V. C. Guhanathan | |
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Born |
V. Chellaiah Guhanathan 1951 Pungudutivu, Sri Lanka |
Occupation | Director, writer |
Years active | 1968-present |
Spouse(s) | Jaya |
V. C. Guhanathan is a film writer, director and producer who has worked on Indian Tamil films. He made his directorial debut in the 1970s, before proceeding to make successful films like Thanikattu Raja (1982) and Michael Raj (1987).
Guhanathan was born in Changanai, Sri Lanka to parents Chelliah and Rajeswari in a family of seven kids. He lived in Jaffna until he was eleven years old, before shifting to India. Guhanathan attended Pachaiyappa’s College and his writing abilities were first spotted by actor MGR, who suggested he worked on film scripts and appointed him as director Chankaya's assistant. He first worked on the script for Pudhiya Boomi (1968), aged just 17. Guhanathan later worked for AVM Studios on a contract, and proceeded to write for films starring Sivaji Ganesan, NTR and Akkineni Nageswara Rao. He also wrote Kumarikottam. Under the advice of A. V. Meiyappan, Guhanathan debuted as a producer aged 20 under his banner of AVM Chithramala Combines and made successful films including Kanimuthu Paappa (1972), Rajapart Rangadurai (1973) and Petha Manam Pithu (1973). Telugu producer D. Ramanaidu then requested Guhanathan to direct his Tamil production, Madura Geetham (1977), and since he has gone on to make further films including ventures with Rajinikanth and Ajith Kumar. As of 2010, Guhanathan had written 249 scripts in nine Indian languages, directed 49 films in Tamil and Telugu and produced 51 films in Tamil. He is married to actress Jaya, who he had introduced through the film Kanimuthu Paappa.