Karunanidhi's eldest son MK Muthu passes away at 77 in Chennai; brother MK Stalin pays tribute
'The news of the passing of my beloved elder brother, M.K. Muthu, the eldest child of the Muthamizh Arignar Kalaignar family, struck me like a thunderbolt this morning. The sorrow of losing my dear brother, who showed me affection equivalent to that of a mother and father, torments me. Our father, Muthuvelar, named him M.K. Muthu in his memory, as decided by Leader Kalaignar. Like Leader Kalaignar, Brother Muthu began serving the Dravidian movement through dramas from his youth,' Stalin said.
He added, "He had a unique style in acting, dialogue delivery, and body language. Due to such talent and enthusiasm, he entered the film industry in 1970. In his very first film, he played a dual role."
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Time of India
2 days ago
- Time of India
Film on Kittel: Techie's cinematic tribute to author of first Kannada-English dictionary
Bengaluru: Long before modern digital tools and standardised linguistic references, a remarkable milestone in the history of the Kannada language was quietly achieved in the late 19th century. Perhaps no other Dravidian languages found a lexicographer then, but in Kannada, a comprehensive Kannada-English dictionary was published way back in 1894 by German missionary Ferdinand Kittel, paving the way for future studies in Kannada linguistics. While Kittel and his works have taken a backseat over the last 130 years, a Mysuru-based techie-turned-filmmaker, Prashant Pandit, has brought back the memories of Kittel in his latest non-fiction and period film, The Word and the Teacher (Das Wort und Der Lehrer), recollecting the life and works of Kittel both in Germany and Karnataka. The film will be screened at Bangalore International Centre (BIC), Domlur, from 11am to 1pm on July 27. Indian languages always fascinated Pandit, who worked at Hewlett-Packard (HP). His interest in the evolution of languages and scripts made him dive deep into the linguistic world, and that was when he came across Kittel's work. "From being an outsider to the language to publishing the first comprehensive dictionary comprising prominent dialects, Kittel did remarkable work in Kannada. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like No annual fees for life UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo Now it is a lot easier to pick up any language. But in the 1870s, barring some level of conversational Kannada, it was humanly impossible for an outsider to master the language and bring out a dictionary of 70,000 words! I was curious to know how Kittel learnt Kannada so clearly and took up the project," Pandit recollected his journey, which started in 2020. You Can Also Check: Bengaluru AQI | Weather in Bengaluru | Bank Holidays in Bengaluru | Public Holidays in Bengaluru Planning to make a 15–20-minute film on Kittel initially, Pandit began scouting for details from Mangaluru, Madikeri, Dharwad, Ooty, and Germany. But his extensive research during the Covid-19 pandemic opened several unexpected details about Kittel's life, works, and contributions to Kannada language and literature. "Then I was convinced that a short film format would not do justice to the man who devoted his entire life to Kannada, and decided to produce a full feature-length film, tracing his journey from Resterhafe on the northwestern coast of Germany to Canara (Karnataka), along with a few of my friends who helped me with the film. " The 80-minute, tri-lingual period film, shot in various locations where Kittel lived and worked both in south India and Germany, has adopted the first-person narration technique. "Documentaries usually have anecdotal references, interviews, or soundbites along with visuals. But our film does not feature any of these, and Kittel himself narrates his life and works based on his own letters to his kids and superiors throughout the film. I wanted it to be realistic, authentic, and there should not be any room for fictional fantasies. We have included archival photographs from the 19th century, folk songs, and poems penned and translated by Kittel," Pandit explained. Being a developer, Pandit, during his research visits to Mangaluru and other places, discovered that Kittel used unique fonts in all the typefaces of Kannada. "All of these were designed and cast in Europe and brought to India. Aesthetically, they were eye-catching and pleasing for readers. Then it struck me, what if we develop the same into modern-day digital fonts as part of Indic computing. Subsequently, I brought out these unique digital fonts based on Kittel's typefaces and named it 'Karnataka F Kittel font' after him. This Unicode font is free of charge and available on the open-source platform," Pandit explained. "Barring a few write-ups and a few doctoral theses, there are not many details available about his work and life here. Out of his 71 years, Kittel spent about 40-45 years in Karnataka. After his missionary work, when Kittel was sent back, the Britishers recalled him. In fact, his dictionary was the first-ever crowd-funded project as it was funded by the Mysore kings, British officers, and other philanthropists. From the day he landed in Karnataka till the publication, he literally noted down every word in multiple dialects of south, north, and coastal Karnataka. Some of the words even have descriptions spanning 2-3 pages!" Pandit said.
