Thiagarajan

{{Infobox person

| name = Thiyagarajan

| image =

| imagesize =

| caption =

| birth_name = Thiyagarajan Sivanandam

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1946|06|21|df=y}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/srtechdez/48946258872 |title=POI |date=23 October 2019 |access-date=2019-10-23}}

| birth_place = Vilathur, Tamil Nadu, India

| nationality = Indian

| death_date =

| death_place =

| spouse = {{Marriage|Shanthi|1972}}

| children = Prashanth, Preethi

| relatives = {{ubl|Peketi Sivaram
(Father-in-law)|Vikram
(Nephew)}}

| years_active = 1980 {{endash}} 1999
2003 {{endash}} present

| occupation = {{hlist|Actor|Film director|Film producer|Screenwriter|Art director}}

}}

Thiagarajan Sivanandam (born 21 June 1946) is an Indian actor, film director and film producer in Tamil cinema. Besides Tamil, he has acted in several Malayalam, Kannada, Telugu and Hindi films. He is the father of Tamil actor Prashanth, son-in-law of actor-director Peketi Sivaram and the maternal uncle of Tamil actor Vikram.{{cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/kannada/movies/news/Director-Thiagarajan-on-his-latest-film/articleshow/7825053.cms |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110917101517/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-03-31/news-interviews/29365675_1_ponnar-shankar-prashanth-film |url-status=live |archive-date=17 September 2011 |title=Director Thiagarajan on his latest film|work=The Times of India|date=31 March 2011|access-date=16 February 2013}}{{cite web |date=5 August 2014 |title=Vikram and Prashanth are cousins |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/did-you-know-/Vikram-and-Prashanth-are-cousins/articleshow/39683316.cms |access-date=16 August 2014 |work=The Times of India}}

Career

Originally a businessman, Thiagarajan made his acting debut with Alaigal Oivathillai (1981), appearing as the elder brother of the film's lead actress Radha.{{Cite web |date=9 October 2002 |title=It's all about choices |url=http://www.thehindu.com/thehindu/mp/2002/10/09/stories/2002100900150300.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030312210323/http://thehindu.com/thehindu/mp/2002/10/09/stories/2002100900150300.htm |url-status=dead |work=The Hindu |archive-date=12 March 2003 }} The film became successful and offers poured in for him.{{Cite news |last=Shiva Kumar |first=S |date=20 December 1981 |title=In fool's paradise |work=Mid-Day |url=https://twitter.com/sshivu/status/1288422576864129026 |access-date=11 March 2021}}

His portrayal of a jungle bandit in Malaiyoor Mambattiyan (1982) provided him a major breakthrough in his career. He was part of such successful films as Komberi Mookan (1984) and Neengal Kettavai (1984).

He acted in the Malayalam film New Delhi, which became successful and his portrayal of a goon received acclaim. The success of the film prompted Thiagarajan to make his directorial debut titled Salem Vishnu (1990), based on the character which he had played in that film. He then directed Aanazhagan (1995), with his son Prashanth in the leading role. According to Prashanth, the film was an average grosser.{{Cite web |title=Young and mature at once |url=http://www.thehindu.com/thehindu/fr/2002/02/15/stories/2002021501180300.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020325170758/http://thehindu.com/thehindu/fr/2002/02/15/stories/2002021501180300.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=25 March 2002 |work=The Hindu |access-date=28 January 2018 }}

Thiagarajan then stayed away from the limelight, paving the way for his son. He later returned to acting, appearing in a small role as a father to his son in Jai.{{Cite web |date=4 October 2002 |title=Reel Talk for 4th October 2002 |url=http://www.chennaionline.com/reeltalk/oct031.asp#rtalk1 |access-date=25 February 2003 |publisher=chennaionline.com |archive-date=25 February 2003 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030225175416/http://www.chennaionline.com/reeltalk/oct031.asp#rtalk1 |url-status=dead }} Thiagarajan then directed Shock, remake of the Hindi film Bhoot in 2004. Apart from directing and producing the film, Thiagarajan handled the art and costumes department and also appeared in the film as police inspector. The film's shoot was completed in twenty-six days, with meticulous pre-planning arranged by Thiagarajan.{{Cite web |date=21 June 2004 |title=Prashanth in 'Shock' |url=http://www.thehindu.com/mp/2004/06/21/stories/2004062100650200.htm |archive-url=https://archive.today/20141103093247/http://www.thehindu.com/mp/2004/06/21/stories/2004062100650200.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=3 November 2014 |work=The Hindu |access-date=28 January 2018 }} The film received positive reviews citing that the makers "deserve an appreciation for his honest and sincere attempt on the screen".{{Cite web |title=Shock review. Shock Tamil movie review, story, rating |url=http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/tamil/review/7099.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040901172905/http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/tamil/review/7099.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=1 September 2004 |access-date=28 January 2018 |website=IndiaGlitz.com}}

