revenge.
The director and actor later made Michael Madana Kama Rajan, a 1990 comedy about quadruplets raised in different homes. Rao’s other Tamil films included Magalir Mattum, Chinna Vathiyar, Kaathala Kaathala and Mumbai Express. Magalir Mattum, released in 1994, followed three women who form a bond and confront a lecherous employer.
Rao also worked in Telugu and Kannada cinema and continued directing into his nineties, including the project Sing Geetham. Haasan later conducted a retrospective on their collaborations, with contributions from other associates. Rao leaves behind a filmography that the account characterises as enduring and inventive.
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