Bharathiraja

Bharathiraja (born 17 July, 1941 in Alli Nagaram, Theni district, Tamil Nadu), is a critically acclaimed South Indian filmmaker. He displayed a story-teller's potential from an early age. Before Bharathiraja entered the film world, village life on screen was a sanitised and unrealistic caricature. But in 1977, Bharathiraja took the camera out of the studios and captured village life with a rare sensitivity and respect for its reality. His mother Karuththamma received the National Award from the President on his behalf for his film named after her. Among his other landmark films are Muthal Mariyathai (with Sivaji Ganesan in the lead), Karuththamma, Alaigal Oyvadhillai, Mann Vaasanai, Vedham Pudhithu, Kizhakku Cheemaiyile and Anthimanthaarai. Bharathiraja is credited with launching the careers of the several influential people in the Tamil cinema. He is married to Chandra Leelavathi, and they have two children - son Manoj (the hero of ‘Taj Mahal’) and daughter Janani. The die-hard... full article at wikipedia