Renowned documentary filmmaker S. Krishnaswamy dies at 88
What's the story
Acclaimed documentary and television filmmaker S. Krishnaswamy, who produced over 900 non-fiction films, passed away on Sunday evening at a hospital in Chennai. He was 88 years old and had been undergoing treatment for a heart ailment, reported The Hindu. His daughter Gita Krishnaraj confirmed that he had visited the hospital in the evening for treatment.
Background
Krishnaswamy's early life and education
Born in Chennai (then Madras) on July 15, 1937, Krishnaswamy was the son of renowned film director K. Subrahmanyam and lyricist Meenakshi Subrahmanyam. He studied mass communications with a special focus on documentary films at Columbia University in the US from 1960. He established his production company, Krishnaswamy Associates, in 1963.
Achievements
Krishnaswamy's notable works and awards
Krishnaswamy's magnum opus, Indus Valley to Indira Gandhi, was released in December 1976. The four-hour film covered 5,000 years of subcontinental history and was shot at 100 locations across India. Its international distribution rights were bought by Warner Brothers. His other notable works include Unknown Freedom Fighters (1978), Rajaji (1979), Kamaraj (1981), With Apologies to Tagore (1987), Jaya Jaya Sankara (1991) and Reality Behind Religion (1992).
Political films
Krishnaswamy's exploration of political leaders and social issues
Krishnaswamy also made films on political leaders such as R. Venkataraman and C. Subramaniam in 2002, and M.G. Ramachandran in 1984. In the 1980s, he explored the complex issues of Punjab and Sri Lanka through his films, shedding light on the Indian defense forces' operations there. His film Who Loses When India Wins (2006) discussed electoral reforms in India. He was honored with the Padma Shri in 2009.
Literary works
Krishnaswamy's contributions to literature and film
Apart from his filmmaking career, Krishnaswamy also authored several books. One of his notable works was Voyages Retraced: India's Influence in East Asia, published in February 2025. The book explored ancient India's influence on Southeast Asian countries through Indian sailors who traveled to Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and Thailand between 2005 and 2010. He also co-authored the book Indian Film with Erik Barnouw, during which they stayed in Darjeeling while Satyajit Ray filmed Kanchenjunga there. May he rest in peace.