SHRI. K. BHAGYARAJ
Bhagyaraj is a director, actor, script-writer and producer,
working in the Tamil film industry. His popularity peaked during the 1980s and
early 1990s.
Personal
life
Bhagyaraj
was born in Vellankoil near Gobichettipalayam in Erode district in Tamil Nadu. His parents were Krishnaswamy
and Amaravathiamma. He married twice. His first marriage was with actress
Praveena, in 1981. She died due to an aggravated case of jaundice in August
1983.
His
second marriage was with actress Poornima Jayaram on February 7, 1984. The couple have a
daughter Saranya and
a son Shantanu.
First Wife
Second Wife
With Family
Beginning
his career as an assistant to directors G. Ramakrishnan and Bharathiraja, Bhagyaraj became recognized for
his scriptwriting talent. He first appeared as a junior artist
playing small supporting roles with screen-space of not more than 3 minutes in
the film like Pathinaru Vayathinile (1977) and later appeared similarly in
Sigappu Rojakkal (1978). He was assistant director to Bhartiraja in 2 films –
16 Vayathnile and Kizhake Pogum Rail. Among his early work was writing the
script for Bharathiraja's films, Kizhake Pogum Rail (1978), Tik Tik Tik (1981) and writing dialogues for
Sigappu Rojakkal. He made his directorial debut withSuvarillatha
Chiththirangal in 1979 and
also his debut as the leading man in Puthiya Vaarpugal in 1979 directed by Bharatiraja. He received Best Dialogues Award
for Puthiya Vaarpugal (1979). Kanni Paruvathile, a film for which he wrote
dialogues and screenplay and acted in negative role, was a huge success. Though
now he had not achieved success as a director till 1979, he was motivated with
success as the hero with Puthiya Vaarpugal, negative role and as a writer of
story and dialogues in Kanni Paruvathile and decided to direct-act-write Oru Kai
Oosai,which though not a huge success, gave him his first Best Actor Award which was shooted at Vellankovil.
He
quickly established his own concern by 1980 and started producing and directing
a string of distinctive films made mainly in the Tamil language. His first
commercially successful main lead hero film was Bhama Rukmini in 1980. This
film was neither directed-produced nor written by him. His voice was dubbed by
some one else in all the films he did till 1980 including Bhama Rukmini. It was
from films like Mouna Geetangal he started to dub his own lines in his films.He
often stars in lead roles of the films he scripts and directs, effectively
carving out a niche for himself in the actor-auteur vein. His style of film
making is notable for its relatively elaborate, witty, and double-entered-laced
script and socially themed framework.
His on-screen personae are typically characterized by their ironic sense of humour and intelligent bravado. Success of Bhama Rukmini
was followed by 12 films directed by him – starring him as the main lead which
were box-office hits – Vidiyum Vari Kaathiru, Mouna Geethanagal, Indru Poyi
Naalai Vaa, Antha Ezhu Natkal, Thooral Ninnu Pochhu, Poyi Satchi, Darling
Darling Darling, Dhavani Kannavukal, Munthanai Mudichu, Chinna Veedu,Enga
Chinna Rasa and Idhu Namma Aalu. From 1981 onwards successful Tamil films
starring him, directed and written by him started being remade in Hindi with
first being Mouna Geetangal remade as Ek Hi Bhool and
Anztha Ezhu Natkal remade as Woh Saat Din. In the period 1980–1990, he
rarely acted in films not directed or not written by him with exceptions being Naan
Sigappu Manithan, Anbulla Rajinikanth and En Rathathin Rathame.
His next directorial venture Chithirame Chithirame was
box-office flop and he directed Mayadari Mogudu in Telugu which was a success.
He introduced actress Urvashi in Tamil film Mudhanai Mudichu and actress
Kalpana (sister of Urvashi) made her debut with 1985 film Chinna Veedu directed
by Bhagyraj, a commercially successful film. He received Film-fare Award for
Best Tamil Actor for his performance in Mundhanai Mudichu. He became nationally
famous when he wrote the script for Mundhanai Mudichu remake in Hindi as Masterji with Rajesh Khanna in the lead role, which was flopped at
the box-office. He decided to direct Hindi remake of Bhartiraja's 1984
directorial venture Oru
Kaidhayin Diary with
Rajesh Khanna in the lead in 1985, but later Khanna due to his date issues had
to opt out and Bhagyaraj cast Amitabh Bachchan in the Hindi remake Aakhree
Rasta the Hindi
version was became a blockbuster.. Movies like Anbulla
Rajinikanth and En Rathathin Rathame were flops. Now due to flopping of the
Hindi remake, Bhagayraj decided to play safe and remade classic old Kannada
movie Mallammana Pavada starring Rajkumar and B. Saroja Devi into a new Tamil movie Enga Chinna Rasa in 1987, which became a huge
blockbuster. In 1989, K.Balaji produced Tamil remake of Mr. India as En
Rathathin Rathame but the film was unsuccessful.In 1989, he wrote script for
Idhu Namma Allu and decided to produce it but chose not to direct it by himself
as he wanted to act-write-direct a film on a serious issue which was Aararo Aaariraro. He received Best Film Award
for Idhu Namma Aalu in 1990, directed by Balakumar whereas the other film
Aararo Aaariraro also was critically acclaimed, proved to be successful at
box-office.
