Pandiraj
{{short description|Indian film director and producer (born 1976)}}
{{About||Tamil actor|Pandiarajan}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2018}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Pandiraj
| image = Director.Pandiraj.jpg
| image_size =
| years_active = 2009-present
| caption =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1976|6|07}}
| birth_place = Virachilai, Pudukkottai, Tamil Nadu, India
| occupation = Film director
screenwriter
film producer
distributor
}}
Pandiraj is an Indian film director, producer and writer who works in Tamil cinema. His debut film, Pasanga (2009), and directed many commercially successful films.{{cite web|url=http://newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/article164869.ece|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131024070545/http://newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/article164869.ece|url-status=dead|archive-date=24 October 2013|title=Arulnidhi was like any other city guy: Director}} He has won several awards, including two National Film Awards and five Tamil Nadu State Film Awards.{{cite web | url=https://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movies/slideshow/a-proud-dedication-to-tamil-cinemas-national-award-winners-part-2/national-film-award-for-best-screenplay-6-times.html | title=National Film Award for Best Screenplay - (6 Times) | A Proud Dedication to Tamil Cinema's National Award Winners - Part 2 }}
Early life
Pandiraj was born 7 June 1976 and brought up in Virachilai Township, Pudukkottai, Tamil Nadu, India. After Schooling, he moved to Chennai in 1996. He worked as an "office-boy" with director K. Bhagyaraj. During his early years, he wrote several short stories for the famous Tamil magazine Bhagya. Gradually, his interest in film making increased and after hurdles, he got the chance to be an assistant director to filmmaker Cheran. He later worked as an assistant director to Thangar Bachan and Chimbu Deven in six films.{{cite web | url=https://www.filmibeat.com/celebs/pandiraj.html#filmography | title=All you want to know about @pandiraj3 }}
Style
Pandiraj is also famous for making village action family movies. The movies include a lot of family sentiments and focuses on farming.
Career
File:Shri Pandi Raj, Director of the film ‘Pasanga’, at the presentation of the film, during the 40th International Film Festival (IFFI-2009), at Panaji, Goa on November 27, 2009.jpg) at the presentation of the film Pasanga, during the 40th International Film Festival (IFFI-2009), at Panaji, Goa on 27 November 2009. ]]
In 2009, Pandiraj became an independent director with director M. Sasikumar agreeing to produce the film. Titled Pasanga, it was a children's film featuring several new child actors and Vimal in his first lead role. Pasanga was said to be a dedication to Pandiraj's childhood memories and was shot during the school vacations and on weekends.{{cite web|url=http://www.rediff.com/movies/slide-show/slide-show-1-south-interview-with-pandiraj/20100920.htm#4|title=I never expected to win a National Award for Pasanga}} The film was a critical success, winning several national and international awards, including three National Film Awards,{{cite web|url=http://www.rediff.com/movies/slide-show/slide-show-1-south-interview-with-pandiraj/20100920.htm|title=I never expected to win a National Award for Pasanga}} and being screened at various film festivals.{{Cite web|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/2011/mar/07/pasanga-goes-to-chicago-233477.html|title = 'Pasanga' goes to Chicago| date=16 May 2012 }} Following the success of Pasanga, Pandiraj directed his second film, Vamsam with newcomer Arulnithi and Sunaina starring. The film, which was produced by Arulnidhi's father and M. Karunanidhi's youngest son, M. K. Thamizharasu, gained positive reviews and went well in the box office.{{Cite web|url=https://www.rediff.com/movies/review/south-tamil-review-vamsam/20100813.htm|title=Vamsam suffers from overkill}}
In 2012, Pandiraj set up his a film production studio named Pasanga Productions. His first production was his own directorial Marina which marked the feature film debut for television anchor and comedian Sivakarthikeyan. The film received mixed reviews from critics.{{Cite web|url=http://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movie-reviews/reviews-2/feb-12-01/marina-review.html|title = Marina Review - Marina Movie Review}} The director's next Kedi Billa Killadi Ranga was also produced by him. Pandiraj cast the lead actors of his previous films, Sivakarthikeyan and Vimal, in the film, who were paired Bindu Madhavi and Regina Cassandra. The romantic comedy film received positive responses from critics and became a commercial hit.{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/kedi-billa-killadi-ranga-the-jokes-on-us/article4564375.ece|title = Kedi Billa Killadi Ranga: The joke's on us|newspaper = The Hindu|date = 30 March 2013|last1 = Rangan|first1 = Baradwaj}} Pandiraj distributed his former assistant Naveen's debut film Moodar Koodam under his Pasanga Productions studio. He also wrote the dialogues for cinematographer Vijay Milton's second directorial Goli Soda.{{cite web|url=http://www.indiaglitz.com/more-to-come-from-pandiraj-the-dialogue-writer-tamil-news-102832|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518175223/http://www.indiaglitz.com/more-to-come-from-pandiraj-the-dialogue-writer-tamil-news-102832|url-status=dead|archive-date=18 May 2015|title=- Tamil Movie News - IndiaGlitz.com}} In 2015, Pandiraj has directed another children's film titled Pasanga 2, produced by actor Suriya.{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/cinema-reviews/pasanga2-review-more-educative-than-entertaining/article8025829.ece|title=Pasanga-2: More educative than entertaining|newspaper=The Hindu|date=24 December 2015|last1=Srinivasan|first1=Sudhir}} He later directed romantic comedy Idhu Namma Aalu (2016) and action thriller, Kathakali (2016).
