S. A. Chandrasekhar

S. A. Chandrasekar (born 2 July 1943) is an Indian film director, producer, writer, and actor who primarily works within Kollywood. He made his directorial debut with Aval Oru Pachai Kuzhanthai (1978), He got his breakthrough with Sattam Oru Iruttarai (1981). He has directed over 70 movies in all south Indian languages, and is known for directing films focusing on social issues.^[1][2]

S. A. Chandrasekhar
Chandrasekhar at Kanithan's audio launch
Born	(1943-07-02) 2 July 1943 (age 80) Thangachimadam, Madras Presidency, British India
Occupation(s)	Actor, producer, director
Years active	1978–present
Spouse	Shoba Chandrasekhar
Children	Vijay Vidhya (deceased)
Relatives	Vikranth (nephew) S. N. Surendar (brother-in-law)

Personal life

Chandrasekhar was born in Thangachimadam, Tamil Nadu into a Catholic Christian family.^[3][4][5] His son is Vijay, who is one of the leading actors in Tamil cinema. Chandrasekhar also had a daughter named Vidya, who died at the age of two.^[6] His brother-in-law, S. N. Surendar is a playback singer and voice artist. His nephew Vikranth is also an actor.^[7]

Film career

Chandrasekar has directed over 70 movies in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Hindi. Directors S. Shankar, Senthilnathan, C. Ranganathan, Pavithran, Majith, K. R. Jaya, M. Rajesh, Ponram, T. Shivraj & Vicky had worked with him as assistants.^[8][9]

Some of his hit movies include Sattam Oru Iruttarai (1981), Chattaniki Kallu Levu (1981), Nyaya Ellide (1982), Palletoori Monagadu (1983), Saatchi (1983), Vetri (1984), Naan Sigappu Manithan (1985), Sattam Oru Vilayaattu (1987), Senthoorapandi (1993), Rasigan (1994), Deva (1995), Once More (1997) and Nenjirukkum Varai (2006).

He introduced Vijay and directed several films in his formative years such as Naalaiya Theerpu (1992), Senthoorapandi (1993), Rasigan (1994), Deva (1995) and Vishnu (1995). Most of his movies are with Vijayakanth and Vijay.

He also directed Telugu movies such as Chattaniki Kallu Levu (1981) and Palletoori Monagadu (1983) with Chiranjeevi.

He has appeared in supporting roles in some movies such as Kudumbam (1984), Pudhu Yugam (1985), Naan Sigappu Manithan (1985), Neethiyin Marupakkam (1985), Enakku Nane Needipathi (1986), Vasantha Raagam (1986), Nilave Malare (1986), Neethikku Thandanai (1987), Sattam Oru Vilayaattu (1987), Innisai Mazhai (1992), Deva (1995), Priyamudan (1998), Sukran (2005) and Kodi (2016).^[10]

In the early 2000s, Chandrasekhar slowed down his work as a director and focused on business interests, including on the construction of a three star hotel for his son. In 2000, he began pre-production work on a film titled Dhoosi with Sarathkumar but the project was later shelved.^[11]

He turned as the lead actor at the age of 70 in Touring Talkies (2015) which is also his last directorial venture. S. A. Chandrasekhar returned after a break with a biopic on social activist Traffic Ramasamy (2018).^[12] In 2019, he directed his 70th film titled Capmaari.^[13]

Chandrasekhar spoke at the music launch of the movie Visiri held on 22 November 2018, at Vadapalani Prasad Lab, Chennai. He allegedly said "offering at Tirupati Hundiyal was like a bribe to the deity and one cannot pass the exam by simply making offering to a deity. If the offering to deity can help you pass the exams, you don't need to write the exams and sit at home".^[14] He also said that "success can be achieved only by studying."^[15] Virugambakkam police registered a FIR against Chandrasekhar on charges of hurting religious beliefs after a complaint filed by Hindu Munnani over his statements.^[16][17]