In September 2004, Thiagarajan launched Police, a remake of the Hindi film Khakee and the film received coverage from the media after producers had approached Amitabh Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai for key roles. In interviews during the period, Thiagarajan mentioned the grand scale of the project, citing that schedules would also be shot abroad; however the film failed to progress.{{Cite web |date=24 October 2005 |title=Will Amitabh star in Prashanth's film? |url=http://www.behindwoods.com/features/News/News35/24-10-05/tamil-movies-news-amitabh.html |access-date=28 January 2018 |publisher=behindwoods.com}} He then returned to acting with the films Bodyguard (2010) and Drohi (2010).{{Cite web |title=Thyagarajan plays Nayanthara's dad! |website=Sify |url=http://www.sify.com/movies/thyagarajan-plays-nayantharas-dad-news-tamil-kkfs7Maecbhsi.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141126202407/http://www.sify.com/movies/thyagarajan-plays-nayantharas-dad-news-tamil-kkfs7Maecbhsi.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2014-11-26}}

In early 2007, Thiagarajan approached M. Karunanidhi with the intention of making a film on his adaptation of the Ponnar Shankar epic that he had written in the late 1970s. The latter accepted Thiagarajan's offer and approved of his decision to cast his son Prashanth, in the dual lead role.{{Cite web |title=Prashanth, on 'Ponnar-Shankar' |url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/interviews/article460369.ece |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141221151519/http://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/interviews/article460369.ece |url-status=dead |archive-date=21 December 2014 |publisher=newindianexpress.com}} The film was released in 2011 to mixed reviews and did average business.{{Cite news |title=Ponnar Shankar Movie Review, Trailer, & Show timings at Times of India |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/regional/tamil/movie-reviews/Ponnar-Shankar/movie-review/7998113.cms |website=The Times of India}} He directed Mambattiyan (2011), a remake of his successful 1983 film in which he had acted. His son played the title role. The film received mixed reviews by critics, it took a good opening at the box office, but petered out to do average business commercially and due to its big budget, it failed to recover costs.{{Cite news |last=Rangarajan |first=Malathi |date=17 December 2011 |title=Return of Robin Hood |newspaper=The Hindu |url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/return-of-robin-hood/article2723601.ece |via=www.thehindu.com}}

In 2014, he revealed that he would direct the remakes of Hindi films Special 26 and Queen in four south Indian languages; although he did not remake those films.{{Cite web |title=Thiagarajan to direct four remakes of 'Special 26' |url=http://www.sify.com/movies/thiagarajan-to-direct-four-remakes-of-special-26-news-others-oldmuidhefeei.html?ref=slideout |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924210319/http://www.sify.com/movies/thiagarajan-to-direct-four-remakes-of-special-26-news-others-oldmuidhefeei.html?ref=slideout |url-status=dead |archive-date=24 September 2015 |access-date=28 January 2018 |website=Sify}}

He later starred in supporting roles such as Vaaimai (2016), Yaman (2018), Chekka Chivantha Vaanam (2018) and Ponmagal Vandhal (2020).{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiaglitz.com/-preview-tamil-movie-18054|title = Vaaimai| date=8 September 2016 }}{{Cite web|url=https://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movies/yaman/yaman-review.html|title = Yaman Movie Review| date=24 February 2017 }}{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiaglitz.com/chekka-chivantha-vaanam-review-tamil-movie-22222|title = Chekka Chivantha Vaanam Review}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/review/2020/May/30/ponmagal-vandhal-review-this-courtroom-drama-about-big-issues-has-big-issues-2149770.html|title ='Ponmagal Vandhal' review: This courtroom drama about big issues has big issues|date =30 May 2020}}

He is a producer of his son's films Saagasam (2016), Johnny (2018) and Andhagan (2024).{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiaglitz.com/saagasam-aka-saahasam-tamil-movie-18317|title=Saagasam|date=5 February 2016 }}{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiaglitz.com/johnny-review-tamil-movie-21961?EQWKB.edu.cn|title =Johnny Review}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.moviecrow.com/News/33577/andhagan-preview-prashanth-5-reasons-to-watch|title =Andhagan|website =MovieCrow}}