In 2018, Kadaikutty Singam was promoted as a film that would inspire the younger generation to take up farming. But the movie propagates good familial values more and focuses less on farming.{{Cite web | url=https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/reviews/story/kadaikutty-singam-movie-review-karthi-sayyeshaa-pandiraj-sathyaraj-1284961-2018-07-13 | title=Kadaikutty Singam Movie Review: Karthi-Pandiraj film is all melodrama }} Pandiraj won Best Director Tamil in South Indian International Movie Awards.{{Cite web | url=https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/regional/siima-awards-2019-winners-rangasthalam-kgf-yash-keerthy-suresh-tamil-telugu-malayalam-kannada-5909506/ | title=SIIMA 2019 winners full list: Dhanush, Trisha, Prithviraj win big | date=17 August 2019 }} Later, Pandiraj produced Semma and launched his former assistant Vallikanthan as a director, starring G. V. Prakash Kumar.{{Cite web | url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/2017/mar/09/pandiraj-to-produce-semma-1579194.html | title=Pandiraj to produce Semma | date=9 March 2017 }} With Namma Veettu Pillai (2019), which had actor Sivakarthikeyan in the lead, Pandiraj, once again focused a film on family values.{{Cite web | url=https://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movies/namma-veettu-pillai/namma-veettu-pillai-review.html | title=Namma Veettu Pillai (Aka) Nama Veetu Pillai review | date=27 September 2019 }}
He later directed Etharkkum Thunindhavan (2022) starring Suriya. The film deals with an important topic with women's safety in the digital age.{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/regional-cinema/story/etharkkum-thunindhavan-movie-review-suriya-plays-saviour-in-film-about-women-s-safety-1923587-2022-03-10|title = Etharkkum Thunindhavan Movie Review: Suriya plays saviour in film about women's safety}} In 2025, the film Thalaivan Thalaivii brings Vijay Sethupathi and Nithya Menen.{{Cite web|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/2025/May/07/vjs-52-is-now-titled-thalaivan-thalaivii|title = VJS 52 is now titled Thalaivan Thalaivii}}
Filmography
= As a film director=
=As producer and writer=
This is a list of films that Pandiraj did not direct but did produce and/or write.
| class="wikitable sortable" | ||||
| rowspan="2" style="width:35px;"| Year
! rowspan="2" style="width:250px;"| Film ! colspan="2" style="width:195px;"| Credited as ! rowspan="2" class="unsortable"| Notes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| width=65 | Producer
! width=65 | Writer | ||||
| 2013 | Moodar Koodam | {{partial|Distributor}} | {{no}} | |
| 2014 | Goli Soda | {{no}} | {{partial|Dialogues}} | |
| 2018 | Semma | {{yes}} | {{partial|Dialogues}} | |
| 2019 | Marina Puratchi | {{yes}} | {{no}} |
Awards
- Anandha Vikatan Award for Best Director - Pasanga{{cite web|url=http://www.ayngaran.com/go.php?iframepath=newsdetails.php?newsid=2882|title=Ayngaran International|website=www.ayngaran.com}}
- International Children's Film Festival Golden Elephant Award for Best Director - Pasanga{{cite web|url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/article160162.ece|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150211230708/http://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/article160162.ece|url-status=dead|archive-date=11 February 2015|title=I'm excited: Director Pandiraj}}
- National Film Award for Best Screenplay (Dialogues) - Pasanga
- Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Dialogue Writer - Pasanga
- Vijay Award for Best Find of the Year- Pasanga{{cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/lsquoPasanga-steals-show-at-Vijay-awards/article12079593.ece|title='Pasanga' steals show at Vijay awards|first=K.|last=Lakshmi|newspaper=The Hindu|date=30 May 2010|via=www.thehindu.com}}
- Vijay Award for Best Crew - Pasanga
- World Malayalee Council Award - Pasanga{{cite web|url=http://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movie-news-1/apr-10-03/kamal-mohan-lal-20-04-10.html|title=Malayalee Council - Tamil Movie News - Awards for Kamal, Mohan Lal, Pookutty - Kamal - Mohan Lal - Ilayaraja - Behindwoods.com|website=www.behindwoods.com}}
- Tamil Nadu State Film Award Special Prize - Marina
- Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Dialogue Writer - Marina
- South Indian International Movie Awards for Best Director - Kadaikutty Singam
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20110926183447/http://www.directorpandiraj.com/ Official website]
{{Pandiraj}}
{{NationalFilmAwardBestScreenplay}}
{{authority control}}
Category:People from Pudukkottai
Category:Indian film distributors
Category:Film directors from Tamil Nadu
Category:Film producers from Tamil Nadu
Category:Screenwriters from Tamil Nadu
Category:21st-century Indian dramatists and playwrights