Bharathiraja
| P. Bharathiraja | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Chinnasaamy Periyamayathevar 17 July 1941 Alli Nagaram, Theni, Madras Presidency, India |
| Occupation | film director, film producer,actor |
| Years active | 1977–present |
| Spouse(s) | Chandraleela |
| Children | Manoj K bharathi, Janani Raaja Kumar |
| Parent(s) |
|
| Awards | Padma Shri award for his contribution to Cinema in 2004 |
Periyamayathevar Bharathiraja (born 17 July 1941) is an Indian filmmaker who works mainly in the Tamil film industry. He made his debut in 16 Vayathinile (1977) and is known for realistic and sensitive portrayal of village-life in his films. As of 2015, he has won six National Film Awards, two Tamil Nadu State Film Awards and is also a recipient of other awards such as three Filmfare Awards South, Cinema Express Awards, and Nandi Awards.
Bharathiraja started his film career as an assistant to Kannada's greatest film maker ever Puttanna Kanagal. Later, he assisted P. Pullaiya, Krishnan Nair, Avinasi Mani, and A. Jaganathan. His first film 16 Vayathinile for which he wrote the script broke the then existing convention to create a new genre of village cinema. The movie is now regarded as a game-changer and a mile-stone in the modern history of Tamil Cinema. About the movie, said Bharathiraja in his own words, "This movie was meant to be a Black & White art film produced with the help of National Film Development Corporation", but turned out to be a commercially successful color film and a starting point for several important careers.
His next film Kizhake Pogum Rail produced similar results and eventually brought in criticisms that Bharathiraja was capable of catering only to village audiences. This led him to make Sigappu Rojakkal, about a psychopathic woman hater that was totally Westernized in terms of both conception and production. But contrary to what several observers expected, this film met with box office success and everyone agreed that Bharathiraja was here to stay.
Bharathiraja confirmed his versatility and refusal to be tied down to one particular genre with an experimental film Nizhalgal and an action thriller Tik Tik Tik. But, undoubtedly rural themes proved to be his forte as his biggest hits in the 1980s Alaigal Oivathillai, Mann Vasanai and Muthal Mariyathai were strong love stories in a village backdrop. Muthal Mariyathai starred veteran actor Sivaji Ganesan in the lead, playing a middle-aged village head. Radha is a poor young woman who moves into his village for a living. The love that bonds these two humans separated not just by age but also by caste and class, is told by Bharathiraja with poetic touches.
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