Gopalaratnam Subramaniam, known professionally as Mani Ratnam, is an Indian film director, film producer and screenwriter who predominantly works in Tamil cinema and few Hindi, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada films. He is one of India's most acclaimed and commercially successful filmmakers. Ratnam has won six National Film Awards, four Filmfare Awards, six Filmfare Awards South, and numerous awards at various film festivals across the world. In 2002, the Government of India honoured him with the Padma Shri, acknowledging his contributions to film.
Priyadarshan is an Indian film director and screenwriter who predominantly works in Malayalam and Hindi cinema. The massive success his movies enjoyed mirrors the collective conscience of the people, especially the elite, of that era, of which the filmmaker is a part of.
Santosh Sivan is an Indian cinematographer, film director, producer and actor known for his works in Malayalam, Tamil and Hindi cinema. Santosh graduated from the Film and Television Institute of India and has to date completed 55 feature films and 50 documentaries. He is regarded as one of India's finest and best cinematographers. He is the recipient of twelve National Film Awards, six Filmfare Awards, four Kerala State Film Awards, and three Tamil Nadu State Film Awards.
J. Alexander, known professionally as Mahendran, was an Indian film director, screenwriter and actor, known for his work in the Tamil film industry. Mahendran is regarded as one of the greatest film makers of Tamil cinema and has influenced several filmmakers of the generations that followed.
A. Bhimsingh or Bhim Singh (1924–1978) was an Indian filmmaker who worked predominantly in Tamil cinema. Apart from Tamil, he made films in other languages that include 18 films in Hindi, 8 films in Telugu, 5 films in Malayalam and 1 film in Kannada. Hailing from Andhra Pradesh, he started his film career as an assistant editor with the film-making duo Krishnan–Panju in the late 1940s. Later, he became an assistant director before evolving as an independent director. His films mainly dealt with family and relationships. He made a series of films all of which started with the Tamil syllable pa, mainly with Sivaji Ganesan.
Asha Kelunni Nair, better known by her stage name Revathi, is an Indian actress and director, known for her works predominantly in Tamil and Malayalam cinema - in addition to Telugu, Hindi and Kannada films. She has won several accolades, including three National Film Awards, and six Filmfare Awards South. She has also won the Kerala State Film Award for Best Actress for her performance in Bhoothakaalam (2022).
Roja (transl. Rose) is a 1992 Indian Tamil-language romantic thriller film written and directed by Mani Ratnam. It stars Arvind Swami and Madhoo, with the latter in the title role. It follows a simple girl from a village in Tamil Nadu, making desperate efforts to find her husband after he is kidnapped by militants during a secret undercover mission in Jammu and Kashmir.
S. Charuhasan is an Indian actor, director and retired lawyer who has acted in Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam and Hindi films. He won the National Film Award for Best Actor and the Karnataka State Film Award for Best Actor for the Kannada film Tabarana Kathe (1987). Charuhasan is the elder brother of veteran actor Kamal Haasan and father of Indian actress Suhasini.
Mohan is an Indian actor, known for his works predominantly in Tamil cinema, and a few Kannada, Telugu and Malayalam films. He is also known as "Kokila Mohan" after his debut film Kokila (1977), and "Mic Mohan" from numerous roles playing singers using microphones. In 1982, he received the Filmfare Award for Best Tamil Actor for his work in Payanangal Mudivathillai.
Ooruku Nooruper is a 2003 Indian Tamil-language film directed by film editor B. Lenin. Based on a 1979 novel of the same name by Jayakanthan, the film focuses on capital punishment. The film won two awards at the 49th National Film Awards, including the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil.
Uthiripookkal is a 1979 Indian Tamil-language drama film, written and directed by Mahendran. Based on the short story Chitrannai by Pudhumaipithan, it stars Vijayan, Ashwini and Madhu Malini. The film focuses on a sadistic man who makes life miserable for everyone in his village, including his wife and children.
Adurthi Subba Rao was an Indian film director, cinematographer, screenwriter, editor and producer known for his works predominantly in Telugu cinema. Rao is widely regarded as the intellectual fountain head of Indian drama films. He has garnered seven National Film Awards. Rao made his foray into cinema as Associate to Uday Shankar in the 1948 dance film Kalpana, which was showcased in the "Treasures from National Film Archive of India" at the 39th International Film Festival of India.
Pasamalar is a 1961 Indian Tamil-language drama film directed by A. Bhimsingh. The film stars Sivaji Ganesan, Gemini Ganesan and Savitri Ganesan, with K. A. Thangavelu M. N. Nambiar and M. N. Rajam in supporting roles. It revolves around Rajasekhar and his bonding with his younger sister Radha. Radha falls in love with her brother's friend, and Rajasekhar eventually arranges for their marriage. Problems they face form the story.
Nenjathai Killathe is a 1980 Indian Tamil-language romantic drama film written and directed by Mahendran. The film stars Suhasini, Sarath Babu, Pratap and Mohan. It focuses on a girl who is torn between the man she loved, and the man she married.
Magic Magic 3D is a 2003 Indian Tamil-language children's fantasy film directed by Jose Punnoose. The film stars Suraj Balajee, S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, Tirlok Malik and Pooja Kumar. It was dubbed in Malayalam, Telugu and Hindi, with the Hindi dub being titled as Chota Jadugar. It won the National Film Award for Best Special Effects.
Bhaaga Pirivinai is a 1959 Indian Tamil-language drama film directed by A. Bhimsingh, starring Sivaji Ganesan, M. R. Radha and B. Saroja Devi. The film was released on 31 October 1959. It was remade in Hindi as Khandan (1965), in Telugu as Kalasi Vunte Kaladu Sukham (1961), in Kannada as Muriyada Mane (1964), and in Malayalam as Nirakudam (1977).
E. V. Ganesh Babu is an Indian film director, writer and actor who works in Tamil-language films. He made his acting debut with Bharathi (2000) and played Vijay's friend in four films including Sivakasi (2005). He worked as an assistant director for Thenpandi Singam (2016) before making his debut as a director with Yamuna (2013). He directed and starred in a film titled Kattil opposite Srushti Dange, which was screened in 2021 at a Innovative International Film Festival. In 2022, he adapted the script of Kattil into a book.
Ashok Kumar Aggarwal was an Indian cinematographer who worked mainly in the South Indian film industry. In a career that spanned nearly four decades, he worked in over 125 feature films in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Hindi languages. Aggarwal was a member of the Indian Society of Cinematographers (ISC).
A. L. Srinivasan was an Indian film producer who is known for having introduced many directors in Tamil cinema.
Vinod Kumar Vijayan is an Indian film director, writer and producer. He got International Video Festival Award for his first Short Film MASK in age of 18. He also won Berlinale international crystal bear award for the movie OTTAL. In 2013, he received National Award for his film Annayum Rasoolum. He is known for his works in Malayalam and Telugu cinema. His films include Quotation (2004), Red Salute (2006) and D Company: The Judgement Day (2013).