Filmography

=Tamil films =

class="wikitable sortable" ! Year !! Title !! Role !! class="unsortable" \| Notes
rowspan=2\| 1981	Alaigal Oivathillai	David
Tik Tik Tik	Victor
rowspan=6\| 1982	Garuda Saukiyama	Deenadayalu
Nenjil Oru Ragam	Siva
Deviyin Thiruvilaiyadal	Mannar Perumane
Nadodi Raja	Muruga
Nenjangal	Kidnapper
Neram Vandhachu	Ravi
rowspan=5\| 1983	Paayum Puli	Thiyagu
Bhagavathipuram Railway Gate	Boodalingam
Malaiyoor Mambattiyan	Mambattiyaan
Ennai Paar En Azhagai Paar
Ethanai Konam Ethanai Parvai		Unreleased
rowspan="5"\|1984	Nalla Naal	Kaali
Komberi Mookan	Komberi Mookan
Neengal Kettavai	Arun
Nerupukkul Eeram
Sankari	Raghu
rowspan=4\| 1985	Raja Yuvaraja	Yuvaraja
Erimalai	Shankar Dada
Kaaval	Inspector Anand
Karuppu Chattaikaran	Yuvendran
rowspan=2\|1986	Murattu Karangal	Veeran
Machakaran
rowspan="2"\|1988	Oomai Dhurai
Poovukkul Boogambam
1990	Salem Vishnu	Vishnu
1991	Theechatti Govindhan	Theechatti Govindan
rowspan=2\| 2004	Jai	Veerapandi
Shock	Police Inspector
2006	Adaikalam	Sathyamurthy
2010	Drohi	Narayanan
2016	Vaaimai	Dheenadayalan
2017	Yaman	Karunakaran
2018	Chekka Chivantha Vaanam	Chinnappadasan
2020	Ponmagal Vandhal	Varadharajan
rowspan="2"\|2024	PT Sir	Guru Purushothaman
Andhagan	Artist	Uncredited special appearance; also director

= Other language films =

class="wikitable" ! style="width:35px;"\|Year !! Movie !! Role !! Language ! Notes
1982	Chillu		Malayalam \|
1984	John Jani Janardhan	Gopaldas	Hindi \|
1985	Kala Rudrudu		Telugu
1987	New Delhi	Nataraj Vishnu a.k.a. Salem Vishnu	rowspan="6"\|Malayalam \|
rowspan=9\| 1988	Adholokam	Nandakumar \|
Manu Uncle	Gomas \|
Oohakachavadom	\|
Oru Muthassi Katha	Chemparundu Machan \|
Abkari	Chidambaram \|
Anthima Theerpu	rowspan="3"\|Nataraj Vishnu a.k.a. Salem Vishnu	Telugu \|
New Delhi	Hindi \|
New Delhi	Kannada \|
Arjun Dennis		Malayalam \|
rowspan=3\| 1989	State Rowdy		Telugu \|
Miss Pameela	Victor	rowspan="3"\|Malayalam \|
Jeevitham Oru Raagam	Raghavan \|
rowspan=3\| 1990	No.20 Madras Mail	Himself \|Cameo appearance
Magadu		Telugu \|
Ashoka Chakra	Soorappa	rowspan="9"\|Kannada \|
1991	CBI Siva	\|
rowspan=2\| 1992	Marana Mrudanga	Thyagaraj \|
Police Lockup	\|
1993	Sangharsha	\|
1994	Sididedda Shiva
1997	Police Bete	\|
rowspan="2"\| 1999	Ravimama	\|
Vishwa	\|
2003	Thilakkam	Maheswaran Thampi	rowspan="3"\|Malayalam \|
2010	Bodyguard	Ashokan \|
2016	Pachakkallam	\|

