R. K. Selvamani | |
|---|---|
 RK Selvamani at the Irumbu Thirai success meet | |
| Born | 21 October 1965 Thirumukkadal, Chengalpattu, Tamil Nadu, India |
| Occupation(s) | Film director, film producer |
| Years active | 1990–2017 |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2 |
| Parent(s) | Kalyanasundaram Sengundha Mudaliar Shenbagam [1] |
R.K. Selvamani (born 21 October 1965 ) is a former Indian film director. He was known to make films in the police or whodunit genres. [2] [3]
Born in Chengalpattu, R. K. Selvamani, an assistant of Manivannan, narrated a story line to Vijayakanth who then insisted Selvamani narrate the story to his friend, film producer Ibrahim Rowther. [3] After being told that the actor was busy, Selvamani with the help of his friend Jothi decided to narrate the story through drawn pictures by having Hollywood films as reference and was given the opportunity to make the film. [4]
The action thriller Pulan Visaranai (1990) was partly based on a real life confession by criminal Auto Shankar that he had kidnapped many girls at the behest of some political bigwigs and featured Vijayakanth alongside Rupini, Anandaraj, Radha Ravi and Sarathkumar in his first major role. [4]
R.K. Selvamani initially imposed many rules and conditions which led to the cancelling of shooting for six months after the actor became displeased, but with the help of Manivannan, shooting was continued. [5] The film was released in January 1990 and became successful film at the box-office, also going on to win critical acclaim by reviewers. [6] The success of the film prompted Rowther to offer the actor and director another venture, with Selvamani making Captain Prabhakaran (1991). The title of the film was an homage to Prabhakaran, the LTTE leader, while the plotline was based on the forest brigand Veerappan. [7] [8] It marked the hundredth project of Vijayakanth and featured Rupini and Sarath Kumar again in pivotal roles. The film also became a large commercial success and Selvamani began to gain plaudits for his ability as a film director in the action genre. [9] [10]
Selvamani agreed to work on a film produced by Ravi Yadav with music scored by Ilaiyaraaja, having late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi's assassination and the Sri Lankan civil war as its backdrop. Production work for the film, Kuttrapathirikai began in 1991 and it would feature Ramki, Rahman, Ramya Krishnan and Roja, in her second film, in the leading roles. [11]
The film was launched in July 1991 and completed after short delays during December 1992. [12] The film was stuck for fourteen years as the censor board refused to allow such a film with a drastic political message to be released, with Selvamani having no option but to move on to direct other films. In December 2006, in a landmark judgement, the Madras High Court dismissed a petition filed on behalf of the Central Board of Censors against an earlier verdict by the court, allowing the screening of the film with an 'A' certificate after certain cuts. The court subsequently directed the board to award an 'A' certificate to the film within four weeks of their judgement.
The petition had initially alleged that the film supported the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), while sections of the Tamil Nadu Congress had also taken exception to some scenes in the film. Selvamani revealed that the court had actually said there is no need to delete the portions, which the earlier verdict wanted to be cut. The scenes, which the censors wanted to cut, included the Tigers' training and police officers fleeing the venue, where Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated. [13] The film won positive reviews after release in March 2007 with a critic stating "it is an interesting attempt to thread reality and some wonderful domestic drama. The style of the narration and the camera angles are slightly dated. But you cannot hold the director responsible for that." [14] Other critics also questioned the ban, citing it was just "another run of the mill action film", with lookalikes used to represent real life characters. [15]
He then made Chembaruthi an unusual love story starring Prashanth and Roja in 1992. In 1995, he worked again with Prashanth, making another romantic action film Kanmani (1994), which featured him alongside Mohini. The film won average reviews with a critic noting "though not very convincing and as powerful a story as he might have intended this to be, R. K. Selvamani still manages to keep one engrossed for most of the time with a narration sans hitches." [16] Selvamani next worked on a political film titled Makkal Aatchi with Mammootty in the lead, which won critical and commercial acclaim after release in October 1995. The film's dialogues by Liaquat Ali Khan, won rave reviews. He then collaborated with another film maker Velu Prabhakaran, writing the script for two of his films, Asuran (1995) and Rajali (1996). [17] He then produced and directed Athiradi Padai , film was flopped and Selvamani incurred huge losses.
