Chinnasaamy Periyamaya (; 17 July 1941 – 10 June 2026), better known by his stage name Bharathiraja, was an Indian film director, producer, screenwriter and actor who worked mainly in the Tamil film industry. Making his debut in 1977 with 16 Vayathinile, he was known for realistic and sensitive portrayals of rural life in his films and popularly referred to as Iyakkunar Imayam (transl. The Pinnacle of Directors). Bharathiraja had won six National Film Awards, four Filmfare Awards South, six Tamil Nadu State Film Awards and a Nandi Award. He also directed films in Telugu and Hindi. The Government of India honoured him with the Padma Shri award, India's fourth-highest civilian honour, in 2004 for his contribution to the film industry. In 2005, he was conferred with the Doctor of Letters (honorary degree) from Sathyabama University.
Contents
Biography
Early life
Bharathiraja was born as Chinnasaamy Periyamaya Thevar in Theni Allinagaram, a town in the Theni district of Tamil Nadu, on 17 July 1941, to parents K. Periyamaya Thevar and Karuthammal in a Kallar (Thevar) family. He made the name "Bharathiraja" as a portmanteau of his sister's name Bharathi and brother's name Jayaraj.
Film career
Bharathiraja started his film career as an assistant to Kannada filmmaker Puttanna Kanagal. Later, he assisted P. Pullaiah, M. Krishnan Nair, Avinasi Mani and A. Jagannathan. His first film 16 Vayathinile, for which he wrote the script, broke the then existing convention to create a new genre of village cinema. The film is now regarded as a milestone in the history of Tamil Cinema. About the film, Bharathiraja said: "This movie was meant to be a black & white art film produced with the help of National Film Development Corporation", but turned out to be a commercially successful colour film and a starting point for several important careers. His next film Kizhake Pogum Rail produced similar results and eventually brought in criticisms that Bharathiraja was capable of catering only to rural audiences. This led him to make Sigappu Rojakkal, an urban psychological thriller.
Bharathiraja confirmed his versatility and refusal to be tied down to one particular genre with an experimental film Nizhalgal (1980), and the action thriller Tik Tik Tik (1981). But undoubtedly, rural themes proved to be his strong suit as his biggest hits in the 1980s: Alaigal Oivathillai (1981), Mann Vasanai (1983) and Muthal Mariyathai (1985) were strong love stories in a village backdrop. Alaigal Oivathillai introduced actor Karthik, who'll be known in the industry as "Navarasa Nayagan". Muthal Mariyathai starred Sivaji Ganesan in the lead, playing a middle-aged village head. Radha is a poor young woman who moves into his village for a living. The love that bonds these two humans separated not just by age but also by caste and class, is told by Bharathiraja with poetic touches.
Vedham Pudhithu dealt with the caste issue in a stronger manner. The film's narrative was seamless and starred Sathyaraj as Balu Thevar. It contains some of Bharathiraja's trademark touches as well as several ground-breaking scenes. Vedham Pudhithu made a revolutionary thoughts about caste discriminations in Brahmin and other upper castes in Tamil Nadu. Bharathiraja has successfully managed to modernise his film-making techniques for the 1990s. The commercial success of Kizhakku Cheemaiyile and the awards that Karuththamma garnered stand as testimony to his ability to thrill the younger generation as well. Bharathiraja was on the same stage in 1996 to receive another National Award for Anthimanthaarai.
In late 1996, Bharathiraja was signed on to direct two films, with the Sarathkumar-starrer Vaakkapatta Bhoomi announced in October. The following month, he began work on a film titled Siragugal Murivadhillai, starring Napolean, Heera Rajagopal and Prakash Raj. Both films were later shelved. He planned to revive Vaakkapatta Bhoomi with Cheran during late 2004, but the collaboration did not materialise.
Death
On 27 December 2025, Bharathiraja fell ill and he was subsequently admitted to a private hospital in Chennai within a week. Hospital authorities confirmed that his condition was stable and many people from the film fraternity paid him a visit. He died of complications on 10 June 2026, at the age of 84 and was buried with full state honors. He was predeceased by his son, Manoj Bharathiraja, who had died a year earlier.
Personal life
Bharathiraja married Chandraleela in 1974 and had two children Manoj Bharathiraja (1976–2025) and Janani (born 1979).
Manoj was an actor who was introduced in Taj Mahal and he married actress Nandana. He died of heart attack on 25 March 2025. Janani is married to Rajkumar Thambiraja in Malaysia.
Bharathiraja's brother-in-law Manoj Kumar has directed films such as Mannukkul Vairam, Vandicholai Chinraasu, Vaanavil and Guru Paarvai. His brother Jayaraj made his acting debut with Kaththukkutti. His relative Stalin is a television actor who acted in serials such as Saravanan Meenatchi and 7C.
