P. BHARATHIRAJA –
Film Director
P. Bharathiraja (born 17 July 1941) at Allinagaram, Theni, Madras.Bharathiraja
started his film career as an assistant to director P. Pullaiya and Kannada
film-maker Puttanna Kanagal. He also worked with Krishnan Nair,
Avinasi Mani and A. Jaganathan, he learned the grammar of film-making and got
his first directorial opportunity in 1977. 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
Bharathirajaa in his own words, "This movie was meant to be black and
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 Kizhakke 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 Oivadhillai, 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.
Vedham Pudhithu dealt with the caste issue in a stronger manner. The
film's narrative was seamless and starred Sathyaraj
as Balu Thevar. It contains some of Bharathiraja's trademark touches as well as
several ground-breaking scenes. However, it does follow the anti-Brahmin trend
common in Tamil films – in this respect it departed from his earlier success, Alaigal
Oiyvadhillai, where the caste and religion factor was given a more balanced
treatment. Bharathiraja has successfully managed to modernize his film making
techniques for the 1990s. The commercial success of Kizhakku Cheemaiyile
and the awards Karuththamma garnered stand as testimony for his ability
to thrill the younger generation as well. His mother Karuththamma received the
National Award on his behalf from the President in 1994 for the film named
after her. Bharathiraja was on the same stage in 1996 to receive another
National Award for Anthimanthaarai.
He has plans of
making short films with varying themes to attract the international audience
and has currently completed his latest venture Kadal Pookal and picked
up a national award for the best screenplay writer for the same film. The
well-known Tamil film director Bhagyaraj was one of his assistant directors. He has also
directed movies in Telugu, Kannada
and Hindi.
He is married to Chandraleela and two children Manor . K. Bharathi and Janani Raaja Kumar
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