=As director, producer, writer and art director=

class="wikitable sortable"
rowspan="2" \| Year ! rowspan="2" \| Title ! colspan="4" \| Credited as ! rowspan="2" \| Language ! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" \| Notes
width=65 \| Director ! width=65 \| Producer ! width=65 \| Writer ! width=65 \| Art director
style="text-align:center;" \| 1984	Komberi Mookan \| {{No}}	{{No}}	{{Partial\|Story}}	{{No}} \| rowspan="12"\|Tamil
style="text-align:center;" \|1988	Poovukkul Boogambam \| {{Yes}} \| {{Yes}} \| {{Yes}} \| {{No}} \|
style="text-align:center;" \| 1990	Salem Vishnu \| {{Yes}} \| {{Yes}} \| {{Yes}} \| {{No}} \|
style="text-align:center;" \| 1995	Aanazhagan \| {{Yes}} \| {{No}} \| {{Yes}} \| {{No}} \|
style="text-align:center;" \| 1997	Mannava \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{Yes}} \|
style="text-align:center;" \| 2004	Shock \| {{Yes}} \| {{Yes}} \| {{partial\|Screenplay}} \| {{Yes}} \|
style="text-align:center;" \| 2004	Jai \| {{No}} \| {{Yes}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \|
style="text-align:center;" \| 2011	Ponnar Shankar \| {{Yes}} \| {{Yes}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \|
style="text-align:center;" \| 2011	Mambattiyan \| {{Yes}} \| {{Yes}} \| {{Yes}} \| {{Yes}} \|
style="text-align:center;" \| 2016	Saagasam \| {{No}} \| {{partial\|Presenter}} \| {{partial\|Screenplay}} \| {{No}} \|
style="text-align:center;" \| 2018	Johnny \| {{No}} \| {{Yes}} \| {{partial\|Screenplay}} \| {{No}} \|
style="text-align:center;" \|2024 \|Andhagan \|{{yes}} \|{{yes}} \| {{partial\|Screenplay}} \|{{no}} \|{{Cite web\|last=Lakshmi\|first=V\|date=18 March 2021\|title=Priya Anand on Andhagan: The character will have my own interpretation\|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/priya-anand-on-andhagan-the-character-will-have-my-own-interpretation/articleshow/81571424.cms\|url-status=live\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210323090805/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/priya-anand-on-andhagan-the-character-will-have-my-own-interpretation/articleshow/81571424.cms\|archive-date=23 March 2021\|access-date=23 March 2021\|website=The Times of India}}

class="wikitable sortable"

rowspan="2" | Year

! rowspan="2" | Title

! colspan="4" | Credited as

! rowspan="2" | Language

! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Notes

width=65 | Director

! width=65 | Producer

! width=65 | Writer

! width=65 | Art director

style="text-align:center;"

| 1984

Komberi Mookan

| {{No}}

| rowspan="12"|Tamil

style="text-align:center;"

|1988

Poovukkul Boogambam

| {{Yes}}

| {{No}}

style="text-align:center;"

| 1990

Salem Vishnu

| {{Yes}}

| {{No}}

style="text-align:center;"

| 1995

Aanazhagan

| {{Yes}}

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

| {{No}}

style="text-align:center;"

| 1997

Mannava

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

style="text-align:center;"

| 2004

Shock

| {{Yes}}

| {{partial|Screenplay}}

| {{Yes}}

style="text-align:center;"

| 2004

Jai

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

| {{No}}

style="text-align:center;"

| 2011

Ponnar Shankar

| {{Yes}}

| {{No}}

style="text-align:center;"

| 2011

Mambattiyan

| {{Yes}}

style="text-align:center;"

| 2016

Saagasam

| {{No}}

| {{partial|Presenter}}

| {{partial|Screenplay}}

| {{No}}

style="text-align:center;"

| 2018

Johnny

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

| {{partial|Screenplay}}

| {{No}}

style="text-align:center;"

|2024

|Andhagan

|{{yes}}

| {{partial|Screenplay}}

|{{no}}

|{{Cite web|last=Lakshmi|first=V|date=18 March 2021|title=Priya Anand on Andhagan: The character will have my own interpretation|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/priya-anand-on-andhagan-the-character-will-have-my-own-interpretation/articleshow/81571424.cms|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210323090805/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/priya-anand-on-andhagan-the-character-will-have-my-own-interpretation/articleshow/81571424.cms|archive-date=23 March 2021|access-date=23 March 2021|website=The Times of India}}

References

External links

{{IMDb name|1019040}}

Category:Tamil film directors

Category:Living people

Category:Tamil male actors

Category:Male actors in Malayalam cinema

Category:Indian male film actors

Category:Male actors in Kannada cinema

Category:1945 births

Category:Male actors from Chennai

Category:Male actors in Tamil cinema

Category:21st-century Indian people

Category:Film producers from Chennai

Category:Tamil film producers

Category:20th-century Indian male actors

Category:21st-century Indian male actors