Filmography

Year	Film	Credited as					Language	Role	Notes
		Director	Producer	Screenplay	Story	Actor
2023	Karumegangal Kalaigindrana					Y	Tamil
	Tamil Kudimagan					Y	Tamil
	Naan Kadavul Illai	Y		Y		Y	Tamil		also singer for song "Kanne Kanmaniye"^[18]
2021	Maanaadu					Y	Tamil	Arivazhagan
2019	Capmaari	Y		Y		Y	Tamil	Police Inspector
2018	Aaruthra					Y	Tamil	Shiva's father
	Traffic Ramasamy		Y			Y	Tamil	Traffic Ramasamy
2016	Kodi					Y	Tamil	Thalaivar
	Nayyapudai		Y	Y	Y	Y	Tamil	Vellaichamy
2015	Touring Talkies	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Tamil	Anthony
2011	Sattapadi Kutram	Y	Y	Y	Y		Tamil
2010	Veluthu Kattu		Y				Tamil
2008	Pandhayam	Y		Y	Y		Tamil
2007	Nenjirukkum Varai	Y		Y			Tamil
2006	Aathi		Y				Tamil
2005	Sukran	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Tamil	Himself
2002	Mutham	Y		Y			Tamil		spoke poems in the song "Oru Murai Nee"
	Thamizhan			Y			Tamil
2001	Dosth	Y		Y	Y		Tamil
1999	Periyanna	Y		Y			Tamil
	Nenjinile	Y	Y	Y			Tamil
1998	Priyamudan					Y	Tamil	CBI officer Gopal
1997	Once More	Y		Y			Tamil
1996	Maanbumigu Maanavan	Y		Y			Tamil
1995	Vishnu	Y		Y			Tamil
	Deva	Y		Y		Y	Tamil	Marimuthu
1994	Rasigan	Y		Y			Tamil
1993	Senthoorapandi	Y		Y			Tamil	Village Man
	Rajadurai	Y		Y			Tamil		50th Film
	Jeevan Ki Shatranj	Y		Y			Hindi		Remake of Tamil Film Rajanadai (1989)
1992	Innisai Mazhai			Y		Y	Tamil
	Naalaiya Theerpu	Y		Y			Tamil
	Mera Dil Tere Liye	Y					Hindi		Remake of Tamil Film Nanbargal (1991)
	Insaaf Ki Devi	Y					Hindi
1991	Nanbargal	Y					Tamil
1990	Azaad Desh Ke Gulam	Y				Y	Hindi		Remake of Tamil Film Sundhanthira Naattin Adimaigal (1988)
	Jai Shiv Shankar	Y					Hindi		Remake of Malayalam Film Vartha (1986)
	Seetha	Y					Tamil
1989	Rajanadai	Y		Y			Tamil
1988	Ithu Engal Neethi	Y		Y			Tamil
	Sudhanthira Naattin Adimaigal	Y					Tamil
	Poovum Puyalum	Y					Tamil
1987	Kudrat Ka Kanoon	Y					Hindi		Remake of Tamil Film Neethikku Thandanai (1987)
	Sattam Oru Vilayaattu	Y		Y	Y	Y	Tamil	Peter
	Neethikku Thandanai	Y		Y		Y	Tamil
1986	Sigappu Malargal	Y		Y	Y		Tamil
	Nilave Malare	Y				Y	Tamil
	Vasantha Raagam	Y		Y		Y	Tamil	Chandrasekhar
	Enakku Nane Needipathi	Y		Y	Y	Y	Tamil		25th Film
	En Sabatham	Y					Tamil
1985	Intiko Rudramma	Y					Telugu
	Neethiyin Marupakkam	Y		Y			Tamil
	Naan Sigappu Manithan	Y		Y		Y	Tamil	Hospital Ward Boy	Remake of Bollywood Film Aaji Ki Awaz
	Balidaan	Y					Hindi		Remake of Telugu Film Balidaanam (1983)
	Pudhu Yugam	Y		Y	Y	Y	Tamil		Remake of Kannada Film Simha Gharjane (1983)
1984	Kudumbam	Y		Y	Y	Y	Tamil	Sekar	Debut film (Actor)
	Dopidi Dongalu	Y					Telugu
	Veetuku Oru Kannagi	Y	Y	Y			Tamil
	Devanthakudu	Y					Telugu		Remake of Kannada Film Geluvu Nannade(1983)
	Vetri	Y					Tamil		Remake of Kannada Film Geluvu Nannade(1983)
1983	Simha Gharjane	Y		Y			Kannada
	Hasida Hebbuli	Y		Y			Kannada		Remake of Tamil Film Nenjile Thunivirunthal(1981)
	Saatchi	Y		Y	Y		Tamil		Remake of Telugu Film Balidaanam (1983)
	Samsaram Enbathu Veenai	Y					Tamil
	Gedda Maga	Y					Kannada		Remake of Tamil Film Moondru Mugam (1982)
	Geluvu Nannade	Y					Kannada
	Palletoori Monagadu	Y					Telugu		Remake of Tamil Film Nenjile Thunivirunthal(1981)
	Balidaanam	Y					Telugu
1982	Idhayam Pesugirathu	Y		Y	Y		Tamil
	Nyaya Ellide	Y		Y			Kannada		Remake of Tamil Film Sattam Oru Iruttarai(1981)
	Om Shakti	Y					Tamil
	Pattanathu Rajakkal	Y		Y	Y		Tamil
1981	Needhi Pizhaithadhu	Y		Y	Y		Tamil
	Chattaniki Kallu Levu	Y		Y			Telugu		Remake of Tamil Film Sattam Oru Iruttarai(1981)
	Nenjile Thunivirunthal	Y		Y	Y		Tamil
	Sattam Oru Iruttarai	Y		Y		Y	Tamil	HitchHiker
1978	Aval Oru Pachai Kuzhandhai	Y					Tamil

