Bharathiraja

Bharathiraja, born Chinnasamy in the tiny, tree-lined village of Alli Nagaram near Theni, pretty much grew up with one foot in the wild and the other in poetry. His parents, Periya Maya Thevar and Meenatchiammaal—people called her Karuthammaal—weren’t expecting their fifth kid to turn into a cinema legend, but here we are. Deer hunting and books were his childhood jam, but even as a restless teen, he was already obsessed with movies, acting, and pretty much any excuse to get on stage. He had a knack for talking to crowds and would roam around the villages, getting people fired up about social issues. Then, out of nowhere, he lands a job as a Sanitary Inspector in 1963, pulling in a grand total of 75 rupees a month—not exactly Hollywood money, but hey, it paid the bills. He started off writing, directing, and acting in tiny plays like "Oor Sirikkirathu" and "Summa Oru Kadhai" during local festivals, which basically lit a fire under him to try his luck in cinema. So, off he went to Madras, chasing the dream, staging more plays with his buddies and even dabbling in radio dramas and music shows. Not that those gigs paid much, so he pumped gas at a petrol bunk while never letting go of the movie bug. After years of hustling, he finally broke in as an assistant director for Puttannaa Ganagal in 1967—still calls him his guru. Working under legends like Krishnan Nair and Avinasi Mani, he picked up the ropes and eventually scored his first shot at directing in 1977. He married Chandra Leelavathi; their son Manoj starred in 'Tajmahal,' and their daughter is Janani.