{{for|other people named ''Krishnasamy''|Krishnaswami}}
{{More citations needed|date=October 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2016}}

{{Infobox person
| name = K. Subramaniyam
| image = Krishnaswami Subrahmanyam 2004 stamp of India.jpg
| imagesize =
| caption =
| birthname = Krishnasamy Subramaniyam
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1904|04|20}}
| birth_place = [[Papanasam]], [[Madras Presidency]], [[British India]]
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|1971|4|7|1904|04|20}}
| death_place = Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
| othername =
| yearsactive = 1931–1957
| spouse = S. D. Subbalakshmi (-1971) , and Meenatchi (-1971)
| parents = Father : Krishnasamy Iyer Mother : Venkadalakshmi Iyengar
| relatives = K. Viswanathan (Young Brother),
| children = Padma Subrahmanyam, S. V. Ramanam, S. Krishnaswamy, Balakrishnan Subrahmanyam, Shan Chandrasekhar, Lalitha Subrahmanyam, Bhama Subrahmanyam, Neelayadakshi Subrahmanyam, and S. Ramjhi
| notable role =
| academyawards =
| emmyawards =
| tonyawards =
| occupation = [[Film Director]], [[Film Producer]], [[Screenwriter]]
| footnotes =
|birth_name=K. ஸுப்ரமனிஅம்|Awards=Kalaimamani|Prefix=Kalaimamani|Honorific Prefix=Kalaimamani}}

'''K. Subramaniyam''' (20 April 1904 – 7 April 1971) born Krishnasamy Subramaniyam, was an [[Indian people|Indian]] film director of the 1930s and 1940s. Popular Indian danseuse [[Padma Subrahmanyam]] is his daughter.<ref>{{cite news|title=A progressive film-maker|url=http://www.frontline.in/fl2114/stories/20040716001508200.htm|newspaper=Frontline|date=3 July 2004|location=India}}</ref>

==Biography==
K. Subramanyam was a key figure behind the establishment of the Tamil film industry. He started his film career as a scenarist and producer, working on [[P. K. Raja Sandow]]'s silent films such as ''[[Peyum Pennum]]''. He started Meenakshi Cineton with [[R. M. Alagappa Chettiar]], directing his first film ''[[Pavalakkodi]]'', in which the Tamil film star [[M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar]] debuted. He made a remarkable shift with the politically emphatic ''Balayogini'', criticizing the caste system prevalent then.

In 1938, he made ''[[Sevasadanam]]'', advocating a better deal for women, the saint film ''[[Bhaktha Chetha]]'', critiquing untouchability and the war effort film ''[[Maanasamrakshanam]]''. His best-known work is the strident nationalistic reformist film ''[[Thyagabhoomi]]''. ''Thyagabhoomi'' was a novel by [[Kalki Krishnamurthy]], which was banned by the British government.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.indolink.com/tamil/cinema/Memories/98/fna/fnadirs1.htm |title=Film directors Who Made a Difference in Tamil Cinema World |website=Indolink.com |access-date=21 October 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924034538/http://www.indolink.com/tamil/cinema/Memories/98/fna/fnadirs1.htm |archive-date=24 September 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref> He also directed the [[Malayalam film]] ''[[Prahlada (film)|Prahlada]]'' (1941), which was scripted by noted playwright [[N. P. Chellappan Nair]]. He is one of the founders of Nadigar Sangam in 1952.

==Family life==
K. Subrahmanyam married Meenakshi and had children Lalitha, Balakrishnan, Bama, Neela, S. V. Ramanan, Krishnaswami, [[Asian Television Network|Shan Chandrasekar]] and [[Padma Subramanyam|Dr. Padma Subramanyam]]. He married [[S. D. Subbulakshmi]] with consent of his first wife Meenakshi and was blessed with Abaswaram Ramji. He kept both the families together and managed them without any discrimination. Among his children, only S. V. Ramanan, [[S. Krishnaswamy]] and [[Padma Subramanyam|Dr. Padma Subramanyam]] are associated with cinema and dance. His first grandson and son of Bama Sundaram, [[Raghuram|S.Raghuram]] followed his footsteps became a very famous legendary dance choreographer in the Indian film industry and directed five films and choreographed over 1600 films, achieving many awards. His great-granddaughter and daughter of S. Raghuram; [[Gayathri Raguram]] and Suja Manoj are well known as actresses and choreographers in the Tamil film industry. [[Anirudh Ravichander]] his great grandson and grandson of S.V. Ramanan, well known music director, started at a very young age. [[Hrishikesh (actor)|Hrishikesh]], also great grandson and grandson of S.V. Ramanan is a new budding actor in ''VIP'', and acted as Danush's brother.

==Filmography==

* ''[[Pavalakkodi]]'' (1934)
* ''[[Naveena Sadaram]]'' (1935)
* ''[[Sarangadhara|Naveena Sarangadhara]]'' (1936)
* ''[[Kuchela (1936 film)|Kuchela]]'' (1936)
* ''[[Usha Kalyanam]]'' (1936)
* ''[[Balayogini]]'' (1937)
* ''Mr. Ammanchi'' (1937)
* ''Kowsalya Parinayam'' (1937)
* ''[[Sevasadanam]]'' (1938)
* ''[[Thyagabhoomi]]'' (1939)
* ''[[Bhaktha Chetha]]'' (1940)
* ''[[Prahlada (film)|Prahlada]]'' (1941) (Malayalam)
* ''[[Ananthasayanam (1942 film)|Ananthasayanam]]'' (1942)
* ''[[Bharthruhari]]'' (1944)
* ''[[Maanasamrakshanam]]'' (1945)
* ''[[Vikatayogi]]'' (1946)
* ''[[Vichitra Vanitha]]'' (1947)
* ''Kapati Arakshakaya'' (1948) (Sinhalese)
* ''[[Gokuladasi]]'' (1948)
* ''[[Geetha Gandhi]]'' (1949)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{cite news|title=Salute to a stalwart|url=http://www.hindu.com/mp/2004/06/14/stories/2004061400110300.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041118221746/http://www.hindu.com/mp/2004/06/14/stories/2004061400110300.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=18 November 2004|date=14 June 2004|work=[[The Hindu]]|author=Gowri Ramnarayan}}
*{{youtube|EgAckr1PYXc|Naanunthan}} - A rare song sung by Subrahmanyam from the film Ananthasayanam (1942)

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Subrahmanyam, K.}}
[[Category:Film directors from Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Tamil film directors]]
[[Category:Tamil-language film directors]]
[[Category:Malayalam film directors]]
[[Category:1904 births]]
[[Category:1971 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Thanjavur district]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian film directors]]
[[Category:Odia film directors]]