The trendsetter, who helped to lay the base for the local film industry from the 1940s, attributed his longevity to being “as happy and content as I have always been.”
Krishnan, who over six decades made huge contributions in film, advertising and music, said he wished to live for the happiness of his second wife, Rukmanee, her love and devotion.
“I am grateful to her for making each day worth living for,” said Krishnan, who wants to live to celebrate his 100th birthday.
“I may be a little hard of hearing and having trouble remembering some details of the past, but my 99th birthday is an endearing moment filled with gratitude to the people I love.
“I miss my dear ones in Malaysia and hope the pandemic will end soon so that I can see them again.”
Krishnan was speaking to FMT by phone from Bangkok where he has been living in retirement for more than a decade. His son, Prem Krishnan Pasha lives in Kuala Lumpur while daughter, Sita, is in the UK.
As birthday greetings flowed, Rukmanee, a Thai national and ex-nurse, invited family members for a party at their home.
Newspaper columnist Veera Pandiyan Manickam, who has known Krishnan for more than 30 years, summed up the feelings of well-wishers with the following quote:
“When grace is joined with wrinkles, it is adorable. There is an unspeakable dawn in happy old age.” – Victor Hugo, celebrated French romantic author best known for his poetry and his novels, including “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” and “Les Misérables”.
The plot for Krishnan’s first film in 1950, “Bakti”, which he directed and wrote, was loosely based on “Les Misérables” and “Wuthering Heights”.
The movie, which catapulted singer-actor, P Ramlee to fame – with Kasma Booty as the heroine, Siput Sarawak the femme fatale and Roomai Noor the villain – was scripted on the concept of song-dance-drama.
Krishnan, who is noted for his sense of humour, described Ramlee as an “ugly-looking fellow with lots of pockmarks” when he first met him.
He often spoke about a funny moment when a nervous Ramlee muddled his lines during his screen test at Shaw Brother’s Jalan Ampas studios in Singapore.
“Apa khabar Inche Bakar? (How are you Mr Bakar?) became “Apa bakar Inche Khabar? (What is burning Mr News?).
Krishnan’s boss Run Run Shaw ignored the blunder and took an instant liking to Ramlee. The era of P Ramlee had begun.
To Krishnan, who directed Ramlee’s first four movies, the actor was a perfect Malay hero who made up for his looks with impeccable acting and a baritone, velvet voice that is still often heard on Malaysian radio.
Ramlee’s pictures tapped straight into the national psyche and his popularity grew within the Malay, Chinese and Indian communities and among the youth.
The late historian, Professor Khoo Kay Kim, once commented: “People used to comb their hair like him, used to walk like him. They used to try to think like him.”
As Krishnan directed more than 30 movies with unique stories, he also influenced numerous luminaries who have been venerated for their contribution to Malaysian film as actors, directors, producers and screenwriters.
They included Rosnani Jamil, Kasma Booty, Maria Menado, Roomai Noor, Mustapha Maarof, Abdullah Chik, M Amin, Nordin Ahmad, Wahid Satay, Hussein Hassan, Omar Rojik and Mahmud Jun.
At a time of a fledgling Malay film industry when some cast and crew often languished in between films without income, Krishnan’s ability to write or get scripts ready for screenplay within a fortnight kept them employed.
Krishnan has made films of every stripe, taking chances and bringing bold narratives to the screen, including the notion that ideas, morals and spiritual values are more significant than material objects.
He broke new ground by evoking terror of the unknown through horror films like “Orang Lichin” (1957), “Orang Minyak” (1958) and “Serangan Orang Minyak” (1959).
Even as Madras-born Krishnan – who first migrated to Singapore and then to Malaysia – grew in confidence, ambition and achievement over the years, he never slowed down.
His biography, “The Krishnan Odyssey” written by his son, portrays another side of the ex-Indian army second lieutenant as a champion in Malaysian advertising and music.
In 1970, upon forming Gaya Filem Berhad, he convinced the government to ban foreign-produced commercials, allowing local companies to produce their own advertisements.
In 1980, he set up the first 16-track Gaya Music Studio to enhance the music industry which was fast becoming popular in the country.
Two years later, he established the first motion picture colour laboratory, and in 1984 he was made chairman of Cathay Organisation Malaysia.
He received numerous prizes for his pioneering and innovative work in the local film industry while with Shaw Brothers and Cathay Keris Studio in Singapore and Merdeka Studio in Kuala Lumpur.
The effect of his films through Merdeka Studio paved the path for the National Film Development Corporation of Malaysia (Finas) to be the beacon of the Malay film industry.
Community service was a high point in Krishnan’s life during his time in Malaysia, bringing joy to several needy organisations.
Veteran journalist Balan Moses, who has known Krishnan for 25 years, said: “He displayed a love for the downtrodden and marginalised through his Deepavali parties at children’s homes for 33 years from 1979.
“He also helped to put ex-prisoners back on their feet and served the blind and other less fortunate people in various ways.
“An eternal optimist, he continues to endear himself to many with his cheery personality and love for life.”