After death of MGR in 1987,
during a meeting with director C.V Sridhar and
producer Duraiswamay, an idea came across to Bhagyaraj to make use of
unfinished 1977 film Anna Nee En Deivam starring MGR and Lata and make the film Avasara Police 100 starring himself as well in the lead.
This 1990 film was widely promoted as a film with MGR and Bhagyaraj in lead
role and the film was a huge blockbuster in 1990.
From
1991, he gradually started accepting more acting offers as lead hero where
director-producer-scripwriter would be three different people than he himself
writing-directing-acting in his films. Rudhra, Amma
Vanthachu, Gnanapazham(1996), Suyamvaram(1999) were such successful films
where he was involved only in capacity of that of actor. He also started the
weekly magazine 'Bhagya' and he is the editor of that magazine. His successful
directorial ventures written by him from 1991 were Pavunnu Pavunuthan, Sundara Kandam, Raasukutti, Veetla Visheshanga, Oru Oorla oru
Rajakumari, Vaettiya Madichu
Kattu.
Failure of his Hindi directorial ventures Akhree Rasta and
Mr.Bechara made Bhagyaraj to decide that though he may only write scripts for
Hindi films and that he would not direct by himself. He decided to remake
Veetla Visheshanga as Mr.Bechara in Hindi but again his directorial
venture in Hindi was not successful. He cast his son Shanthanu Bhagyaraj as the child artist in Vaettiya
Madichu Kattu in 1998 and the film dealt with father-son relationship. His
successful Tamil films written by him continued to be in demand for Hindi
remakes in 1990's and were huge hits in Hindi – with Avasara Police 100 remade
into Gopi Kishen, Sundara Kandam remade as Andaz(1994), Raasukutti remade as
Raja Babu, Vaettiya Madichu Kattu remade as Papa The Great which were
successful. He also wrote the script for Tamil film Thaikulame Thaikulame(1995)
starring Pandiarajan, whose actor-director was not
himself in Hindi as Gharwali-Baharwali(1998).
Bhagyaraj has made more than thirty films. He has made forays into the
Hindi language film industry (Bollywood), directing stars of likes of Amitabh
Bachchan. In recent times, the failure of his films like Gnana Pazham, Vaettiya
Madichi Kattu (1997) and Sokka Thangam forced him to retire. His comeback film
in 2006, Parijatham, was an effort well-received in the cinemas. Bhagyaraj also produces television serials.
Palakkattu Madhavan - 2015
( Tamil )
· Thunai Mudhalvar - 2015
( Tamil )
·
Kanithan - 2015
( Tamil )
·
Vaaimai - 2015
( Tamil )
·
Mapillai Vinayagar - 2015
( Tamil )
·
Oruvar Meethu Iruvar Sainthu - 2013
( Tamil )
·
Mr. Marumakan - 2012
( Malayalam )
·
Appavi - 2011
( Tamil )
·
Vaagai Sooda Vaa - 2011
( Tamil )
·
Uthama Puthiran - 2010
( Tamil )
·
Ninaithale Inikkum - 2009
( Tamil )
·
Maanavan Ninaithal - 2008
( Tamil )
·
Mudhal Mudhalai - 2007
( Tamil )
·
Parijatham - 2006
( Tamil )
·
Rendu - 2006 ( Tamil )
·
Something Something Unakkum Enakkum - 2006
( Tamil )
·
Avuna - 2003
( Telugu )
·
Suyamvaram - 1999
( Tamil )
·
Avasara Police 100 - 1990
( Tamil )
·
Araro Ariraro - 1989
( Tamil )
·
Naan Sigappu Manithan 1985 - 1985
( Tamil )
·
Anbulla Rajinikanth - 1984
( Tamil )
·
Dhaavani Kanavugal - 1984
( Tamil )
·
Sigappu Rojakal - 1978
( Tamil )
·
Yerra Gulabeelu - 1978
( Telugu )
·
Kizhakkey Pogum Rayil - 1978
( Tamil )
·
Thunai Mudhalvar - 2015
( Tamil )
·
Sidhu Plus Two First Attempt - 2010
( Tamil )
·
Chokka Thangam - 2003
( Tamil )
·
Avasara Police 100 - 1990
( Tamil )
·
Araro Ariraro - 1989
( Tamil )
·
Dhaavani Kanavugal - 1984
( Tamil )
·
Sidhu Plus Two First Attempt - 2010
( Tamil )
·
Dhaavani Kanavugal - 1984
( Tamil )
·
Araro Ariraro - 1989
( Tamil )
·
Thenpaandi Seemaiyilae - 1988
( Tamil )
·
Sahadevan Mahadevan - 1988
( Tamil )
