S. V. Sahasranamam Explained

Singanallur Venkataramana Iyer Sahasranamam^[1] (29 November 1913 – 19 February 1988), also known as S. V. S., was an Indian actor and director. Primarily a theatre actor, he also worked in over 200 films, mainly in Tamil cinema.

Early life

Sahasranamam was born on 29 November 1913 at Singanallur.^[2] He was the fourth child born to Venkatraman and Parvathi. Because of his interest in acting, he left his home at an early age to join the Madurai Sri Balashanmuganandha Sabha, a popular theatre group, which was later renamed T. K. S. Nataka Sabha.

Career

Several years after he joined T. K. S. Nataka Sabha, Sahasranamam started his own theatre group titled "Seva Stage". With that, he staged several popular plays such as Kangal, Irulum Oliyum and Vadivelu Vaathiyar. These plays were later adapted into feature films and were commercially successful. He also adapted the novels of writers such as B. S. Ramiah, T. Janakiraman and Ku Pa Rajagopalan, and made them into feature films. Although Sahasranamam was also successful in cinema, having acted in over 200 films since debuting in that field with Menaka (1935), he always considered theatre his main interest.

Awards

Sahasranamam won the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for Acting (Tamil) in 1967,^[3] and received the Sangeetha Kalasikhamani award in 1980 by the Indian Fine Arts Society, Chennai.^[4]

Personal life

Sahasranamam's son S. V. S. Kumar is also an actor.^{[5] [6]}

Illness and death

Between March 1974 and February 1988, Sahasranamam had suffered more than five heart attacks. He had chosen the artists for the play Nandha Vilakku, authored by novelist/dramatist Krishnamani, and asked them to come for a rehearsal on 21 February. But he suffered a heart attack on 19 February 1988 and died at 4:30 pm IST.

Partial filmography

Year	Film	Role
1935	Menaka
1937	Balamani	Ranjit Singh	[7]
1941	Alibabavum 40 Thirudargalum		[8]
1942	Kannagi	Paramasivan	[9]
1942	Naveena Vikramadityan		[10]
1944	Mahamaya	Jayapalan	[11]
1944	Prabhavathi	Shiva	[12]
1944	Rajarajeswari
1944	Poompavai	Shiva	[13]
1947	Paithiyakkaran		[14]
1949	Nallathambi	Bhoopati
1949	Vaazhkai	Murthi	[15]
1951	Marmayogi
1951	Manamagal	Male protagonist
1951	Singari		[16]
1952	Parasakthi	Chandrasekaran
1953	Kangal
1953	Rohini		[17]
1954	Edhir Paradhathu	Gopu
1955	Needhipathi
1955	Valliyin Selvan	Manoharam Pillay	[18]
1956	Kula Deivam	Muthaiyya
1956	Naane Raja
1958	Sengottai Singam	Dharmalingam	[19]
1959	Alli Petra Pillai
1959	Kalaivaanan	Viswanathan	[20]
1959	Kan Thiranthathu	Karuppaiah	[21]
1959	Naalu Veli Nilam
1959	Nalla Theerpu		[22]
1959	Orey Vazhi		[23]
1959	President Panchaksharam	District Board president
1959	Uthami Petra Rathinam		[24]
1962	Policekaran Magal		[25]
1962	Padithal Mattum Podhuma
1963	Vanambadi
1963	Anandha Jodhi	Muthiah Pillai	[26]
1964	Alli	Somu	[27]
1965	Poojaikku Vandha Malar	Sivanesan
1966	Yaarukkaga Azhudhaan	Naidu
1966	Marakka Mudiyumaa?
1966	Sadhu Mirandal	Bank Manager
1966	Avan Pithana?	Nallaiah Raja	[28]
1966	Selvam
1967	Kan Kanda Deivam	Judge	[29]
1968	Jeevanaamsam
1968	Kuzhanthaikkaga
1968	Thillana Mohanambal	Shaktivelu
1969	Iru Kodugal
1969	Soappu Seeppu Kannadi
1971	Punnagai		[30]
1971	Sabatham	Nalli Muthu
1972	Nawab Naarkali	Thandavam
1974	Urimaikural
1976	Dasavatharam	King Mahabali
1979	Gnana Kuzhandhai

Bibliography

• Book: Rajadhyaksha . Ashish . Encyclopaedia of Indian Cinema . Willemen . Paul . . 1998 . 0-19-563579-5 . Ashish Rajadhyaksha . Paul Willemen . 1994.

