DBI - First field report - Yesteryear Directors

{Pretty long... Better take some energy drink, before starting. Hopefully, you will finish it shortly, if you like to read about tinseltown}

Of late, DBI has received several complaints regarding the directors, who hv gone under the carpet, with a specific request to locate them. The complaints are related to yester-year directors like K.Bhagyaraj, RV.Udayakumar, Pavithran, Vikraman, Athiyamaan, Agathiyan, Thankar Bacchan, Vasanth etc., who are missing from the limelight in the recent years.

Our officials started digging the minefields to unearth these directors..Definitely, these guys hv made atleast one or more memorable movies to their credit. But, where did they go? Is it because, the latest cine audience hv shunned them or are they not able to meet the growing demands of the public?

K.Bhagyaraj - After his memorable movies like Andha 7 Natkal, Mundhanai Mudichhu, Ithu Namma allu, Sundhara Kaandam etc., this script-writer failed to impress the audience with his last movie 'Vettiya Madichu Kattu'. There was a rumour that he even approached a well known theatre owner in Chennai for some financing (information thru a personal friend).

We found out that he is planning to launch his daughter Saranya first (I assume, in a telugu movie), followed by a venture with Cheran (after his long-due 'thavamai thavam irundhu') and another movie to introduce his young son as hero. Let us see, if he can still do the magic to mesmerise today's audience with his kids & cheran.



Bhagyaraj with his wife Poornima

RV.Udhayakumar - This guy who had given some memorable hits like Kizakku Vaasal, Chinna Gounder, Ejamaan & Ponnumani with Ilayaraja's hit numbers, couldn't remain in the limelight when the era of Shankar & similar technicians begun. Eventhough, he made couple of other movies like Urudhi Mozhi,Pudhiya Vaanam,Singara Velan, Nadhavana Theru etc., he failed to impress the audience. He used to write even lyrics for his movie songs..some of which became super-hits.

The promo of his latest movie 'Karka kasadara' which is going around, doesn't impress me that well. The hero Vikrant (vijay's cousin) & Music director Prayog are also not that impressive...Will he survive after this movie? Our team won't bet favourably.... :-( :-(

Pavithran - He is completely out of the scene. DBI failed to locate the whereabouts of this guy, who delivered movies like Sooriyan, Indhu etc., Compare his missing state with his assistant director / friend Shankar, who is miles ahead now. (they were from the same SA.Chandrasekaran's school)

Vikraman - Eventhough our team was not much impressed with his works, he delivered some hits like Pudhu Vasantham, Poovae Unakkaga, Vaanathaip Pola etc., However, he couldn't match up with the pace of his one time assistant KS.Ravikumar, who churned out many commercial hits than Vikraman. After Unnai Thedi / Piriyamana Thozhi debacle, Vikraman had gone to Tollywood. Now he has surfaced in the news circles.. with his about to announce new venture. Let us see, whether his contents are still saleable.


Vikarman - Pretty serious, like his movies, isn't he?

Athiyamaan - The guy who delivered Thotta Sinungi & Swarnamukhi (not super hits), went to Bollywood to fulfill his dreams..the results were nothing but the remakes of his first two tamil movies into 'Hum Tumhare Hain Sanam' & 'Shaadi Karke Phas Gaya Yaar'. Now he is back with his Madhavan / Sada starrer 'Priyasakhi'. Can he succeed & bring back the old status for Madhavan? DBI is watching, pretty closely....



Athiyaman with Sada.

Agathiyan - He made a mark in 'Kaathal Kottai', eventhough his earlier/first venture 'Vaanmathi' was an average grosser for Ajith. He proved his ability in his subsequent Prashanth-Isha Gopikar Starrer "Kadhal Kavithai' & Karthik's 'Gokulathil Seethai. Then the big flop 'Vidukathai' came. The Prakashraj-Neena starrer failed Agathiyan miserably. His next venture 'Kathal Samrajyam' produced by Mr.Panchu Arunachalam didn't see the limelight at all..(recall the hit song from YSR 'iru kankal sollum...').

In the meantime he moved to Bollywood, to direct remakes of his initial tamil hits. After staying in the dark for sometime,he came out with 'Ramakrishna' recently and failed again. Now we hv found out that, he is planning to experiment again at his own cost.. with a new movie 'Selvam' with Nandha (of 'Punnagai Poovae' & 'Mounam Pesiyathae') as the lead. This is a make or break movie for this guy.. Will he survive the tides?

Thankar bachchan - The only director in the recent days, from whom the young heroines are trying to flee. Eventhough, he gave some memorable movies like Azhagi, Solla Marandha Kathai and Thendral, his new movie 'Chidambarathil oru Appasamy' is yet to take off (an off-beat comedy). The only problem is none of the young heroines are willing to act in his new venture - a young mother character. Reason, they remember Rathi's fate. (currently sitting in the bench). Will he come out with a commercial hit, amid all these issues?


Bachchan- looking like comedian Dhaamu, isn't he??

Vasanath - This disciple of K.Balachander did some good movies like Keladi Kanmani, Rythm etc., eventhough his other so-called hits like Nee Paadhi Naan Padhi, Aasai, Nerukku Ner didn't impress me that well. His last movie 'Yei Nee Romba Alagaa Irukkae' was a big flop, after which he started concentrating in advt field. Recently there were some news that he is going to direct Surya next. But it turned out to be a baseless rumour, with Surya's denial of the news. Is there any scope for him in the current era? He couldn't tell our team during our phone interview (LOL!!!).

This is only a short list of directors who made it in the last 2 decades, based on which our officials made this report.If you come across some more people, pl. lodge the complaint with our officials. DBI is at your service always:-) :-)

Other directors lik T.Rajender, Parthipan, Pandiyaraajan, Sundar.C, Selva, K.Subash etc., are in action somehow from time-to-time. So, we didn't make any detailed report on them.