CHENNAI :Veteran director Bharathiraja, one of Tamil cinema’s most influential auteurs, has passed away at 84 in Chennai. Rising from Theni, he revolutionised filmmaking by spotlighting village life and ordinary people, steering the industry away from studio-bound narratives. His death marks the end of an era that redefined visual language and emotional depth in South Indian cinema.CHEN,NAI :
Bharathiraja, a veteran Tamil movie director considered among the country’s finest, passed away on June 10 in Chennai at the age of 84 after months of age-related illnesses. He is often cited as the person who “took Tamil cinema out of the studios” for creating real-life stories and characters that emerged out of Tamil Nadu’s hinterland.
He hailed from the southern district of Theni; his classics include films such as Sigappu Rojakkal (1978), Kizhakke Pogum Rail (1978), Karuthamma (1994), 16 Vayathinile (1977), Tik Tik Tik (1981) and, most recently, Meendum Oru Mariyathai in 2020. He won the State Award for Best Film Director for his debut film 16 Vayathinile, and he was also the winner of the Padma Shri Award. At the time of his passing, he was also the founder and president of the Tamil Film Active Producers’ Association.
His health is said to have deteriorated after the death of his son, 48-year-old Manoj Bharathiraja, in March last year. He too was an actor-director and has acted in his father’s films such as Taj Mahal (1999).
Tributes have started to pour in from across industries for the legend. Telugu superstar Chiranjeevi was among the first to post on X. He wrote, “Indian cinema has lost one of its greatest storytellers, #Bharathiraja garu.”Bollywood
