Cinema’s Quiet Unifier

A. Krishnamurthi’s maiden Marathi film was inspired by Balasaheb Thackeray

Mumbai: Renowned film producer A. Krishnamurthi, founder of Tina Films International (TFI), passed away early Friday following a brief illness. He was 98. He breathed his last at Lilavati Hospital, Bandra, where he had been admitted three days ago, his daughter Ramya Iyer said.

“He is survived by his wife Mathuram, sons K. Ravi Shankar and K. Ramji, and myself,” an emotional Ramya Iyer said.

In a final act reflecting his lifelong commitment to society, Krishnamurthi’s mortal remains were donated to the Somaiya Medical College & Research Centre, in keeping with his wishes. “He had expressed his desire to donate his body for medical education several years ago. The family has honoured that wish,” said his son-in-law, Venkat Iyer.

From 1983, the TFI banner went on to produce a string of successful Hindi films under his stewardship, including “Ghar Ek Mandir” (1984), “Swarag Se Sunder” (1986), “Sindoor” (1987), “Charanon Ki Saugandh” (1988), “Gharana” (1989), “Benaam Badsha” (1991), “Meherbaan” (1993), “Aag” (1994), and “Himmatwala” and “Mere Do Anmol Ratan” (both 1998).

A firm believer in nurturing fresh talent, Krishnamurthi gave the crucial ‘break’ to many actors and technicians across Bollywood and South Indian film industry - Sonali Bendre, Namrata Shirodkar, Sonam, Rupini, Khushboo, directors, writers, music-directors, singers, and trained his sons - as they went on to become big names over the years, a legacy he cherished deeply, said his family.

Bridges of Harmony

In a turbulent period marked by rising regional tensions and cultural animosity, a genteel and powerful Krishnamurthi built bridges of harmony through the medium of cinema – and succeeded.

In the late-1960s, when the fiery cartoonist and Shiv Sena founder Bal Keshav Thackeray spearheaded a strident campaign against South Indians – with the unsettling slogan “Bajao Pungi, Hatao Lungi” - a young Krishnamurthi, himself a ‘Madrassi’ outsider in Mumbai, managed to win over the tempestuous Tiger.

Armed with Thackeray’s “blessings”, Krishnamurthi ventured into Marathi cinema with his debut production, “Devmanoos” (1970). Featuring an illustrious cast including Durga Khote, Kashinath Ghanekar, Ramesh Deo and music by Sudhir Phadke, the film emerged as a symbolic, cultural and cinematic statement - signaling a thaw in strained social equations then.

Freedom Movement

Born with a quiet resilience, Krishnamurthi had earlier been part of India’s freedom struggle, briefly imprisoned and suffered British batons during the Quit India Movement (1942). That early brush with sacrifice and nationhood shaped his worldview which he later expressed through his films, which consistently championed unity, family values, communal amity and social harmony.

After his Marathi foray, he produced a Gujarati film “Sansar Chakra” (1978), rooted in themes of familial bonds. But it was in 1983 that his cinematic vision went full-throated with the launch of Tina Films International (TFI), marking his entry into mainstream Hindi cinema.

Over the next decade, Krishnamurthi also produced two Telugu films - “Puttinti Pattu Cheera” (1990) and “Amma Kadupu Chellaga” (1991) - further expanding his multilingual footprint.

“With his charismatic personality, he brought together people of all faiths and backgrounds. He helped dissolve prejudices against South Indians at a time when divisions ran deep,” recalled his daughter Ramya Iyer.

Creative Talent

However, Krishnamurthi’s journey in the glamour world cinema began humbly in 1948 under the mentorship of the legendary S. S. Vasan, founder of Gemini Studios in Chennai. He later worked with leading production houses such as Venus Pictures and Padmalaya Studios, learning the art and craft of film-making from some of the finest minds in Indian cinema.

Often regarded as “one of the most creative talents to emerge from Vasan’s stable”, Krishnamurthi went on to carve his own distinct cinematic identity through TFI. His films - marked by strong narratives, moral clarity and emotional depth - always celebrated Indian cultural values, enriched by memorable music, songs and dance.

A gifted linguist, he was fluent in Tamil, Marathi, Hindi, English, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam. This rare ability allowed him to connect effortlessly across regions and cultures, and infused sheer authenticity into his cinematic narratives.

Beyond cinema, Krishnamurthi was deeply committed to the arts and cultural integration. A longtime member of the Sri Shanmukhananda Fine Arts & Sangeetha Sabha in Sion, he played an active role in promoting cultural dialogue.

He was felicitated in 1992 by C. Subramaniam and was associated with organisations such as the Bharat Cultural Integration Committee and the Madras Telugu Academy.

He also organised national film festivals and cultural events centred on communal harmony and universal brotherhood - ideals he upheld both on and off screen.

Old timers who knew him say Krishnamurthi’s greatest legacy lies not merely in the films he produced, but in the bridges he built - across languages, regions and communities - coming across as a quiet unifier and a narrator who believed cinema could heal, connect and endure.