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Senior Kannada director S Umesh passes away at 79 after battling kidney failure
In a heartbreaking development, it is learned that senior Kannada director S Umesh has passed away at the age of 79 due to kidney failure and other ailments.
Trigger warning: This article contains mention of an individual’s death.
S. Umesh, a senior Kannada director known for films like Avale Nanna Hendthi, Annayya Thammayya, and many more, has passed away at the age of 79. The final rites of the legendary filmmaker will be performed at the Banashankari Crematorium in Bengaluru today.
It is learned that S. Umesh succumbed to kidney failure and other related ailments that he had been suffering from for quite some time. Furthermore, it is understood that the veteran filmmaker contracted these ailments during the COVID-19 pandemic and faced severe financial difficulties during that period.
As per reports by Banglore Times and Filmibeat, doctors had been treating him solely with medication, without dialysis, despite his worsening kidney failure. S. Umesh had also shared that undergoing dialysis would put him in a difficult situation, adding that elderly and veteran artists were no longer valued in the film industry.
In fact, in 2021, the filmmaker publicly pleaded for financial assistance, stating that he was physically weak due to his kidney ailments. He revealed that his treatment required an injection every five days, with each injection costing ₹2,000.
Reports also indicate that Manohar Naidu and Lahari Velu from Lahari Music Company reached out to S. Umesh after his plea and offered him ₹1 lakh for his treatment. However, that amount barely covered the late director’s extensive financial needs.
S. Umesh made his film debut in 1974 as an assistant director and compiler. Fourteen years later, in 1988, he made his directorial debut with the film Avale Nanna Hendthi, featuring Kashinath and Bhavya in the lead roles. The film was a massive hit at the time of its release and was subsequently remade in Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi. S. Umesh also directed the Tamil version of the film. Aamir Khan played the lead role in the film’s Hindi version.
Over his 48-year-long career, S. Umesh also ventured into film production and produced three films, including the blockbuster Banni Ondsala Nodi, which featured Dhirendra Gopal, Vinod Raj, and others in crucial roles. However, despite the film’s popularity, the veteran filmmaker mentioned that he struggled to sell it.
During this difficult time, Pinkvilla extends its heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family.
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