Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan, Ilaiyaraaja, A.R. Rahman and other south film personalities paid tribute to veteran Tamil film director P Bharathiraja following his death at the age of 84 on Wednesday.
The Padma Shri awardee breathed his last at his Chennai residence after battling age-related ailments.
“He introduced countless technicians, directors, and actors, sustaining the film industry itself. He was always the first to raise his voice and fight for anyone facing a crisis,” Rajinikanth told PTI.
Remembering the filmmaker, Kamal Haasan while speaking to PTI Videos, said, “The gentleman has gone. But his art also will continue. I'm not counting the losses. I’m counting the profits. He was there and he made films with me. I'm very grateful.”
Bharathiraja, originally named Chinnasami, hailed from present-day Theni district in southern Tamil Nadu and lived with his brothers in Chennai.
He shot to prominence with the 1977 classic 16 Vayathinile, widely regarded as a turning point that transformed storytelling in Tamil cinema.
A.R. Rahman in a post on X remembered Bharathiraja as a filmmaker who brought the landscapes, people and emotions of rural India to life on screen with remarkable authenticity.
Paying his last respects, Ilaiyaraaja remembered his bond with the filmmaker as irreplaceable, saying he was constantly praying for him and that his life had been rooted in love for the country, its people and its artists.
Fondly known as Iyakkunar Imayam (Pinnacle Among Directors), Bharathiraja received numerous honours during his career, including six National Film Awards, six Tamil Nadu State Film Awards, and a Nandi Award.
Bharathiraja was also known for introducing many new faces to Tamil cinema.
Ram Gopal Varma extended his heartfelt condolences, calling Bharathiraja a master filmmaker who proved that commercial cinema and artistic realism could coexist.
He also credited the filmmaker for introducing late actress Sridevi to the screen.
Remembering Bharathiraja’s contributions to cinema, actor Nasser, in a statement to PTI, urged the Central government to honour the late filmmaker with the Bharat Ratna.
“We wholeheartedly pray and request that the Government of India honours him posthumously with its highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna.”
Expressing his grief over Bharathiraja’s demise, Chiranjeevi tweeted that he was one of Indian cinema’s greatest storytellers, whose films captured the essence of rural life and human relationships with rare authenticity.
He also recalled working under the director in Aradhana and said his legacy would endure through his timeless body of work.
Rekha, whom Bharathiraja launched as Jennifer in Kadalora Kavithaigal (1986), called his death a “massive black day” for cinema.
While speaking to the reporters, she said she had grown up in an ordinary family and was unfamiliar with the film industry before he gave her the opportunity.