Style, critique and public perception
When the old era was dominated by films shot inside studios, Bharathiraja directed village themed films that inspired Tamil cinema to capture live locations. Array of village films in Tamil cinema started after his trendsetting film 16 Vayathinile. He changed the attire of male lead role as simple and without much cosmetics and female leads in his films as dusky looking which were before dominated by fair skinned ladies. He started the style of directors speaking to the audience with his famous dialogue "En Iniya Thamizh Makkale (My sweet Tamil people)". Bharathiraja is revered as one of the best directors of Indian cinema. His ideas were original and his subjects were complex ideas expressed in a manner every common man could understand.
Bharathiraja was also known for introducing a number of new faces to the film industry. He has introduced many actors as new faces notable among them are Karthik, Radha, Revathi, Radhika, and Vijayashanti. Apart from lead actors, he has introduced a bunch of supporting actors. Notable among them include Janagaraj, Vadivukkarasi, Chandrasekhar, Pandiyan, and Napoleon. As an experimental initiative he used to give new actors a small role in his films later they becoming popular among people and turning to busy actors. Many present day directors who were unknown to people turned into actors after playing a debut petty role in his films: K. Bhagyaraj, Manivannan, Manobala, Thiagarajan, and Ponvannan are among them. He was also instrumental in portraying Sathyaraj for the first time in lead role.
He inspired many young film makers and ran a school called Bharathi Raja International Institute of Cinema (BRIIC) on film making.
Bharathiraja directed socially themed films with special emphasis on women and their complicated interpersonal relationships. He addressed other social evils like caste discrimination in his films.
Awards
Civilian honours
2004 – Padma Shri from the Government of India
National Film Awards
1982 – National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Telugu for Seethakoka Chilaka (Director)
1986 – National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil for Mudhal Mariyathai (Producer & Director)
1988 – National Film Award for Best Film on Other Social Issues Vedham Pudhithu (Director)
1995 – National Film Award for Best Film on Family Welfare for Karuththamma (Director)
1996 – National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil for Anthimanthaarai (Director)
2001 – National Film Award for Best Screenplay for Kadal Pookkal (Director & Writer)
Filmfare Awards South
1978 – Best Tamil Director for Sigappu Rojakkal
1987 – Best Tamil Film for Vedham Pudhithu
1987 – Best Tamil Director for Vedham Pudhithu
1994 – Best Tamil Film for Karuthamma
Tamil Nadu State Film Awards
1977 – Best Director Award for 16 Vayathinile
1979 – Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Film – Second Prize – Puthiya Vaarpugal
1981 – Best Director Award for Alaigal Oivathillai
1994 – Best Film Portraying Woman in Good Light for Karuththamma
2001 – Tamil Nadu State Film Honorary Award – Arignar Anna Award in 2001
2003 – Best Film in First place Eera Nilam
Nandi Awards
1981 – Nandi Award for Best Director for Seethakoka Chiluka
Vijay Awards
2012 – Contribution to Tamil Cinema
2013 – Best Supporting Actor for Pandiya Naadu
Other awards
1980 – South Indian Film Technicians : Best Technician Award for Kallukkul Eeram
2005 – Honorary doctorate (D.Litt) from Sathyabama University
2015 – SIIMA Lifetime Achievement Award
Controversies
He attended the Maaveerar Naal (Heroes Day) Conference, which was a day to remember the deaths of militants who fought with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), which had been banned in India as a terrorist group since 1992, in the wake of former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi's assassination a year prior, in Jaffna, Sri Lanka and appreciated its bravery and valour.
He organised a protest by Nadigar Sangam against the Indian state of Karnataka for not releasing Cauvery water at Neyveli. During an interview to Sun TV channel, film co-stars such as Sarath Kumar and wife Radhika who attended the conference accused him of using that opportunity to eulogise current Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalitha and launching attacks on actor Rajinikanth's home state's ethnicity.
Filmography
As director, producer and screenwriter
Note: he is credited in many films as Bharathirajaa.
List of TV Serials directed by Bharathiraja and aired on Kalaignar TV.
Thekkathi Ponnu
Appanum Aathalum
Muthal Mariyathai
Modern Love Chennai – Web series Episode 5: Paravai Kootil Vaazhum Maangal
Dubbing artist
Vijayan (Niram Maaratha Pookkal, Mann Vasanai)
Thiagarajan (Alaigal Oivathillai)
Nizhalgal Ravi (Vedham Pudhithu)
Manivannan (Kodi Parakuthu)
Thennavan (En Uyir Thozhan)
Singer
"Kaadu Pottakaadu" (Karuthamma)