Bharathiraja passes away | Tributes pour in, Tamil Nadu government to accord state honours

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Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay pays respects to the mortal remains of Bharathiraja. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Renowned Tamil film director Bharathiraja passed away in Chennai on Wednesday (June 10, 2026). Tributes poured in for the ace director who died at 84. He had been ailing for some time.

Celebrated for shifting Tamil cinema from studio-bound film-making to authentic rural landscapes, and for his iconic opening line, “ Yen Iniya Tamil Makkale,” delivered in his distinctive voice, he was a transformative force in not just Tamil but Indian cinema.

Also Read: The multiple shades of ‘actor’ Bharathiraja: ‘Mani Ratnam asked me if I was interested in politics’

A towering personality in the film industry, fondly known as Iyakkunar Imayam (Pinnacle among Directors), Mr. Bharathiraja won six National Film Awards, four Filmfare Awards (South), six Tamil Nadu State Film Awards and a Nandi Award. More significantly, he was instrumental in introducing several new actors in Tamil cinema. In a characteristic move, he rechristened many actors with names beginning with the letter “R”, gifting the industry with talented artistes including Radikaa, Revathi, Radha, Ranjitha and Rekha. The actors who went on to become prominent figures in the Tamil industry include Karthik, Pandian, Chandrasekar, Napoleon and Janakaraj.

“Bharathiraja was a true pioneer who revolutionized cinema with his raw and uncompromising storytelling. He brought to screen unforgettable rural narratives, fearless vision and the authenticity and it will live on forever,” S.S. Rajamouli said.

He said it was an honour to witness and celebrate his extraordinary body of work and legacy.

Ram Gopal Varma in a post on X said, “Apart from giving India, it’s biggest female Super Star Sridevi, Bharathiraja blended Satyajit Ray‘s realism, Mukherjee’s characters and Chaterjee’s sense of situational comedies in a tremendously rooted cinema of all genres to connect all classes of audiences irrespective of their