Actor-director Kashinath passes away

BENGALURU: Veteran Sandalwood director, actor and producer Kashinath, 67, died at a private hospital in Bengaluru on Thursday morning.
The actor, who was diagnosed with blood cancer, was admitted to Sri Shankara Cancer Hospital in Chamarajpet two days ago. He is survived by his wife, son Abhimanyu and daughter Amruthavarshini.
Kashinath was first brought to hospital seven months ago, Dr Ravi Thippeswamy, consultant medical oncologist, said.
He was a mentor to many actors
He was suffering from Hodgkins lymphoma, a type of blood cancer. He was already in an advanced stage of cancer when first screened. He died of cardiac arrest around 7.45am Thursday,” said Dr Ravi, who treated him.
In his over four-decade career, Kashinath was associated with nearly 50 films. From Kundapur in Udupi district, he debuted in 1976 as director with Aparoopada Athitigalu. He followed it up with the critically acclaimed and highly successful suspense thriller Aparachita, two years later.
His thorough professionalism in starting movies only after keeping the entire script ready, drew attention. He went on to direct Aparachita in Hindi as Be-Shaque, with Mithun Chakraborty in the lead. The film, though, bombed.
In the early 1980s, Kashinath rediscovered himself with Anubhava, that focused on a grown man’s marriage to a growing girl. The risque element in the movie resulted in Kashinath resorting to bawdy movies in pursuit of box-office gain. In fact, post Anubhava, Kashinath did try his hand at a family-oriented movie, Anamika, but it flopped. His later films bordered on the bawdy. Kashinath’s last movie was as actor in Chowka, released in 2017. He was a mentor to some big names in Sandalwood, like actors Upendra, Abhinaya and Umashree, director Sunil Kumar Desai and lyricist V Manohar.
TRIBUTES POUR IN
“One of the most innovative, talented actors, Kashinath, passed away today. May his soul Rest In Peace,” actor Puneeth Rajkumar tweeted. “Kashinath’s father used to run Sri Gayathri Stores in Jayanagar and the young one would observe customers keenly, and cultivated the habit of writing. Such a talent made him earn a big name in the industry later in life,” chief minister Siddaramaiah said in a statement.
Upendra credited Kashinath for his growth in the industry. “I’m yet to digest the fact that Kashinath is not among us. I consider him my guru. He introduced me to the industry and showed me the way to grow. My dream of making a movie with him didn’t materialize,” he said.
Senior actor Shivarajkumar described Kashinath as a legend, and said he aspired to act in a movie directed by Kashinath, but it never happened.