1 min readUpdated: Jun 10, 2026 07:54 AM IST
Veteran Tamil filmmaker-actor Bharathiraja passed away on Monday due to age-related complications. He was 84.
Bharathiraja breathed his last at his residence in Chennai.
Over a career spanning several decades, Bharathiraja has directed several landmark Tamil films, including 16 Vayathinile (1977), Kizhakke Pogum Rail (1978), Sigappu Rojakkal (1978), Nizhalgal (1980), Alaigal Oivathillai (1981), Tik Tik Tik (1981), Oru Kaidhiyin Diary (1985), Mudhal Mariyathai (1985), and Kizhakku Cheemayile (1993). He is often regarded as one of the most influential filmmakers in the history of Tamil cinema. Over the years, he has collaborated with some of the biggest names in Tamil cinema, including Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan, and Sivaji Ganesan.
Bharathiraja’s most recent directorial venture was Meendum Oru Mariyathai, released in 2020.
In recent years, Bharathiraja has also been active as an actor. His latest screen appearance was in director Tharun Moorthy’s Thudarum (2025), starring Mohanlal and Shobana.
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