[1][2] His 1976 film Pallavi—a cinematic narration, told from the female protagonist's point of view and based on his novel Biruku—won the National Award for Best Direction (Swarna Kamal).

His other works include the novels Biruku ("The Fissure"), Mussanjeya Kathaprasanga (A Story at Dusk), Akka (Sister); the plays T. Prasannana Grihastashrama ("The Householder-hood of T.Prasanna"),[5] Sankranti ("Revolution"),[6][7] Nanna Tangigondu Gandu Kodi ("A Groom for my Sister")[8][9] and Gunamukha ("Convalescence"); the short story collections, Umapatiya Scholarship Yatre ("Umapati's Scholarship Trip"), Kallu Karaguva Samaya (When the Stone Melts; winner of the 1993 Sahitya Akademi Award), Paapada Hoogalu, the translation of Charles Baudelaire's Les Fleurs du Mal and Dore Oedipus mattu Antigone, translation of Sophocles' Antigone and Oedipus Rex.

[15] Outsourcing the printing to BS Mani of Sanjevani Kannada Daily, his unique thought was His Weekly Magazine must cost as much One Idli, One Vade & One Coffee.

It led to the setting up of other tabloids like Hai Bangalore and Agni which concentrated more on crime and political scandals.

[19] 17 years later, his daughter was murdered in front of her residence in south Bengaluru as she arrives home by three unidentified gunmen.