Bharathiraja: TN govt to accord state honors

Renowned Tamil film director Bharathiraja passed away in Chennai on Wednesday.

Tributes poured in for the ace director who died at 84.

He had been ailing for some time.

Celebrated for shifting Tamil cinema from studio-bound filmmaking to authentic rural landscapes, and for his iconic opening line, “Yen Iniya Tamil Makkale,” delivered in his distinctive voice, he was a transformative force not just in Tamil but in Indian cinema.

A towering personality in the film industry, fondly known as Iyakkunar Imayam (Pinnacle among Directors), Mr. Bharathiraja won six National Film Awards, four Filmfare Awards (South), six Tamil Nadu State Film Awards, and a Nandi Award.

More significantly, he was instrumental in introducing several new actors in Tamil cinema.

In a characteristic move, he rechristened many actors with names beginning with the letter “R”, gifting the industry with talented artistes including Radikaa, Revathi, Radha, Ranjitha, and Rekha.

The actors who went on to become prominent figures in the Tamil industry include Karthik, Pandian, Chandrasekar, Napoleon, and Janakaraj.