Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: The Cinephile Film Club of the Entertainment Society of Goa will mark the birth centenary of legendary Goan cinematographer K. Vaikunth with a special programme on Saturday, September 20, at the Maquinez Palace Theatre, Old GMC building, Panaji.
The event will feature a conversation on Vaikunth’s legacy with noted film historian Pavan Jha, followed by the screening of Gulzar’s acclaimed classic Aandhi. The programme begins at 5.30 pm.
Born in Margao as Vaikunth Dattaram Kunkolienkar, the celebrated cinematographer carved a niche in Indian cinema with a career spanning over three decades. Known for his mastery over lighting, framing, and mood, Vaikunth worked with stalwarts such as Ramesh Sippy (Andaz, 1971; Seeta Aur Geeta, 1972), Ramanand Sagar and Manmohan Desai. He won the Filmfare Award for Seeta Aur Geeta.
His enduring collaboration with Gulzar on films like Parichay, Koshish, Achanak, Mausam, Khushboo and Aandhi is remembered as a golden chapter in Hindi cinema. Aandhi (1975), starring Suchitra Sen and Sanjeev Kumar, remains one of Vaikunth’s most iconic works, lauded for its subtle yet powerful cinematography that heightened the film’s themes of love, loss, and political intrigue.
Pavan Jha, a long-time associate of Gulzar and an authority on Indian film history, will provide insights into Vaikunth’s contribution to cinema, the making of Aandhi, and the socio-political backdrop of the era.
The tribute is part of a wider initiative by the Entertainment Society of Goa to celebrate the contributions of Goan artists to Indian cinema.