Television

Year	Title	Channel	Role	Language
2023–Present	Kizhakku Vaasal	Star Vijay	Swamiappan	Tamil

References

1. cbarn. . The Hindu. Archived from the original on 10 November 2016. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
2. "Anil's father and director, SA Chandrasekhar's health stable". The News Minute. 26 August 2016. from the original on 20 September 2019. Retrieved 17 June 2020.
3. Daily, Keralakaumudi. ""I was born as a Christian, my wife is a Hindu": Vijay's father SA Chandrasekhar responds to allegations - CINEMA - CINE NEWS | Kerala Kaumudi Online". Keralakaumudi Daily. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
4. "SA Chandrasekhar responds to Christian conversion allegations on Thalapathy Vijay". Behindwoods. 22 February 2020. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
5. "Father s 2nd marriage in front of actor Vijay.. ? Real Reason.. ?". indiaherald.com. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
6. . Yahoo Movies. Archived from the original on 23 December 2015. Retrieved 2015-12-07.
7. "Vikranth in Vishal's 'Pandianadu'". The Times of India. from the original on 29 December 2021. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
8. "Demystifying India's highest paid film-maker — the elusive S Shankar — The Economic Times". indiatimes.com. Archived from the original on 7 July 2012. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
9. Kamath, Sudhish (26 September 2013). "Master of Bromance". The Hindu. from the original on 8 April 2014. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
10. SAC breaks silence on proxy direction – IBNLive. Ibnlive.in.com (2012-06-07). Retrieved on 2015-10-16.
11. . Archived from the original on 22 February 2003.
12. . Sify. Archived from the original on 25 June 2018.
13. "Jai's next with director SA Chandrasekhar titled Capmari". Cinema Express. from the original on 25 October 2020. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
14. "FIR filed against actor Vijay's father for comments". Deccan Chronicle. 1 January 2018. from the original on 1 October 2021. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
15. "இந்துக்களை விமர்சித்து பேசியதாக திரைப்பட இயக்குநர் எஸ்.ஏ.சந்திரசேகர் மீது வழக்கு". Dinamani (in Tamil). from the original on 31 March 2022. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
16. "விஜய்யின் தந்தை எஸ்.ஏ.சந்திரசேகர் மீது விருகம்பாக்கம் காவல்நிலையத்தில் வழக்குப்பதிவு!". Samayam Tamil (in Tamil). from the original on 1 October 2021. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
17. "மத உணர்வுகளை புண்படுத்தியதாக வழக்கு: நடிகர் விஜய் தந்தை எஸ்.ஏ.சந்திரசேகருக்கு முன்ஜாமீன்". ThanthiTV.com. 8 October 2018. from the original on 1 October 2021. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
18. "SA Chandrasekhar's Kanne en Kanmaniyae| Saindhavi | Naan Kadavul Illai Movie | Samuthirakani". YouTube. from the original on 18 December 2021. Retrieved 18 December 2021.

External links

• S. A. Chandrasekhar at IMDb