Hemavathi: A testament to caste and social hypocrisy

The 17^th edition of the Bengaluru International Film Festival (BIFFes) held earlier this year, featured a segment titled, ‘50 Years of Cinematic Journey’ highlighting the contributions of commercial and art filmmakers, and honouring their impact on Indian and Kannada cinema. 

In this section, Hemavathi directed by S Siddalingaiah, was also screened. When it was released in 1977, the film went largely unnoticed even though actor Udayakumar won Best Supporting Actor at the Karnataka State Film Awards that year.

This recognition underscored the film’s contribution to regional storytelling, even though it did not get any other awards or nominations. Hemavathi is set in a Brahmin household and explores how rigid social norms and caste-based expectations affect the life of the protagonist, and reveals the emotional and social consequences of such systems.

Now, almost five decades later, Hemavathi gains gravity at a time when the film industry is witnessing a backlash against the item number in the Kannada film KD. 

S Siddalingaiah
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

Speaking at a session at BIFFes titled, Rhythmical Strength of Existence, writer Sandhya Rani observed that social prejudices portrayed in Hemavathi remain prevalent, even if discrimination against women and lower castes exists in different formats today. Writer and film critic Raghunatha Ch Ha, said, “if a film like Hemavathi were to be made today, it would have faced hurdles and remained unreleased.”

Trademark style

Siddalingaiah directed 20-plus landmark films in his film career spanning 30 years and was known for his socially conscious filmmaking in Kannada cinema. The screenplay and dialogues in Hemavathi were crafted by him and Hunsur Krishnamurthy.

“This 140-minute film is still known for its musical values,” says NS Sreedharamurthy, film writer and music expert. “Songs by S Janaki, PB Srinivas and Yesudas contributed to its cultural resonance in Kannada film history. PB Srinivas delivered devotional pieces with a resonant timbre and innovative techniques. This included structuring songs like traditional kritis, incorporating aalapana for improvisation, pallavi-anupallavi-charana for lyrical development and swaraprastara with patterns that alternated ragas.”

Hemavathi which demanded a big budget at the time, was jointly produced by N Veeraswamy, SP Varadaraj, J Chandulal Jain and Siddalingiah. 

Based on the novel by Gorur Ramaswamy Iyengar, published in 1934, Hemavathi featured an ensemble cast that included GV Iyer in the lead, supported by Udayakumar, CH Lokanath and Yoganarasimha, with music composed by L Vaidyanathan and lyrics by Chi Udayashankar.

A still from Hemavathi
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

The novel emerged at a time when Kannada writers were increasingly addressing social issues such as caste discrimination and family dynamics, contributing to the Navodaya literary movement’s emphasis on realism and critique. The story centres on the daughter of a priest married to an unemployed man in the city, who subsequently abandons her, compelling her to return to the village where she encounters deep-seated, caste-based struggles.

The film’s subplot sees a Dalit girl, who under the guidance of a compassionate Brahmin teacher, discovers her musical talents and rises above social defamation and barriers. Through these narratives Siddalingaiah visually highlights struggles within familial structures and broader societal constraints imposed by orthodoxy.

Referring to the Hemavathi River at Goruru near Hassan, the film immortalises local landscapes courtesy the efforts of cinematographer Srikanth, competent editing by P Bhaktavatsala and artwork by A Nazeer.

According to Aswathanarayana, the still photographer for Hemavathi, Siddalingaiah shot the film in T Narsipur, Sosale, Gargeshwari, Nanjangudu, Ramanathapura, Melkote, Hemagiri and Holenarsipur, over a period of 85 days.

“He was an economic filmmaker, and did not waste raw stock of negatives. He would complete all his preparations before calling ‘Action’ or ‘Cut’. His focus was always on the story and script, regardless of the lead actors and actresses.”

Ashwathanarayan says, “Siddalingaiah carved a niche for himself in the nine-decade old history of Kannada cinema through his landmark films, bringing a rural texture through his works. Besides offering entertainment, he succeeded in creating societal awareness among the audience, addressing contemporary social issues without glorifying or politicising them.”

A man of discipline, Siddalingaiah would not interfere with the work of technicians and was open to listening to close associates, says Ashwathanarayan. “Once while shooting Hemavathi, I was not happy with a shot. Even though I kept quiet, Siddalingaiah noticed and asked me. When I explained the situation, he re-shot the entire sequence without asking any questions.”

Had he lived, Siddalingaiah would have been 90 this year. He withdrew from films after the sudden death of his son Murali, a popular actor in Kannada and Tamil films, in September 2010. When Siddalingaiah passed away in 2015, an era of rural Kannada cinema came to an end as well.

Published – March 25, 2026 08:55 pm IST