Biography Prema Karanth (August 15, 1936 – October 29, 2007) was a well known theatre personality and the first-ever woman film-maker of Kannada cinema.[1] She was the wife of B. V. Karanth and was known for the children's plays that she staged. She became the first ever woman director in Kannada cinema when she directed the film Phaniyamma, which was based on a novel by M. K. Indira.