He then made a quick action film Adimai Changili (1997) with Arjun, Roja and Rambha in the leading roles. During the making of the film, it was reported that Rambha fell out with the director due to his excessive promotion of the film's other heroine Roja over her. [18]
The story was taken in forest areas and is based on a true story where a small community fights against majority rule. The film released to poor reviews and became a disaster at the box office. [19] The success of Makkal Aatchi, prompted the actor and director to come together in another political film titled Arasiyal (1997). The director, prior to release, played down any potential controversial story plots and indicated it would be more about a politician's personal life rather than his work. The team shot across North India in 1997 with scenes also filmed at the Harmandir Sahib, Punjab. [20]
The film fared less well critically than the previous collaboration, with a reviewer noting "the director is caught in a cross-fire between, coming out with a realistic movie, and at the same time, one with the hero running around the trees, and the heroine." [20] It, however, went on to win the third place award in the category for Best Film at the Tamil Nadu State Awards. Selvamani once again launched another political drama venture titled Indian Express in 1997, which would narrate the happenings of an event which had occurred in Trivandrum. However, despite signing up Sarath Kumar to play the lead role as well as Khushbu, Roja and Anupam Kher, the film became stalled and was discontinued after the launch. [21] He instead went on to make a big budget Telugu action film, Rajasthan with Sarathkumar and Vijayashanti. The film was later dubbed and released in Tamil with a few re-shot scenes and a reworked storyline to relate to Tamil Nadu instead of Andhra Pradesh. A critic noted the director was "losing his touch", criticising that aspects were almost "cartoonish" but praised his ability to maintain the viewer's suspense. [22] A further film titled Operation Veerappa, based on the kidnapping of actor Rajkumar by dacoit Veerappan, was announced in 2001 but later dropped. [23]
He returned briefly to direct his partner Roja's 100th film, Durga, a Telugu language devotional subject. The film opened in 2001 to poor reviews, with a critic noting it "lacks the distinctive touch" of the director, the film was simultaneously shot in Tamil as Pottu Amman with his brother being credited as the director for Tamil version. [24] Another film which he launched during the project, Police Commissioner featuring Sathyaraj, was shelved shortly after production began. [25] Selvamani became the managing director of a channel named "Thamizh Thirai" in 2003, working to form a new cable television channel, which would be run by film producers and help assist them financially, bypassing network channels. He was engaged in a series of legal tussles before the channel was finally launched to air in May 2005. [26] The project ran into troubles shortly after, with Selvamani opting out of his role to re-begin work as a director. He was also involved in his wife Roja's election campaign in 2005, taking charge of her promotional activities and trying to ensure maximum publicity. [27] Selvamani began working on Pulan Visaranai 2 in November 2005, a sequel to his 1990 film, and cast Prashanth in the leading role of the investigative cop. [28]
He revealed that the idea had come to him in the early 2000s and Vijayakanth's unavailability had meant the film only materialised after a delay. Prashanth underwent strength training for the venture, while beauty pageant winner Medha Raghunath was briefly signed on to play the lead female role, before opting out again. [29] The film progressed slowly, also a result of Prashanth's marital problems, and reports in May 2007 suggested that Rowther was unhappy with the film's content and felt the film lacked a proper storyline unlike the previous version. [30] The film ran into problems with the censor in April 2008, with the committee highlighting twenty-six objectionable scenes. Selvamani subsequently appealed and compromised by agreeing to remove controversial dialogues and a sequence which involved an actress depicting Indian tennis player Sania Mirza. The producer subsequently accepted an "A" certificate for the film, with the soundtrack releasing the following week. The team also revealed that the film would be released the following month, though this proved to be untrue. [31]
After a long period of delay, the film was released in 2015. Selvamani chose to take a break from films and remain heavily involved in running the Tamil Nadu Film Directors' Association, working to increase salary for assistant directors and helping conduct celebratory events. [32]
The director re-emerged after a sabbatical from film making in 2013, announcing that he was working on a project titled Kannivedi featuring newcomers. He revealed that the film would wove a triangular love story into present day problems in society, adding that he will also feature as an actor in the film, however the project was shelved after announcement. [33] Selvamani made his acting debut portraying negative role in Express (2017).
