Dark clouds have converged over Tamil cinema, but the air holds no petrichor anymore. Tamil cinema on Wednesday (June 10, 2026) lost its revered Iyakkunar Imayam, as auteur filmmaker Bharathiraja breathed his last in Chennai. He was 84.
Widely considered one of the all-time greats of the industry, the director was best known for his nuanced portrayal of life in rural Tamil Nadu. At a time when films were mostly set around urban centres, Bharathiraja ushered in a new era in which frames evoked ‘manvasanai’ (the scent of the soil) in theatre halls.
In a career spanning over five decades, the auteur cemented an unshakable legacy as one of the most important Tamil filmmakers of all time — his was a filmmaking voice that not only shook Tamil cinema from the confines of studios, but also made scathing remarks about casteism, gender inequality, female foeticide, urban unemployment, and social norms surrounding gender and age.
FILE: Actor and director Bharathiraja. | Photo Credit: SRINIVASAN L
Here are some of Bharathiraja’s most instrumental Tamil films:
This is a film that will live in the collective memory of Tamil cinema audiences for posterity. Widely regarded as the film that released Tamil cinema from age-old studio-bound filmmaking sensibilities, 16 Vayathinile signalled the arrival of a new wave of Tamil cinema, one that dared to portray truth with reinforced realism. It tells the story of the trials and tribulations that a 16-year-old named Mayil (played by the ever-radiant Sri Devi) faces in her village. The characters Mayil, Chappani (Kamal Haasan), an outcast who watches over Mayil after her grandmother’s death, and Parattai (Rajinikanth), a village ruffian, continue to be fondly remembered by cinephiles.
16 Vayathinile captured with bewitching clarity the stark reality of life in rural Tamil Nadu. Notably, this was also the film that kick-started Ilaiyaraaja’s long professional association with Bharathiraja; the song ‘Chendoora Poove’ got legendary singer S Janaki a National Award for Best Female Playback Singer. Now here’s a lesser-known trivia about the film: 16 Vayathinile featured one of the first major roles of legendary comedian Goundamani.
Bharathiraja directing Rajinikanth and Goundamani during the shooting of 16 Vayathinile. Producer SA Rajkannu and cameraman PS Nivas can also be seen. | Photo Credit: The Hindu Archives
Not many films of the 1980s spoke as assuredly about urban employment as Nizhalgal did. A poignant tale about three youths who are caught between aspiration and despair, Nizhalgal transposed to Tamil audiences the crushing weight of unfulfilled dreams in a city that only looks after itself. Many cinephiles believe the film’s story to be loosely inspired by the tale of how Bharathiraja, Ilaiyaraaja and Gangai Amaran made their way to Madras in search of employment, though the similarities stop beyond a point. Ilaiyaraaja’s charbuster album for Nizhalgal singlehandedly bolstered its rightful place in Bharathiraja’s legacy. However, let me leave you with this interesting trivia: it was only a coincidence that Nizhalgal was released alongside yet another affecting study of poverty, youth disillusionment and unemployment — K Balachander’s Varumayin Niram Sivappu
Rajasekar and Rohini in ‘Nizhalgal’ | Photo Credit: The Hindu Archives
Long before modern filmmakers delved deep into the social constraints that hinder young love, Bharathiraaja made Alaigal Oivathillai, one of the most powerful films that championed love over hate. Challenging the boundaries of religion and caste, it told the story of how a Hindu Brahmin boy and a Christian girl tackle their inherited social divisions. Starring superb performances by debutants Karthik and Rekha, Alaigal Oivathillai is fondly remembered for many reasons other than its theme, like the lyricism in Bharathiraaja’s rendition of the coastline, the picturisation of the ‘Kadhal Oviyam’ song, and its emotional climax scene. Here’s another trivia: the iconic ‘Putham Pudhu Kaalai’ song — one of the most popular compositions of Ilaiyaraaja — does not actually feature in the film since it was a song composed for a shelved Mahendran-directorial that was thrown into the album of Alaigal Oivathillai
Bharathiraja’s 1987 film Vedham Pudhithu takes off from the spirit of Alaigal Oivathillai. A staunch statement against India’s caste system, this is widely regarded as one of the auteur’s most politically charged works. Set in a village rigidly structured by caste hierarchies, it follows the story of an atheist man from a land-owning caste who takes care of an orphaned Brahmin boy. The film’s gut-wrenchin portrayal of how caste erases sense and humanity created ripples across Tamil society. The film was also known for a lot of pre-release drama; after the Censor Board objected to certain scenes in the film, the then Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, MG Ramachandran, requested a special screening. After watching the film, a teary-eyed MGR praised the film and cleared it for release.
Oh, are mere words enough to speak of this film? Ever since it came out in 1985, whenever a Tamil cinema fan hears the lyrics ‘Poongatru Thirumbuma,’ they would be transported to a hamlet by a river from the 1980s, to the disarming smile of Sivaji Ganesan, the evergreen melodies of the king of music, and to a story that remains as poignant as ever.
Muthal Mariyathai, starring Sivaji Ganesan and Radha, tells the story of a middle-aged married man who falls in love with a young boatwoman. The interpersonal equations of the various characters, their secrets, and the sudden twist of fates make for 150 minutes of engaging cinema. Every frame of cinematographer B Kannan would evoke the ‘manvasanai’ Bharathiraja built a career mastering. Ilaiyaraaja’s chartbuster album for the film further solidifies its place in Tamil cinema history.
Radha and Sivaji Ganesan in a scene from Muthal Mariyadhai. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Sigappu Rojakkal takes a select spot in this list for one specific reason — this was the film that told Bharathiraja could make a modern thriller if he wished to. After 16 Vayathinile and Kizhakke Pogum Rail, Bharathiraja made this ode to Psycho with Kamal Haasan and Sridevi. Inspired by the life of serial killer Raman Raghav, the stylistically conceived Sigappu Rojakkal followed the story of a rich man who lures women into his bed before killing them mercilessly. A welcome departure from the rural landscapes that have always dominated Bharathiraja’s films, Sigappu Rojakkal is one of the many anti-urban films that portrayed cities as pockets of debauchery. With music scored by Ilaiyaraaja — who can forget the iconic ‘Ninaivo Oru Paravai’ — the film told critics of Bharathiraja that the filmmaker’s penchant to shoot films set in rural Tamil Nadu was one of choice, and not due to a lack of know-how to make a modern masala flick.
Bharathiraja directing Kamal Hassan in "Sigappu Rojakkal". | Photo Credit: The Hindu Archives
Every frame of this film carries the scent of the ocean. A film that’s arguably one of the most well-shot Bharathiraja films, Kadalora Kavidhaigal is for the romantics. A breezy yet stirring romance in a seashore town, it told the star-crossed love story of a school teacher (Rekha) and a ruffian fisherman (Sathyaraj). One of the more tender explorations of love from Bharathiraja, the film balanced the rustic realism of life in a coastal town with the lyricism of a man who changes due to love. Further enhanced by Ilaiyaraaja’s evocative music and the film’s atmospheric visuals, Kadalora Kavithaigal will continue to be one of Tamil cinema’s most enduring romantic dramas.
News of Bharathiraja’s demise has come as a shock to the Tamil film industry. Iyakkunar Imayam, as he is fondly known, Bharathiraja leaves an indelible mark on the history of Tamil cinema. It is a legacy that is bound to be celebrated, and much like the ‘manvasanai’ his films evoked, his memory will emanate every time clouds float above a paddy field.
Published - June 10, 2026 01:19 pm IST
Source: The Hindu - India News
