Bengaluru: Renowned Kannada film director and lyricist ‘Geethapriya'(Lakshman Rao Mohite) passed away in Bengaluru on Sunday, January 17.

He was 84. According to sources, veteran died of cardiac arrest. Immediately he was rushed to hospital after he complained of uneasiness, but died before reaching the hospital.

Geethapriya was the pen name of Lakshman Rao Mohite who was born on June 15, 1931.?Mohite’s mother tongue was Marathi but he took interest in the Kannada and hence completed schooling in a Kannada-medium school.

Geethapriya enetered the film industry in 1954 as a lyricist, writing a song for the film, Sri Rama Pooja. He has directed 40 films and penned over 250 songs for Kannada films. He was confered with the Puttanna Kanagal award for his contribution to Kannada cinema as a director in 1987.

The movies which Geethapriya directed include Yaava Janmada Maithri, (1972), Beluvalada Madilalli (1975), Besuge (1976), Hombisilu (1978), Putani Agent 123 (1979) and Mouna Geethe (1985).

He also directed three Tulu films and one Hindi film, Anmol Sitaare.

Geethapriya’s Mannina Maga (1968) was selected for the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Kannada and he had also won the Karnataka State Film Award for Best Screenplay.