Krishnaswami Subrahmanyam (1904–1971) was a renowned Indian film director of the 30s and 40s. He is the father of popular Indian danseuse Padma Subrahmanyam. K. Subrahmanyam was a key figure behind the establishment of a Madras based Tamil film industry. He started his film career as scenarist and producer, working on P. K. Raja Sandow's silent films like Peyum Pennum. He started Meenakshi Cineton with R. M. Alagappa Chettiar, directing his first film Pavalakkodi, in which the Tamil film star M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar debuted. He made a remarkable shift with the politically emphatic Balayogini, criticizing the caste system prevalent then.