R.K. Selvamani is the current Secretary of the Tamil Nadu Directors association. [34]
Selvamani married actress Roja on 10 August 2002. The couple have a daughter and a son.
 | This section of a biography of a living person does not include any references or sources .(November 2022) |
| Year | Film | Credited as | Language | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Director | Writer | Producer | ||||
| 1990 | Pulan Visaranai |  | |  | Tamil | |
| 1991 | Captain Prabhakaran | | | | ||
| 1992 | Chembaruthi | | | | ||
| 1993 | Pon Vilangu | | | | ||
| 1994 | Athiradi Padai | | | | ||
| 1994 | Samaram | | | | Telugu | |
| 1994 | Kanmani | | | | Tamil | |
| 1995 | Raja Muthirai | | | | ||
| 1995 | Makkal Aatchi | | | | ||
| 1995 | Asuran | | | | ||
| 1996 | Rajali | | | | ||
| 1997 | Adimai Changili | | | | ||
| 1997 | Arasiyal | | | | Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Film (Third Prize) | |
| 1999 | Rajasthan | | | | ||
| 2001 | Durga | | | | Telugu | |
| 2007 | Kuttrapathirikai | | | | Tamil | |
| 2015 | Pulan Visaranai 2 | | | | ||
| Year | Name of Television Show | Role | Network |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Super Singer Season 10 | Guest | Star Vijay |
Prashanth Thiagarajan, known professionally as Prashanth, is an Indian actor and businessman, known for his works predominantly in Tamil cinema. Besides Tamil films, he has also appeared in few Telugu, Hindi and Malayalam films. At the peak of his career in the late 1990s, Prashanth was one of the popular actors in South India. He has won a Kalaimamani Award from the Government of Tamil Nadu. The son of actor-director Thiagarajan, Prashanth began his career at 17 by appearing in Vaigasi Poranthachu (1990) and went on to feature in other films including Balu Mahendra's Vanna Vanna Pookkal (1992), R. K. Selvamani's Chembaruthi (1992), K. Rushendra Reddy's Tholi Muddhu (1993), and Mani Ratnam's action-comedy Thiruda Thiruda (1993). Prashanth rose to stardom with Shankar's romantic comedy Jeans (1998) in which he played a dual role alongside Aishwarya Rai. The success of this film saw him garner opportunities to work in bigger film projects and in the late 1990s, he featured in a series of breakthrough films such as Kannedhirey Thondrinal (1998), Kaadhal Kavithai (1998), Jodi (1999), Parthen Rasithen (2000) and Piriyadha Varam Vendum (2001).
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Sri Latha Reddy known by her stage name roja, is an Indian politician and former film actress. She is currently serving as Minister for Tourism, Culture and Youth Advancement of Andhra Pradesh. She was a leading actress in Tamil and Telugu films from 1991 to 2002. She has also acted in a few Kannada and Malayalam-language films. She won three Nandi Awards and one Tamil Nadu State Film Award. In 2022, Roja announced she would be leaving the film industry to focus more on her political career as a politician. She also announced that she will no longer be acting in any films.
V. I. P. is a 1997 Indian Tamil-language romantic comedy film directed and co-written by Sabapathy Dekshinamurthy. The film stars Prabhu Deva, Abbas, Simran and Rambha, while Rami Reddy, Anupam Kher and Manivannan play other pivotal roles. Ranjit Barot composed the music, while Arthur A. Wilson handled the cinematography. The film was released on 4 July 1997. This is one of the first two Tamil films of actress Simran, along with Once More.
The following is the filmography of Vijayakanth (1952–2023), an Indian politician and Tamil film actor.
Captain Prabhakaran is a 1991 Indian Tamil-language action film directed by R. K. Selvamani. It stars Vijayakanth in the lead role. It also features Mansoor Ali Khan, Rupini, Livingston and Ramya Krishnan, while R. Sarathkumar appears in a cameo role. It was Vijayakanth's 100th film, after which he earned the sobriquet "captain".
