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Bharathiraja Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated October 22, 2026 • 4 min read

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Quick Info

Date of birth23 August 1942

Age84 years

BirthplaceAlli Nagaram, Madura District, Madras Province (now Theni District, Tamil Nadu, India)

ProfessionFilm Director, Actor, Film producer, Screenwriter

NationalityIndian

Marital statusMarried (at the time of death)

SpouseChandraleelavathi

FamilySon - Manoj Bharathiraja (actor, died in 2025); Daughter - Janani Aishwarya

Bharathiraja Biography

Chinnasamy Periyamayathevar, known professionally as Bharathiraja, was born on 23 August 1942 in Alli Nagaram in what was then Madura District of the Madras Province (today Theni District, Tamil Nadu). He completed his schooling locally and showed an early interest in literature and stagecraft, writing and directing plays at festivals.

Early life and background

Chinnasamy Periyamayathevar, known professionally as Bharathiraja, was born on 23 August 1942 in Alli Nagaram in what was then Madura District of the Madras Province (today Theni District, Tamil Nadu). He completed his schooling locally and showed an early interest in literature and stagecraft, writing and directing plays at festivals. Before finding his footing in films he held several jobs to support himself, including working as a sanitary inspector and at petrol stations.

He moved to Chennai to pursue cinema, taking part in stage and radio productions while trying to break into the film world. He trained under directors in the industry, initially assisting B. Pulliyavidam and later learning from Kannada filmmaker Puttana Kanakal, which helped him develop the craft that would define his career.

Career

Bharathiraja made his directorial debut in 1977 with 16 Vayathinile, a film that featured Kamal Haasan, Sridevi and Rajinikanth. The picture marked a turning point in Tamil filmmaking by using real village locations rather than studio sets, and it established Bharathiraja’s reputation for rural realism. He received the Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Director for that debut.

Over the following decades he directed more than 40 films across Tamil, Telugu and Hindi. His early hit Sigappu Rojakkal (1978) earned him the Filmfare Award for Best Tamil Director. Other notable directorial works included Kizhake Pogum Rail (1978), Alaigal Oivathillai (1981), Pasumpon (1995), Eera Nilam (2003), Final Cut of Director (2016) and Meendum Oru Mariyathai (2020). His Hindi debut came in 1979 with Solva Sawan.

Bharathiraja’s films won multiple national and state honours. He collected National Film Awards for films such as Seethakoka Chilaka (Best Feature Film in Telugu), Mudhal Mariyathai (Best Feature Film in Tamil), Vedham Pudhithu (Best Film on Other Social Issues), Karuththamma (Best Film on Family Welfare), Anthimanthaarai (Best Feature Film in Tamil) and a National Award for Best Screenplay for Kadal Pookkal. He also received several Filmfare Awards South, Tamil Nadu State Film Awards, a Nandi Award, and other recognitions over his career. In 2004 he was conferred the Padma Shri by the Government of India, and he later received an honorary D.Litt from Sathyabama University.

Bharathiraja also worked as a producer and screenwriter, and he moved in front of the camera as an actor in numerous films. His acting credits include a role in Kizhakke Pogum Rail (1978) and later appearances in Kallukkul Eeram (1980), Aayutha Ezhuthu (2004), Rettaisuzhi (2010), Pandianadu (2013), Kurangu Bommai (2017), Padaiveeran (2018), Kennedy Club (2019) and Desiya Thalaivar (2025). He won the Vijay Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Pandianadu and was honoured for his overall contribution to Tamil cinema in 2012 and with a SIIMA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015.

He was widely credited with introducing new talent to the industry, helping launch the careers of actors and actresses including Karthik, Radha, Radhika, Revathi, Rekha, Ranjitha, Vijayashanthi and others, as well as giving leading opportunities to performers such as Sathyaraj early in their careers.

Public profile

Bharathiraja was popularly known by the sobriquet Iyakkunar Imayam or Director Imayam, and he is remembered as a pioneer of rural realism in Tamil cinema. He was associated with a signature opening line addressed to Tamil audiences and was known to enjoy travel in his leisure time.

During his life he attracted controversy on occasion. He faced criticism for attending a remembrance event in Jaffna called Maaveerar Naal and for remarks made in other public actions, including a protest organised by the actors’ association Nadigar Sangam over water disputes that led to debate about his political remarks.

Personal life

He married Chandraleelavathi in 1974. The couple had two children: a son, Manoj Bharathiraja, who was an actor and was married to actress Nandana (Manoj died in 2025), and a daughter, Janani Aishwarya, who is married and based in Malaysia. Bharathiraja’s parents were Periya Mayadevar and Karuthamma. He belonged to the Kallar community, identified as an atheist, and was a non-vegetarian.

Latest updates

Bharathiraja passed away on 10 June 2026 in Chennai at the age of 83. The cause of death was reported as age‑related or health‑related illness.

Throughout his life he remained a defining presence in South Indian cinema, celebrated for changing how village life was portrayed on screen and for nurturing generations of actors and filmmakers.

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Recent Work

Desiya Thalaivar

Actor (2025)

2025
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Career Highlights

  1. Directed more than 40 films in Tamil, Telugu and Hindi
  2. Debut director of 16 Vayathinile (1977), pioneering on-location rural filmmaking
  3. Recipient of multiple National Film Awards and the Padma Shri (2004)
  4. Introduced many actors and actresses who became prominent in South Indian cinema
  5. Also worked as actor, producer and screenwriter; won Vijay Award for Best Supporting Actor
Reviewed by F4U Editorial Desk

F4U profile pages are prepared from public career information, checked for readability, and updated when reliable correction sources are shared with the editorial team.

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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Bharathiraja born?

Bharathiraja was born on 23 August 1942.

What is Bharathiraja known for?

Bharathiraja is known for film Director, Actor, Film producer, Screenwriter.

What is Bharathiraja’s marital status?

Bharathiraja's marital status is listed as Married (at the time of death).

Who is Bharathiraja married to?

Bharathiraja is publicly listed as married to Chandraleelavathi.