Tamil filmmaker Bharathiraja passed away in Chennai on June 10 at the age of 84, after a period of declining health that has left the film industry in mourning. Malayalam director Tharun Moorthy, who cast Bharathiraja in his final acting role, remembered how the veteran continued shooting for the Mohanlal film despite struggling with memory problems and poor health.
How Bharathiraja brought Palani Swamy to life in Thudarum
In Thudarum, Bharathiraja portrays stunt master Palani Swamy, a mentor and father figure whom Mohanlal’s character, ‘Benz’ Shanmugham, turns to in times of need. It is Palani Swamy who presents his protégé with the coveted car. Tharun told OnManorama that the film itself did not particularly excite the veteran, but the chance to share the screen, converse, and hold hands with Mohanlal did. The Malayalam star returned this affection in equal measure.
By the time Thudarum began production, Bharathiraja was already coping with physical strain caused by poor health and memory problems, and was on several medications for both. Even so, he was determined not to become a burden on the project, says Tharun, who recalls how the actor insisted on dubbing his own lines. The filmmaker also preferred that the veteran handle his own dubbing because of his unique voice. However, by then, Bharathiraja was finding it difficult to remember his lines and deliver them as required. During the dubbing sessions, the director would sit next to him and quietly prompt the dialogues into his ear.
After the dubbing was completed, Bharathiraja asked Tharun to recount the story of Thudarum to him once more, and he was deeply moved when he grasped the full depth of the bond between master and disciple. “He became very emotional and said he could relate to it on a personal level,” Tharun recalled, adding, “He told me the film conveys that if you are a hero at one point, you may be a zero the next, and if you are a zero, you will be a hero the next time. Ultimately, the goal is to be human.”
About Bharathiraja
Bharathiraja revolutionised Tamil cinema by taking filmmakers out of studio sets and into rural settings. Affectionately known as ‘Iyyakunar Imayam’ (the pinnacle of directors), he made his debut in 1977 with 16 Vayathinile, featuring Kamal Haasan, Sridevi, and Rajinikanth. He is widely credited with bringing mann vasanai (the fragrance of the soil) into Tamil cinema. Over the course of his career, Bharathiraja received six National Film Awards and was conferred the Padma Shri in 2004.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and actor Vijay, along with actors Suriya, Sivakumar, and several other film industry figures, visited in person to offer their final respects. Many others, including Khushbu Sundar, Raghava Lawrence, Chiranjeevi, and Allu Arjun, expressed their condolences on social media.