Ramakrishnan, better known by his stage name Ramki, is an Indian actor best known for his work in Tamil films. He made his debut in Chinna Poove Mella Pesu (1987). He was a lead actor from 1987 to 2004.
Arasiyal (transl. Politics) is an 1997 Indian Tamil-language political drama film directed by R. K. Selvamani. The film stars Mammootty, Shilpa Shirodkar and Roja. It was released on 12 December 1997.
Pulan Visaranai (transl. Investigation) is a 1990 Indian Tamil-language action thriller film directed by R. K. Selvamani. The film stars Vijayakanth and R. Sarathkumar, while Rupini, M. N. Nambiar, Radha Ravi and Anandaraj play supporting roles. It was released on 14 January 1990. The film was remade in Hindi as Ravan Raaj: A True Story (1995). The character of the antagonist Dharma is loosely based on the serial killer Auto Shankar. A sequel, Pulan Visaranai 2, was released in 2015.
Adimai Changili is a 1997 Indian Tamil language action film directed by R. K. Selvamani. The film stars Arjun and Roja, while Rambha, Sunitha, Anandaraj and M. N. Nambiar play supporting roles. It was released on 9 May 1997.
Rajali is a 1996 Indian Tamil-language action-adventure film directed by Velu Prabhakaran, and written by R. K. Selvamani. The film stars Ramki and Napoleon, while Roja and Mansoor Ali Khan play supporting roles. It was released on 17 April 1996, and did not perform well at the box office.
Kanmani is a 1994 Indian Tamil-language romantic drama film, directed by R. K. Selvamani. The film stars Prashanth and Mohini, while Sujatha, Lakshmi and Jaishankar play supporting roles.
Kadavul (transl. God) is a 1997 Indian Tamil language film directed by Velu Prabhakaran. The film stars Velu Prabhakaran, Manivannan, Arun Pandiyan, Mansoor Ali Khan and Roja. It was released on 5 December 1997. Despite having controversial themes, the film was well received.
Pavithran is an Indian film director, who has made many hit Tamil films. He was active primarily in the 1990s collaborating in ventures which often included Sarathkumar in pivotal roles. He was awarded the Tamil Nadu state Kalaimamani award for his works in the film industry. He is known to have made his assistants huge stars in the film Industry. All his assistant film directors have gone to be huge like S. Shankar, A. Venkatesh, Balaji Sakthivel, Vincent Selva, Saravana Subbaiya and many more. He has also introduced stars like Prabu Deva, Devayani, and Roja. During the 1990s his movies with newcomers like Sarathkumar, Ajith Kumar, and Vijay made them stars and established actors in the industry. He also introduced comedians like Soori and Vimal in his movie Mattuthavani.
Pulan Visaranai 2 is a 2015 Indian Tamil-language action film directed by R. K. Selvamani and produced by Ibrahim Rowther. It stars Prashanth, Karthika in lead roles with R. K. and Pyramid Natarajan playing pivotal roles. The film, which is a sequel to the 1990 film Pulan Visaranai, began production in 2006 and was in development hell before releasing on 30 January 2015.
R. Aravindraj is an Indian film director and screenwriter who has worked on Tamil films. He rose to fame after making the thriller film Oomai Vizhigal (1986) featuring Vijayakanth and has continued to make films in a similar genre.
Pottu Amman is a 2000 Indian Tamil-language devotional film directed by K. Rajarathinam and produced by Mangala Productions. It was simultaneously shot in Telugu as Durga, directed by R. K. Selvamani and produced by Ramprasad Reddy. The film featured Venu, Roja, Suvaluxmi, Suresh Bala, and K. R. Vijaya. The film was publicised as actress Roja's 100th film and got released during the month of December 2000.
Liaquat Ali Khan is an Indian film director and screenwriter who has worked on Tamil films. He was primarily active in the 1990s, collaborating with Vijayakanth and R. K. Selvamani for several films in the politics genre.
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