Notes and References

1. Book: Lal, Ananda . The Oxford companion to Indian theatre . . 2004 . 403 . Ananda Lal.
2. Web site: Majordasan . Serial story, Thiraichuvai – Potpourri of titbits about Tamil cinema, S.V.Sahasranamam . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20130831222134/http://www.kalyanamalaimagazine.com/Content/Thiraichuvai/Mar13_1_15/Potpourri_of_titbits_about_Tamil_cinema_SV_Sahasranamam.html . 31 August 2013 . 29 April 2014 . Kalyanamalai . 1.
3. Web site: Sangeet Natak Akademi Puraskar (Akademi Awards) . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160401211355/http://sangeetnatak.gov.in/sna/awardeeslist.htm . 1 April 2016 . 21 November 2018 . Sangeet Natak Akademi.
4. Web site: Awardees of Sangeetha Kalasikhamani . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180926175847/http://www.theindianfineartssociety.com/oldevents.html . 26 September 2018 . 21 November 2018 . The Indian Fine Art Society.
5. News: Rangarajan . Malathi . 5 December 2013 . Stage, Service and Sahasranamam . . live . 3 May 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20171222220317/http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/theatre/stage-service-and-sahasranamam/article5425349.ece . 22 December 2017.
6. News: Srinivasan . G. . 6 December 2017 . Chennai dramatist S V Sahasranamam remembered . . dead . 27 January 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20171222111026/https://www.newstodaynet.com/index.php/2017/12/06/dramatist-svs-104-birth-anniversary-remembered/ . 22 December 2017.
7. News: Guy . Randor . Randor Guy . 22 November 2014 . Balamani 1937 . . live . 12 November 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141203025748/http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/cinema-columns/blast-from-the-past-balamani-1937/article6625126.ece . 3 December 2014.
8. News: Guy . Randor . Randor Guy . 1 May 2011 . Ali Babavum Naarpathu Thirudargalum 1941 . . live . 20 November 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201120122422/https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-cinemaplus/ali-babavum-naarpathu-thirudargalum-1941/article1981825.ece . 20 November 2020.
9. Book: கண்ணகி . Kalaimagal Company . 1942 . ta . song book.
10. News: Guy . Randor . Randor Guy . 8 July 2010 . Naveena Vikramadityan (1942) . . live . 20 November 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170404102600/http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/Naveena-Vikramadityan-1942/article16189365.ece . 4 April 2017.
11. Book: Mahamaya . M. Saminathan . 1944 . ta . . 20 November 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200609034651/http://mininoolaham.blogspot.com/2017/06/1944.html . 9 June 2020 . live.
12. News: Guy . Randor . Randor Guy . 10 December 2011 . Prabhavathi 1942 . . live . 30 October 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20161017110559/http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/prabhavathi-1942/article2704053.ece . 17 October 2016.
13. News: Guy . Randor . Randor Guy . 16 August 2014 . Poompaavai 1944 . . live . 30 October 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170102151826/http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/blast-from-the-past-1944-tamil-classic-movie-poompaavai/article6324272.ece . 2 January 2017.
14. News: Guy . Randor . Randor Guy . 13 June 2008 . Paithiakaaran 1947 . . live . 20 November 2020 . https://archive.today/20130125062534/http://www.hindu.com/cp/2008/06/13/stories/2008061350421600.htm . 25 January 2013.
15. News: Guy . Randor . Randor Guy . 9 June 2012 . Vazhkai 1949 . . live . 20 November 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20171214125643/http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/vazhkai-1949/article3509383.ece . 14 December 2017.
16. News: Guy . Randor . Randor Guy . 20 August 2011 . Singari 1951 . . live . 20 November 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180221151542/http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/singari-1951/article2376221.ece . 21 February 2018.
17. News: Guy . Randor . Randor Guy . 19 January 2013 . Rohini 1953 . . live . 20 November 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130927054329/http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/rohini-1953/article4322990.ece . 27 September 2013.
18. Book: வள்ளியின் செல்வன் . United Film Arts . 1955 . ta . song book.
19. News: Guy . Randor . Randor Guy . 11 October 2014 . Blast from the past: Sengottai Singam 1958 . . live . 12 November 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181112181726/https://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/cinema-columns/blast-from-the-past-sengottai-singam-1958/article6491808.ece . 12 November 2018.
20. News: Guy . Randor . Randor Guy . 18 October 2014 . Blast from the past: Kalaivaanan 1959 . . live . 12 November 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160921104603/http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/cinema-columns/blast-from-the-past-kalaivaanan-1959/article6514826.ece . 21 September 2016.
21. Book: கண் திறந்தது . Narayanan Company . 1959 . ta . song book.
22. News: Guy . Randor . Randor Guy . 17 August 2013 . Nalla Theerpu (1959) . . live . 20 November 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130822070447/http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/cinema-columns/nalla-theerpu-1959/article5032262.ece . 22 August 2013.
23. News: Guy . Randor . Randor Guy . 23 August 2014 . Orey Vazhi 1959 . . live . 20 November 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180622183756/http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/blast-from-the-past-orey-vazhi-1959/article6345207.ece . 22 June 2018.
24. News: Guy . Randor . Randor Guy . 2 August 2014 . Utthami Petra Rathinam 1960 . . live . 20 November 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170127004946/http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/utthami-petra-rathinam-1960/article6275448.ece . 27 January 2017.
25. Web site: Bhatt . Karthik . 25 April 2015 . Policekaran Magal: From stage to celluloid . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180127203153/https://tcrcindia.com/2015/04/25/policekaran-magal-from-stage-to-celluloid/ . 27 January 2018 . 20 November 2020 . The Cinema Resource Centre.
26. Ramachandran . T. M. . 27 July 1963 . Another Hit From Veerappa . . 17 . 48.
27. Book: அல்லி . Rajendran Pictures . 1964 . ta . song book.
28. News: Guy . Randor . Randor Guy . 13 August 2016 . Avan Pithana? (1966) . . live . 12 November 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181121103325/https://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/Avan-Pithana-1966/article14568245.ece . 21 November 2018.
29. News: Guy . Randor . Randor Guy . 1 June 2017 . Kan Kanda Deivam (1967) . . live . 21 December 2018 . https://archive.today/20170727101300/http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-metroplus/kan-kanda-deivam-1967/article18686080.ece . 27 July 2017.
30. News: Guy . Randor . Randor Guy . 6 August 2016 . Punnagai (1971) . . live . 20 November 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200129131335/https://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/Punnagai-1971/article14568247.ece . 29 January 2020.