adminKUALA LUMPUR, Sept 25 (Bernama) — Artistes have described the late Tan Sri L. Krishnan as a prominent figure who made immense contributions to shaping and coloring the journey of the Malay film industry.
His contributions and dedication not only left a lasting impact on the development of the cinematic world but also became an integral part of history and an artistic legacy that continues to be remembered to this day.
The national film icon and recipient of the 2016 Merdeka Award, who contributed significantly to the early development of the Malay film industry, passed away in Chiang Mai, Thailand, yesterday at the age of 104.
Veteran actress Datuk Rosnani Jamil, when contacted by Bernama, described Krishnan’s passing as a huge loss to the Malay film industry.
Rosnani said she was deeply indebted to Krishnan because the director chose her to audition after watching her dance the joget in 1951, even though she had never aspired to become an actress at the time.
In fact, Krishnan chose her out of about 15 joget dancers to undergo an audition, and she deeply appreciated the opportunity given by Krishnan, which marked the beginning of her career as an actress.
“I never thought of becoming a film star. I was just a joget dancer, but he chose me to audition. Without him, I don’t know what would have become of me. I am deeply indebted to him,” she said, adding that Lupa Daratan was the only film she starred in that was directed by Krishnan.
Meanwhile, Film Directors Association of Malaysia (FDAM) President Datuk Afdlin Shauki described Krishnan as having helped lay the foundation for the country’s film industry and developed acting talents, including the late Tan Sri P. Ramlee.
“His influence transcended the films he directed. He helped build a creative space for artists and filmmakers to grow,” he said.
Meanwhile, veteran film producer Panchacharam Nalliah, better known as Pansha, said he met Krishnan several times but did not get the chance to work with him because he entered the industry in the early 1980s, when the figure was no longer active in filmmaking.
“Even though he was much more senior, he spoke to me like an old friend and shared past stories about the golden era of Studio Jalan Ampas,” he said.
Krishnan was born in Madras, India, in 1922 and began his filmmaking career after World War II before moving to Singapore in 1949 to serve as a film director at Shaw Studio.
Throughout his career, he directed more than 30 films, including Bakti, Takdir Ilahi, Penghidupan, and Antara Senyum dan Tangis, and received the 2016 Merdeka Award under the Outstanding Contribution to Education and Community category.
— BERNAMA
