R. Aravindraj

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.{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-kerala/tribute-to-gutsy-journalism/article6536739.ece|title=Tribute to gutsy journalism — KERALA — The Hindu|newspaper=The Hindu|date=27 October 2014|publisher=thehindu.com|accessdate=2015-10-01}}

Career

Aravindraj rose to fame after making the crime thriller film Oomai Vizhigal (1986) featuring Vijayakanth and Arun Pandian, which focused on a journalist making an investigation into the case of missing girls. The film became a trendsetter, with several filmmakers, including Aravindraj himself, choosing to make films of a similar genre. He often collaborated in ventures with writers Aabavanan, Vijayakanth, and Arun Pandian throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s. Following the failure of Musthaffaa (1996), Aravindraj was forced to cancel a project titled News starring Ramki and Vijayashanti, and another project titled Ayudapadai with Yugendran, before going on a sabbatical.{{cite web | url=http://indolink.com/tamil/cinema/People/97/Dec/kuttisp1.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120206225258/http://indolink.com/tamil/cinema/People/97/Dec/kuttisp1.htm | archive-date=6 February 2012 | title=1997-98 Kodambakkam babies Page }}{{cite web|url=https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/soc.culture.tamil/z1WmCTek-bw|title=Google Groups|accessdate=2015-10-01}} In 2001, he agreed terms with producer Ibrahim Rowther to make a film titled Pesum Vizhigal with Jaivijay, the son of actor Jaishankar, but the producer's financial troubles meant that the film was shelved.{{cite web |url=http://movies.indiainfo.com/tamil/movienews/morenews15.html |title=Indiainfo: Tamil: Movie News |website=movies.indiainfo.com |access-date=12 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030214183426/http://movies.indiainfo.com/tamil/movienews/morenews15.html |archive-date=14 February 2003 |url-status=dead}}

He later moved on to make a television serial titled Soolam, which ran for two years, and also appeared as an actor in a few serials.{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/grill-mill-aravindraj/article464719.ece|title=Grill Mill: Aravindraj — The Hindu|newspaper=The Hindu|date=17 June 2010|publisher=thehindu.com|accessdate=2015-10-01|last1=Kumar|first1=S. r Ashok}} He attempted to make a comeback to films through a venture titled Ayuthapadai. Still, the film did not have a theatrical release, and another project titled Pesum Vizhigal failed to proceed after the launch.{{cite web|url=http://www.chennaionline.com/entertainment/filmplus/ibrahim.asp |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030629231635/http://www.chennaionline.com/entertainment/filmplus/ibrahim.asp |url-status=dead |archive-date=29 June 2003 |title=Ibrahim Rowther launches five films |publisher=Chennai Online |accessdate=6 October 2015 }} Subsequently, in 2010, he went on to make a political thriller titled Irandu Mugam, starring Sathyaraj and Karan. Aravindraj also acted in the film, which had a low-key release and performed below average at the box office.{{cite web|url=http://behindwoods.com/tamil-movie-reviews/reviews-2/irandu-mugam-movie-review.html|title=IRANDU MUGAM MOVIE REVIEW — TAMIL MOVIE IRANDU MUGAM REVIEW|publisher=Behindwoods|accessdate=2015-10-01}} In 2013, he revealed that he had finished work on a film titled Kavithai, which was shot in a single room featuring a single actress. The only role in the film was portrayed by Aravindraj's daughter Mahakeerthi, but the film remains unreleased.{{cite web|url=http://www.ayngaran.com/frame.php?iframepath=eventdetails.php?newsid=10296|title=Ayngaran International|publisher=ayngaran.com|accessdate=2015-10-01}}{{cite web|url=http://www.indiaglitz.com/film-inside-28-square-feet-tamil-news-92267.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151029234559/http://www.indiaglitz.com/film-inside-28-square-feet-tamil-news-92267.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=29 October 2015|title=Film Inside 28 Square Feet — Tamil Movie News|work=IndiaGlitz|accessdate=2015-10-01}}{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/chen-cinema/shot-cuts-sana-plays-silk-this-time/article4619983.ece|title=Shot Cuts: Sana plays Silk, this time — The Hindu|newspaper=The Hindu|date=15 April 2013|publisher=thehindu.com|accessdate=2015-10-01|last1=Raghavan|first1=Nikhil}}

Filmography

=Director=

class="wikitable sortable" style="background:#f5f5f5;"
style="background:#B0C4DE;" ! Year ! Film !class=unsortable\| Notes
1986	Oomai Vizhigal
1987	Uzhavan Magan
1989	Thaai Naadu
1990	Sathya Vaakku
1993	Thanga Pappa
1995	Karuppu Nila
1996	Musthaffaa
2010	Irandu Mugam
2017-2018	Vani Rani	Epi 1448-1520
2022	Thesiya Thalaivar