Hans India
4 days ago
- Hans India
MK Muthu, eldest son of Karunanidhi, passes away at 77
Chennai: M. K. Muthu, the eldest son of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK patriarch M. Karunanidhi, passed away on Saturday morning due to age-related ailments. He was 77. Muthu, who had been unwell for the past several days, breathed his last around 8 a.m. at his residence in Chennai. He was the elder brother of Chief Minister M.K. Stalin. Following the demise, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) cancelled all official events scheduled for the day. His body will be kept for public homage at the Gopalapuram residence of his father, Karunanidhi. Born to Karunanidhi and his first wife, Padmavathi, Muthu was a multi-faceted personality who made significant contributions to Tamil cinema and music before stepping into politics. He made his acting debut in 1972 with Pillaiyo Pillai, where he played a dual role, and later starred in films such as Pookkari, Anayaa Vilakku, and Ellam Avale. His on-screen charisma and physical resemblance to M.G. Ramachandran, the legendary actor and former Chief Minister, earned him considerable popularity. In addition to his acting career, Muthu also lent his voice as a playback singer. His song Uyarndha Idathila Pirandhavan Naan from the film Anayaa Vilakku, shot at the Anna Nagar Clock Tower in Chennai, remains a cult classic among Tamil film music enthusiasts. Muthu's association with the Dravidian movement began early, deeply influenced by his father Karunanidhi's political legacy. Though his foray into politics was brief, he continued to remain a part of the Dravidian ideological space throughout his life. Chief Minister Stalin paid tribute to his elder brother in person and also expressed his grief through an emotional post on social media. "The news of the passing of my beloved elder brother, MK Muthu, the eldest son of our family's pillar Kalaignar, has struck me like lightning. He loved me as much as our parents did. I am deeply pained by the loss of someone so close to my heart," CM Stalin wrote on his official 'X' handle. He recalled that Karunanidhi had named Muthu after their grandfather Muthuveeran. "Like our father, Muthu contributed to the Dravidian movement through theatre from a young age. He had a unique style in acting, dialogue delivery, and body language. It was this passion that drew him into cinema in the 1970s," CM Stalin added.
Hindustan Times
4 days ago
- Hindustan Times
MK Muthu, M Karunanidhi's eldest son and Tamil Nadu CM Stalin's brother, passes away
Late former Tamil Nadu chief minister M Karunanidhi's eldest son MK Muthu passed away in Chennai at the age of 77, CM MK Stalin announced on Saturday, July 19. Sharing the news, MK Stalin wrote on X that his brother MK Muthu's passing struck him like a 'thunderbolt'.(X/@mkstalin) MK Muthu, the brother of Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin, was born to Karunanidhi's first wife, Padmavathi. Sharing the news, MK Stalin wrote on X that his brother's passing struck him like a 'thunderbolt'. 'The news of the passing of my beloved elder brother, MK Muthu, the eldest child of the Muthamizh Arignar Kalaignar family, struck me like a thunderbolt this morning. The sorrow of losing my dear brother, who showed me affection equivalent to that of a mother and father, torments me,' Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin wrote on X. 'Our father, Muthuvelar, named him MK Muthu in his memory, as decided by Leader Kalaignar. Like Leader Kalaignar, Brother Muthu began serving the Dravidian movement through dramas from his youth,' he wrote. MK Stalin said that Muthu had a unique style in acting, dialogue delivery, and body language. 'Due to such talent and enthusiasm, he entered the film industry in 1970. In his very first film, he played a dual role'. 'Through films like Pillaiyo Pillai, Pookkari, Samayalkaran, and Anaiya Vilakku, Brother MK Muthu permanently settled in the hearts of Tamil Nadu's audiences,' Stalin said in his post. Stalin said MK Muthu possessed a rare distinction that many actors did not have, adding that he had the ability to sing songs melodiously in his own voice. Also Read: Legacy of Karunanidhi and the future of DMK "Songs like "Nagur Andava, who resides in a good heart" and "I have a lot of relatives" remain unforgettable to many even today," Stalin said. 'He always showed affection toward me, considered my growth as his own, and constantly encouraged me. Whenever I went to see him, he made it a habit to share old memories with affection. Though he has passed away due to old age, Brother MK Muthu will live forever in our hearts through his love, in the hearts of people through his art and songs. I offer my tribute with heartfelt love to my dear brother,' he added. 'The news of the passing of my beloved elder brother, M K Muthu, the eldest child of the Muthamizh Arignar Kalaignar family, struck me like a thunderbolt this morning. The sorrow of losing my dear brother, who showed me affection equivalent to that of a mother and father, torments me.' 'Our father, Muthuvelar, named him M K Muthu in his memory, as decided by Leader Kalaignar. Like Kalaignar, Brother Muthu began serving the Dravidian movement through dramas from his youth.'
