B Saroja Devi and Vishnuvardhan.
Soon after legendary actors Vishnuvardhan and B. Saroja Devi have been posthumously conferred the Karnataka Ratna, followers have been upset with the Karnataka authorities over the “delayed recognition” of gifted artists from the movie trade.
The common consensus, as summed up from posts on social media, is that the award — the very best civilian honour of Karnataka — was lengthy overdue for these actors who’ve contributed immensely to the trade.
“Vishnuvardhan is one of the main pillars of the Kannada film industry,” film-maker Dinesh Baboo instructed The Hindu concerning the veteran actor who starred in over 220 motion pictures since his debut in 1972. The actor handed away on the age of 59 in 2009.
Saroja Devi, often known as the feminine famous person of Kannada cinema, handed away in July this 12 months. Inspiring generations along with her expertise and beauty, she acted in over 200 movies throughout languages throughout her six-decade profession.
“Rewarding someone posthumously isn’t the right way to treat our artists,” identified National Award-winning filmmaker P. Sheshadri. Seasoned filmmaker Rajendra Singh Babu echoed Sheshadri’s opinion. “Posthumous awards act as a welcome relief to fans and family of the awardees. However, for the decades of efforts put in by the actors or technicians, it’s better that they are awarded during their lifetime,” he stated.
Talented artists are put in a state of affairs the place they find yourself asking for an award, stated Sheshadri.
Instituted in 1992, the award is for honouring an individual’s extraordinary contribution to a selected subject. While Jnanpith Award-winning poet Kuvempu was the primary recipient, famous person Puneeth Rajkumar, who handed away on the age of 45 as a consequence of a cardiac arrest, was the final individual to be conferred in 2022.
Senior filmmakers really feel the method of selecting candidates for the Karnataka Ratna ought to be streamlined. “It’s not clear if the award is given for the experience of a person or for his contribution to the field,” Sheshadri reasoned, including that producers reminiscent of N. Veeraswamy and Dwarakish are worthy of being honoured with the award.
ALSO READ: Karnataka bids farewell to Vishnuvardhan
Rajendra Singh Babu stated that Karnataka Ratna ought to observe the Dadasaheb Phalke Award mannequin. “The Karnataka Ratna should be given every year, like Dadasaheb Phalke. That way, the government can maintain consistency.”
Actor-filmmaker T.S. Nagabharana, who has served as a committee member for the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, additionally felt the Phalke mannequin have to be tried in Karnataka.
“A panel to finalise the candidate will be a good option,” he stated, including that the State should look past the sphere of artwork to recognise proficient personalities. “People from literature and science have made Karnataka proud,” stated Mr. Nagabharana. As for movies and theatre, he stated it’s excessive time well-known figures reminiscent of Hunsur Krishnamurthy, G.V. Iyer, and actor-producer Jayanthi obtained the popularity.
Published – September 13, 2025 10:37 pm IST
