Santhana Bharathi

Santhana Bharathi is an Indian film director and actor who has primarily worked in Tamil cinema. He directed Gunaa (1991), which won third prize for the Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Film.[1] He also directed Mahanadhi (1994), which won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil[2] and the Tamil Nadu State Film Award Special Prize.[3]

Santhana Bharathi
Santhana Bharathi in 2014
Occupations
  • Film director
  • actor
Years active1975–present
Notable credits
Parent
  • M. R. Santhanam (father)
FamilyR. S. Shivaji (brother)

Personal life edit

Bharathi's father M. R. Santhanam was an actor and producer, one of the earliest members of the Nadigar Sangam. His brother R. S. Shivaji was also an actor. Bharathi's son Sanjay Bharathi is also a director.[4][5]

Career edit

Santhana Bharathi joined director C. V. Sridhar as an assistant. Bharathi started his career with P. Vasu as a co-director and made films such as Panneer Pushpangal (1981), Madhu Malar (1981), Mella Pesungal (1983), Sahasame Jeevitham (1984) and Needhiyin Nizhal (1985). According to Vasu, "We compromised on certain things as we had different approaches to the subject. That's the reason why some of our other movies failed to make a big impression in the box office, prompting us to take our own paths".[6]

Filmography edit

As actor edit

List of Santhana Bharathi film credits as actor
YearTitleRole
1978Ilamai Oonjal Aadukirathu
1981Raja PaarvaiMan in lift (Cameo appearance)
1981Amavasya Chandrudu (Telugu)Man in lift (Cameo apparence)
1988Ullathil Nalla UllamFather
En Jeevan Paduthu
1989KaragattakaranChinnarasu
1990Aarathi Edungadi
Ethir KaatruMinister Azhagesan
Velai KidaichuduchuSpeaker
1991Onnum Theriyatha Papa Jana
Thambikku Oru PattuPonnusaamy
Michael Madana Kama RajanMichael's foster father
1992Ele, My Friend (English)Kallar Village Chief
1994NammavarSakthivel
Magalir MattumFather of the groom
1995Mr. MadrasGuest appearance
Seethanam
1996Love Birds
Amman Kovil VaasalileGuest appearance
Tamizh Selvan
1997Vivasaayi Magan
1998Velai
Veera Thalattu
PoonthottamSuresh's father
Guru PaarvaiPriya's father
1999En Swasa Kaatre
Unnaruge Naan Irundhal
Aasaiyil Oru KadithamChandini's father
2000MugavareeRK Ram
Budget Padmanabhan
Vaanavil
Penngal
2001FriendsSethupathi
Ullam Kollai PoguthaeDoctor
DosthJudge
SamudhiramLakshmi's father
Kadal Pookkal
2002Alli ArjunaHouse owner
PanchatanthiramBharathi
KingDr. Cheenu
VillainFather Karunakaran
2003Anbe SivamPadayatchi's assistant
Nala DamayanthiFlight Passenger
WinnerNeelaveni's uncle
2004Vasool Raja MBBSGangadharan
2005Aayudham
SukranJudge
Mumbai XpressChettiar
AmudheyNancy's father
KaatrullavaraiPeethambharan
White Rainbow (Hindi)Priest
Anbe AaruyireCollege Chairman
2006AathiPottabhi
JerryJerry's father
AranSandhya's father
ParamasivanMalar's father
VaralaruGayathri's servant
Kizhakku Kadalkarai SalaiPolitician
2007Nam NaaduPolitical member
Puli VarudhuShenbagam's father
Marudhamalai
2008Thotta
DasavathaaramRagavendra's brother-in-law
SatyamMinister Malarmannan
KuselanKuppusamy's assistant
2009PadikkadavanRamalingam
Rajadhi Raja
Ragavan
MaasilamaniCouncillor
Madurai SambavamCaroline's father
Unnaipol OruvanKaramchand Lala
2010PorkkalamSadha
Kattradhu KalavuVaikavardhan
OchayeeAandi Thevar
VirudhagiriPolice commissioner
2011SiruthaiHome Minister
Ponnar Shankar
EththanSelvi's father
MarudhaveluJudge
2012MaasiMaasilamani's Corrupt Senior Officer
Kadhal PisaseBusinessman
2013Alex PandianHome Minister
Chennaiyil Oru Naal
Oruvar Meethu Iruvar Sainthu
All in All Azhagu RajaKhader Bhai
Jannal OramSenior Bus Repair Mechanic
2014VallinamPuzhaldasan
TenaliramanEx Chettiar/Man
AranmanaiChairman
PoojaiAnnathandavam's lawyer
Pagadai Pagadai
2015AambalaThalaivar
SandamaruthamMagistrate
EliJail Warden Ezhumalai
Kathirvel Kakka
Thoongaa VanamThandapani
2016ThozhaPolice officer
Oopiri (Telugu)Police officer
Meen Kuzhambum Mann PaanaiyumPavithra's grandfather
Kadavul Irukaan KumaruChurch Priest
Chennai 600028 IIChellaiya
2017ShivalingaAbdullah
7 NaatkalChief Minister
Yaanum TheeyavanSethuramalingam
2018Kalakalappu 2Ganesh's foster father
DiyaChief Minister
Kanam (Telugu)Chief Minister
Tamizh Padam 2Nakul
2019Goko MakoYamagundan
LKGPolitician
AyogyaHome Minister
GorillaRamaiya
Thavam
RK NagarChairman Sundaramoorthy
2020DagaaltyMalli's father
Indha Nilai Maarum
2021Operation JuJuPiPolitician
Plan Panni PannanumKarikalan
2022VikramAgent Uppiliappan
Rivet
Dha Dha
2023Ghosty

