Renowned film-maker J. Mahendran died in Chennai on Tuesday. He was 79 and had been hospitalised since last week.
Members of the Tamil film fraternity thronged his residence through the day and paid their last respects. Social media platforms had several film personalities and his fans recalling his films as well as his work as a screenwriter.
Mr. Mahendran was born Dev Alexander and studied at the American College in Madurai and Alagappa College in Karaikudi. Even while in college, he was the cynosure of all eyes. His speech criticising MGR’s films, during his time in Alagappa College, won praise. MGR liked the speech and wrote him a letter in appreciation.
Later, he came to Chennai and found a job as a reporter. MGR spotted him at a press conference and gave him an assignment to convert Kalki’s Ponniyin Selvan into a film script. He stayed in a room on the first floor of MGR’s residence and wrote the script, though the project did not materialise.
MGR also introduced him as an assistant director in the film Kanchi Thalaivan. His script for actor Senthamarai was later made into a popular and successful film Thangapathakkam with Sivaji Ganesan in the lead role.
Known for his realistic stories, Mr. Mahendran formally began his career as a story writer with the 1966 film Naam Moovar starring Jaishankar, Ravichandran and Nagesh and went on to write for several films before his directorial début Mullum Malarum in 1978. The film was a huge success, with many praising the director’s unique style of film-making and it is still regarded as one of Rajinikanth’s best performances. “Our friendship was beyond cinema and I credit him for discovering that there was another ‘Rajinikanth’ in me. Director K. Balachander saw my performance in the film and wrote me a letter saying he was proud to have introduced me to Tamil cinema,” recalled Mr. Rajinikanth, at the director’s residence where he had come to pay his last respects. The duo, more recently, worked together in Petta and Mr. Rajinikanth said that he got a chance to spend time with him on the sets. “Till date, he remains a model for many young directors,” he added.
“Mahendran had a rare sensitivity as a film producer and he obtained it through voracious reading. I had the opportunity of discussing with him Tamil writer T. Janakiraman, his favourite writer,” said Venkatesh Chakravarathy, dean, Rama Naidu Film School, Hyderabad. Though he had written dialogues loaded with melodramatic elements, he kept them to a minimum in his first film Mullum Malarum. “But in Uthiripookal he reached the zenith and it will remain a masterpiece of Tamil cinema,” he added.
Director K. Rajeshwar said Mahendran was influenced by neo-realism and the parallel cinema movement spearheaded by Satyajit Ray in India. “He successfully capsuled an art film within the limitations of the commercial film industry. The film will be remembered for its aesthetics,” he said.
His film Nenjathai Killadhey starring Suhasini Mani Ratnam, Sarath Babu and Mohan, which released in 1980, was another memorable film which went on to win several awards including the National Award for Best Tamil Feature Film.
Recalling his close association with Mr. Mahendran, Kamal Haasan said director and cinematographer Balu Mahendra met at his residence prior to filming Mullum Malarum. He said despite his simple beginnings, Mr. Mahendran had gone on to scale great heights.
Mentor to young
“He was instrumental in steering Tamil cinema into a more realistic space and his films are still a reference for many youngsters who want to know more about the nuances of direction. He was a mentor and a big inspiration for many of us,” said director Vetrimaaran.
Several of his students who had graduated from the Blue Ocean Film and Television Academy came to his residence to pay their respects. He had been the head of the direction department there and G. Dhananjayan, the founder of the academy, said that his guidance had been extremely valuable to the students. In the last few years, he also acted in several films and notable among them were his role in Vijay’s Theri. He also appeared in more recent films Seethakathi, Boomerang and Nimir. Actors Vijay Sethupathi, Suhaasini Mani Ratnam, Vivekh, music composer Ilaiyaraaja, directors Shankar, Lingusaamy, Ameer, Balaji Shaktivel and Bhagyaraj were among those who paid their last respects at the film-maker’s residence.
He was laid to rest on Tuesday evening at Mandeveli St. Mary’s Road cemetery in the presence of his family, students and fans.