#SHOWBIZ: Remembering a trailblazer with a heart of gold

THE late Tan Sri L. Krishnan, who died at the age of 104, may be best remembered as the Father of the Malay Film Industry and the director who helped propel Tan Sri P. Ramlee to stardom.

Yet, for Josephine Lew, who worked alongside him for nearly four decades, he was far more than a celebrated filmmaker.

He was a kind and generous father figure whose warmth and empathy left a lasting impression on those around him.

"Tan Sri was a father figure to all of us," Lew told NST's Groove in a recent interview.

Lew worked with Krishnan from 1975 to 2012 and eventually became executive director of Gaya Colour Laboratory.

"Many of our colleagues stayed with him for 20 years or more, standing by him through thick and thin. We were never just employees — we were a close-knit family."

[[nid:1546675]]

A HANDS-ON BOSS

Krishnan demanded excellence and punctuality, but he also cared about his team's wellbeing.

A hands-on leader, he encouraged his staff to face challenges and solve problems themselves.

Lew said: "He always told me that we must rise to meet life's obstacles because they make us stronger.

"In his own life, he faced many hurdles, but like the brave soldier he once was, he climbed every mountain and conquered them all."

[[nid:1546674]]

Krishnan also believed in sharing his success with his staff.

A passionate traveller, he regularly rewarded his staff with holiday trips across Malaysia and neighbouring countries.

Lew said: "He loved to travel and gain a broader view of the world, and he wanted the same for us.

"Whatever good things he wished for himself, he wished for his staff as well. Like his hero, Mahatma Gandhi, he was a man who truly practised what he preached."

[[nid:1546673]]

HEART FOR THE COMMUNITY

Beyond filmmaking, Krishnan devoted decades to helping the underprivileged, supporting organisations, including Pure Life Society, Rumah Ozanam, Cheshire Home and the Malaysian Association for the Blind.

His best-known charitable tradition was his annual Deepavali celebration.

For 33 consecutive years, from 1979 to 2012, Krishnan opened his home to about 1,000 guests from welfare homes and orphanages in the Klang Valley.

Lew said: "Every Deepavali, he would invite orphans, single mothers, people with disabilities and the visually impaired to join in the festivities.

[[nid:1546672]]

"He made sure everyone enjoyed a delicious feast, and before they left, every guest received gifts, hampers, and Deepavali angpow."

Asked why he dedicated Deepavali to the cause, Krishnan would say: "Why not the less fortunate? Those who have less should never be forgotten."

He also judged beauty pageants and helped identify young talent who later entered the entertainment industry.

[[nid:1546671]]

FILM INDUSTRY TRAILBLAZER

Born in Chennai in 1922 and raised in Bukit Mertajam, Penang, Krishnan served as a second lieutenant in the Indian National Army during the 1940s before entering cinema.

He went on to direct over 30 films, shaping a cinematic voice that drew inspiration from Kollywood and Bollywood giants like M.G. Ramachandran, Sivaji Ganesan, and Raj Kapoor, while blending them into Malayan culture.

Together with Ramlee, Krishnan joined Merdeka Film Studios in Hulu Klang, Selangor, and he helped lay the foundation for an independent Malaysian film industry.

[[nid:1546670]]

In 1970, he established Gaya Filem Berhad, a local production house specialising in television commercials and jingles.

In 1980, he established Gaya Music Studio, the country's first 16-track recording studio. Two years later, he established the country's first motion-picture colour laboratory.

MAKING OF A LEGEND

Krishnan is sometimes credited with discovering P. Ramlee, but that honour belongs to director B.S. Rajhans.

However, Krishnan gave Ramlee his breakthrough leading role in the 1950 film Bakti.

The film became a hit and helped propel Ramlee to stardom.

Krishnan went on to direct him in three more films: Takdir Ilahi, Penghidupan and Antara Senyum dan Tangis.

[[nid:1546669]]

Ramlee was not the only star whose career Krishnan helped develop.

Other actors whose careers he helped develop included Maria Menado, Kasma Booty, Datuk Mustapha Maarof, Datuk Rosnani Jamil, Datuk S. Roomai Noor and Siput Sarawak.

Lew said: "Tan Sri was a true people person who had a knack for connecting with others and uncovering talent.

"His military background gave him discipline and an unwavering drive to raise the standards of his craft.

"But at the end of the day, his greatest strength was his immense humanity and love for people."