Television edit

List of Santhana Bharathi television credits
YearTitleRolePlatform
2006–2008LakshmiSun TV
2013PonnunjalSun TV
2019PondatiRoadside Romeos
2021Kuruthi KalamPaneerselvamMX Player
2022Suzhal: The VortexKodandaramanAmazon Prime Video
2022–presentIniyaTiruvasagamSun TV
2024Thalaimai SeyalagamZEE5

As director edit

  • All works in Tamil unless noted otherwise
List of Santhana Bharathi film credits as director
YearFilmCastWriterNotes
1981Panneer PushpangalSuresh, Shanthi KrishnaK. RajeswarCo-directed with P. Vasu
1981Madhu MalarPratap K. Pothen, SuhasiniCo-directed with P. Vasu
1983Mella PesungalVasanth, BhanupriyaM.S.MadhuCo-directed with P. Vasu
1984Sahasame JeevithamNandamuri Balakrishna, VijiTelugu film; Co-directed with P. Vasu
1985Needhiyin NizhalSivaji Ganesan, PrabhuV. C. GuhanathanCo-directed with P. Vasu
1987Kadamai Kanniyam KattupaaduSathyaraj, GeethaT. Damodaranremake of Aavanazhi
1988En Thamizh En MakkalSivaji Ganesan
Poovizhi RajaPrabhu, Shantipriya
1990Kavalukku KettikaranPrabhu, NiroshaKarunanidhi
1991GunaKamal Haasan, RoshiniSab John, Kamal Haasan3rd prize – Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Film[1]
1993Chinna MapillaiPrabhu, Sukanya, SivaranjaniP. Kalaimani
1994MahanadhiKamal Haasan, SukanyaKamal HaasanTamil Nadu State Film Award Special Prize[3]
National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil[2]
Vietnam ColonyPrabhu, VineethaSiddique-Lalremake of Malayalam film of same name
1995Engirundho VandhanSathyaraj, RojaPriyadarshanremake of Malayalam film Chithram

References edit

  1. ^ a b "'Chinnathambi' bags six awards". The Indian Express. Madras. Express News Service. 30 October 1992. p. 3. Retrieved 9 March 2021. 'En Raasaavin Manasile' was declared the second best film for 1991. 'Guna' won the third prize and 'Cheran Pandiyan' the special prize.
  2. ^ a b S, Srivatsan (21 August 2019). "Madras through the eyes of filmmaker Santhana Bharathi". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 7 February 2022. Retrieved 7 February 2022. Santhana Bharathi has won a National Award for directing Mahanadi (1994).
  3. ^ a b Dhananjayan, G. (2014). Pride of Tamil Cinema: 1931–2013. Blue Ocean Publishers. OCLC 898765509.
  4. ^ Rajendran, Gopinath (11 December 2019). "Sanjay Bharathi: I hope to do a film like Guna some day". Cinema Express. Archived from the original on 25 July 2021. Retrieved 17 October 2022.
  5. ^ Raman, Mohan V. (14 November 2015). "A brief history of Nadigar Sangam". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 14 June 2016. Retrieved 19 July 2022.
  6. ^ "In the right direction". The Hindu. 9 September 2006. Archived from the original on 8 December 2021. Retrieved 3 May 2023.

External links edit