K. Bhagyaraj

Krishnasaamy Bhagyaraj (born 7 January 1953) is an Indian director, actor, screenwriter, music director, producer and politician active mainly in Tamil films.

He has also written and directed Hindi films and TV serials.

As an actor, he has worked in more than 75 films and has directed more than 25 films.

He first appeared as a junior artist playing small supporting roles with screen-space of not more than three minutes in films such as 16 Vayathinile (1977) and later appeared similarly in Sigappu Rojakkal (1978).

He was assistant director to Bharathiraja in two films – 16 Vayathnile and Kizhakke Pogum Rail.

Among his early work was writing the script for Bharathiraja's films Kizhake Pogum Rail (1978) and Tik Tik Tik (1981), and writing dialogues for Sigappu Rojakkal.

He made his directorial début with Suvarilladha Chiththirangal in 1979 and also his debut as the leading man in Puthiya Vaarpugal, directed by Bharathiraja.

He received the Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Dialogue Writer in Puthiya Vaarpugal (1979).

He wrote dialogues and screenplay and acted in Kanni Paruvathile (1979).

He quickly established his own concern and started producing a string of distinctive films made mainly in the Tamil language.

Bhagyaraj often cast himself in the lead roles of the films he scripted and directed, effectively carving out a niche for himself in the actor-auteur vein.

His style of filmmaking is notable for its relatively elaborate, witty, and double entendre-laced script and socially-themed framework.

His on-screen personae are typically characterised by their ironic sense of humour and intelligent bravado.

His first marriage was with actress Praveena, in 1981.

He won a Filmfare Best Actor Award for Mundhanai Mudichu (1983).

She died due to an aggravated case of jaundice in August 1983.

He introduced actress Urvashi in the Tamil film Mundhanai Mudichu (1983) and Kalpana (sister of Urvashi) made her debut with the 1985 film Chinna Veedu, directed by Bhagyaraj, a commercially successful film.

He received the Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Tamil in Mundhanai Mudichu.

He became nationally famous when he wrote the script for Mundhanai Mudichu remade in Hindi as Masterji with Rajesh Khanna in the lead role, which was huge success at the box office.

His second marriage was with actress Poornima Jayaram, who was his co-star in Darling, Darling, Darling (1982), on 7 February 1984.

He rarely acted in films not directed or written by him, with exceptions being Anbulla Rajinikanth (1984) and Naan Sigappu Manithan (1985).

He decided to direct the Hindi remake of Bharatiraja's 1984 directorial venture Oru Kaidhiyin 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 Raasta (1986).

Bhagayraj decided to remake the classic old Kannada film Mallammana Pavada, starring Rajkumar and B. Saroja Devi into a new Tamil film Enga Chinna Rasa in 1987, which became a huge blockbuster.

In 1988, he wrote the script for Idhu Namma Aalu 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 the Best Film Award for Idhu Namma Aalu in 1990, directed by Balakumar, whereas the other film Aararo Aaariraro also was both critically acclaimed and successful at box office.

His successful Tamil films written by him continued to be in demand for Hindi remakes in the 1990s and were huge hits in Hindi – with Raasukutti remade as Raja Babu, Sundara Kandam remade as Andaz (1994) and Avasara Police 100 remade into Gopi Kishan, which were successful.

From 1991, he gradually started accepting more acting offers as a lead hero, where director-producer-scriptwriter would be three different people, rather than he himself writing-directing-acting in his films.

Rudhra, Amma Vanthachu, Gnanapazham and Suyamvaram were such successful films where he was involved only in the capacity 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 on were Pavunnu Pavunuthan, Sundara Kandam, Raasukutti and Veetla Visheshanga. He cast his son Shanthanu Bhagyaraj as the child artist in Vaettiya Madichu Kattu in 1998 and the film dealt with the father-son relationship, this proved to be both a critical and financial disappointment capping an end to a string of continuous flops including Oru Oorla oru Rajakumari, Gnanapazham and Mr. Bechara (1996).

He also wrote the script for the Tamil film Thaikulame Thaikulame (1995), starring Pandiarajan, whose actor-director was not himself in Hindi, remade as Gharwali Baharwali.

He took a break from acting as the lead hero in Tamil films after the release of the massive critical and commercial failure Vaettiya Madichu Kattu. Instead, he directed the TV shows Neenga Nenaicha Saadhikkalanga and Idhu Oru Kadhayin Kadhai (for DD Podhigai), and appeared in Apapadi Podu on Jaya TV in this period.

His tele-serial Rules Rangachari was very famous on DD channel and it completed 390 episodes.

The couple has a daughter Saranya Bhagyaraj (who starred in Parijatham (2006) and Photographer (2006) ) and a son Shanthnu Bhagyaraj.

Beginning his career as an assistant to directors G. Ramakrishnan and Bharathiraja, Bhagyaraj became recognised for his scriptwriting talent.

He received Lifetime Achievement Award in SIIMA (2014).

He is the editor of weekly magazine Bhagya and has also written several novels.

Bhagyaraj was born in Vellankoil near Gobichettipalayam in Erode district in a Telugu speaking family in Tamil Nadu.

His parents were Krishnaswamy and Amaravathiamma.

He married twice.