Veteran Tamil filmmaker and actor Bharathiraja passed away on Wednesday at the age of 84, leaving behind a legacy in Tamil cinema spanning several decades. Known for his powerful storytelling and strong rural themes, he played an important role in reshaping filmmaking in the South Indian film industry.
Celebrities including Khushbu Sundar, Sibi Sathyaraj, and Pawan Kalyan, among others, have condoled the demise of the filmmaker by sharing posts on social media.
In his film career, he won six National Film Awards across categories including Best Feature Film and Best Screenplay. Let's take a look at his famous films.
Bharathiraja's famous films
Bharathiraja began his film career as an assistant to Kannada filmmaker Puttanna Kanagal, later working with directors P Pullaiah and M Krishnan Nair. He made his directorial debut in 1977 with 16 Vayathinile, starring Kamal Haasan, Rajinikanth, and Sridevi.
Over his illustrious career, Bharathiraja wrote, acted in, and directed several films. His famous works include Kallukkul Eeram, 16 Vayathinile, Kizhakke Pogum Rail, Sigappu Rojakkal, Nizhalgal, Aayutha Ezhuthu, Pandianadu, Eeswaran, Thiruchitrambalam, Maharaja and others.
He was also honoured with the Padma Shri by the Government of India in 2004 for his contribution to the film industry.
Bharathiraja's recent work
For the unversed, Bharathiraja’s most recent directorial project was the episode title 'Paravai Kootil Vaazhum Maangal' in the 2023 Prime Video show 'Modern Love Chennai'. His last on-screen film appearance was in Mohanlal’s Malayalam film Thudarum which also features Shobana and Maniyanpilla Raju in key roles. The film was directed by Tharun Moorthy.
About Bharathiraja's death
The veteran filmmaker-actor Bharathiraja passed away due to age-related health complications in Chennai. He is survived by his wife and daughter Janani. His son, Manoj Bharathiraja, passed away in 2025 after suffering a cardiac arrest at the age of 48.
After the death of his son, his health deteriorated. In December 2025, he was admitted to MGM Healthcare in Chennai after suffering a severe lung infection and was later shifted to the critical care unit. However, in April 2026, he was discharged from the hospital.
Also Read: Bharathiraja, veteran Tamil actor-filmmaker, dies at 84 due to age-related illness
