K Viswanath passes away in Hyderabad: Mammootty to Jr NTR to AR Rahman and others South celebs pay tribute

Kasinadhuni Viswanath, a Dadasaheb Phalke awardee and prominent filmmaker, died in a private hospital in Hyderabad. He was 92. According to accounts, Viswanath had been ill for some time and was suffering from age-related difficulties.

He died in the hospital at midnight on Thursday. Viswanath, also known as 'Kalatapasvi,' was born in Andhra Pradesh in February 1930. He was the 48th laureate of the Dadasaheb Phalke award, the highest distinction in Indian cinema. He was a significant name not just in Telugu cinema but also in Tamil and Hindi films. His wife Kasinadhuni Jaya Lakshmi, three sons including Ravindranath and Nagendranath, and a daughter, Padmavathi, survive him.

Also Read: K Viswanath's net worth, family, education, movies, horoscope and more

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao expressed his condolences over the death of Viswanath, a release from the Chief Minister's Office said.

Celebs pay tribute to K Viswanath
South Indian film industry celebrities, including RRR star Jr NTR, veteran actor Mammootty, singer AR Rahman, director Gopichand Mallineni, and many more, paid homage to K Viswanath with heartfelt postings on their official social media accounts.

Mammootty penned an emotional note remembering K Viswanath, on his social media handles, which reads: "Deeply saddened by the demise of Sri K Viswanath Garu. Had the privilege of being directed by him in Swathikiranam. My thoughts and prayers with his loved ones."

Jr NTR posted a picture of the legend along with a note, on his Twitter handle. "Vishwanath holds a high place among those who spread the fame of Telugu cinema across the continents. He gave many incredible films like Shankarabharan and Sagara Sangam. The loss without him is never-ending. My deepest condolences to his family and may his soul rest in peace," wrote the actor in his post. 

AR Rahman shared a throwback picture with K Viswanath on his official social media handles and wrote a touching note, paying tribute to the legend. "Anjali tradition,warmth, heart, music, dance, love …..your movies filled my childhood with humaneness and wonder! #ripkviswanathji," reads the musician's post.

Ram Gopal Varma tweeted, "Sad to hear about the passing of India’s 1st auteur director #KVishwanath ..He is gone , but his films will live forever." 

Actor Nani remembered K Vishwanath with a powerful post and called him 'the greatest of greatest'. On the other hand, Anil Kapoor also shared a few throwback photos with the legend along with a message that read, "K. Vishwanath Ji you taught me so much, being on set with you during Eeshwar was like being in a temple…RIP My Guru." 

Khushbu Sundar wrote on Twitter, "We have lost another gem! What a legend! #KVishwanath gaaru will be remembered forever for his art, his passion and understanding of films. Never got an opportunity to work with him, but been a great admirer of his work. Will be missed. RIP #KVishwanathgaru Om Shanti."

Meanwhile, Pawan Kalyan with director Trivikram visited K. Vishwanath's residence today morning to pay his last respects to the legend. 

About K Viswanath
In 1951, the legend, who was born in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, began his career as an assistant director in Tamil film. In 1965, he made his directorial debut with the critically praised film Aathma Gouravam. Swathi Muthyam, Sirivennela, Shankarabharanam, and other works are among his best. K Viswanath has received several of the nation's highest honours and distinctions, including the Padma Shri, six National Film Awards, eight Nandi Awards, and many others.