Legendary director K Viswanath breathed his last on Thursday at the age of 92. Music director Ilaiyaraja, who composed the music for many of K Viswanath’s films in the 80s, took to social media to express his condolences on the filmmaker through a video. In a clip running for twenty seconds, the iconic Chennai-based maestro says, in Telugu, “I am deeply saddened by hearing the news of K Viswanath leaving earth to join his heavenly abode. He is one the most important filmmakers to have emerged out of the Indian film industry. I pray that his soul rests in peace.” 

K Viswanath is widely considered as one of Telugu film industry’s finest auteurs. His cinema, which marries aesthetic filmmaking with storytelling strongly rooted in social reform, humanism and the revival of classical arts has left a deep imprint in the cultural imagination of South India. Ilaiyaraja, who had worked extensively in the Telugu film industry during the 80s and 90s, has shared a successful collaboration with K Viswanath, working together on many of the former’s movies, like Sagara Sangamam (1983), Swathi Muthyam (1986) and Swarnakamalam (1987), whose albums are deeply loved to this day.