Legendary Indian film director Bharathiraja passed away at his residence in Chennai on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, at the age of 85 after battling prolonged age-related health complications.
The veteran filmmaker, revered as Iyakkunar Imayam, revolutionized Tamil cinema by moving productions from studio sets to authentic rural landscapes.
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According to reports from the Hindu, the Times of India, and Cinema Express, his health had significantly declined over recent months.
His condition worsened following the sudden death of his son, actor-director Manoj Bharathiraja.
Bharathiraja won six National Film Awards, four Filmfare Awards South, six Tamil Nadu State Film Awards, and the Padma Shri during his five-decade career.
He debuted with the landmark 1977 film 16 Vayathinile and launched the careers of numerous prominent South Indian actors, often renaming actresses with names starting with the letter "R".
Tributes from Cinema Personalities
Following his passing, prominent cinema personalities shared tributes to honor his legacy.
Actress and politician Khushbu Sundar expressed her grief over the filmmaker, who directed her in the 1993 film Captain Magal.
"Devastated to know that our most beloved, loved and respected Director, the legendary Bharathiraaja avl is no longer with us," said Khushbu Sundar.
She noted that his work served as a benchmark for filmmaking and shared an unfulfilled cinematic dream they discussed.
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Actress Revathy also paid tribute to the director, who cast her in the 1983 film Mann Vasanai after seeing her photograph on a magazine cover.
"RIP Bharathiraja sir - the reason that I am here as an actor and did the film I did," said Revathy.
Director Arun Matheswaran, who directed Bharathiraja in the 2021 film Rocky, emphasized the filmmaker's complete devotion to the craft.
"We’ve lost more than a filmmaker. We’ve lost a man who lived and breathed cinema.
He didn’t just make films, he redefined Tamil cinema, again and again," said Arun Matheswaran.
Matheswaran recalled the experience of collaborating with the veteran director during his own directorial debut. "I’ll carry forever the privilege of directing him in my first film.
Watching him work, you understood what it meant to love cinema more than anything else in the world," he added.
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The filmmaker's final screen appearance was in the film Thudarum alongside Mohanlal, and his last directorial project was a segment for the anthology series Modern Love Chennai.
