A. P. Nagarajan

A. P. Nagarajan
Born (1928-02-24)24 February 1928
Mannargudi, Tiruvarur district, Madras Presidency, British India
Died 1977
Madras, Tamil Nadu, India
Occupation director, producer, actor and writer
Years active 1953–1977

Akkamappettai Paramasivan Nagarajan (February 24, 1928 – 1977) was an Indian film director, producer, actor and writer who set a trend in film making in Tamil cinema in 1960s and 1970s.[1]

Early life

A. P. Nagarajan was born in a family of wealthy landowners on February 24, 1928 under the name Kuppuswamy. His father, Paramasiva Gounder, died when Kuppuswamy was a young boy; within a few months, he mother Lakshmi Ammal died too. His maternal grandmother, Manicka Ammal, took charge of the boy. Afraid that he might not be cared for by the family, she admitted him to a drama company without informing them of the boy's antecedents. Later he shifted to Avvai T. K. Shanmugam's drama company. As there were many Kuppuswamis, his name was changed to Nagarajan. Nagarajan learnt the basics of theatre and rose to play the lead in the play “Gumasthavin Penn.” A remarkable actor, he brought to life all the roles he donned, his early “sthreepart” roles being very popular with the audience. He worked in the Madurai Jayarama Sangeetha Boys Company as well as Sakthi Nadaga Sabha, along with Sivaji Ganesan and Kaka Radhakrishnan.

Film career

Nagarajan started his own drama company, the Pazhani Kadiravan Nadaga Sabha, and, in 1949, married Rani Ammal. He wrote and acted in several plays and one of his plays “Nalvar” was made into a movie. Nagarajan wrote the screenplay for his own story and play the hero in this film. His film career thus began in 1953.

He also acted in many movies for producer M. A. Venu, formerly of Modern Theatres, such as Mangalyam, Nalla Thangal and Pennarasi. He wrote the screenplay for Town Bus and by 1956 decided to focus on writing. He wrote Naan Petra Selvam and Makkalai Petra Maharasi — in the latter, he introduced the ‘Kongu' Tamil accent for the hero. The first of his many mythological films — Sampoorna Ramayanam (1958) — was a big success, and Rajaji, who had little regard for cinema, watched this film and praised Sivaji Ganesan's performance as Bharatha in it. He then started to produce in partnership with actor V. K. Ramaswamy. Some of the works of this period include Nalla Idaththu Sammandham (1958), Thayai Pol Pillai, Noolai Pol Selai (1959) and Paavai Vilakku. He made his directorial debut with Vadivukku Valaigaappu (1962). He launched his own production company with Navarathri and then went on to make a mark in the field of mythological cinema as well.

In 1965, a year after the release of Karnan, Thiruvilayadal hit the screens and set box office records. This was followed by Saraswathi Sabatham, Kandhan Karunai, Thiruvarutchelvar, Thirumal Perumai, Agasthiyar, Thirumalai Deivam, Karaikaal Ammaiyar and Sri Krishna Leela. He made Thillana Mohanambal and Raja Raja Chozhan, both of which too deserve to be restored.

Filmography

Year Film Credited as Language Notes
Director Producer Writer Actor
1977 Navarathinam Green tick Green tick Tamil
1977 Shri Krishna Leela Green tick Tamil
1976 Jai Balaji Green tick Tamil
1975 Melnaattu Marumagal Green tick Green tick Tamil
1974 Gumasthavin Magal Green tick Green tick Tamil
1973 Karaikkal Ammaiyar Green tick Green tick Tamil
1973 Rajaraja Cholan Green tick Tamil
1973 Thirumalai Daivam Green tick Tamil
1972 Agathiyar Green tick Green tick Green tick Tamil
1972 Thirupathi Kanyakumari Yatra Green tick Tamil
1971 Kankatchi Green tick Tamil
1970 Balaraju Katha Green tick Telugu Nandi Award for Best Feature Film
1970 Thirumalai Thenkumari Green tick Green tick Green tick Tamil
1970 Vilayattu Pillai Green tick Tamil
1969 Gurudakshinai Green tick Tamil
1969 Vaa Raja Vaa Green tick Green tick Green tick Tamil
1968 Thillana Mohanambal Green tick Green tick Green tick Tamil National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil
1968 Thirumal Perumai Green tick Green tick Tamil
1967 Kandan Karunai Green tick Green tick Tamil
1967 Seeta Green tick Tamil
1967 Thiruvarutchelvar Green tick Green tick Green tick Tamil
1966 Saraswati Sabatham Green tick Green tick Green tick Tamil
1965 Thiruvilaiyadal Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick Tamil National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil
1964 Navarathri Green tick Green tick Tamil
1963 Kulamagal Radhai Green tick Green tick Tamil
1962 Vadivukku Valai Kappu Green tick Green tick Tamil
1960 Paavai Vilakku Green tick Tamil
1959 Alli Petra Pillai Green tick Tamil
1959 Thayapol Pillai Noolapol Selai Green tick Tamil
1958 Nilavukku Niranja Manasu Green tick Tamil
1958 Sampoorna Ramayanam Green tick Tamil
1958 Nalla Idathu Sambandam Green tick Tamil
1957 Makkalai Petra Magarasi Green tick Tamil
1956 Naan Petra Selvam Green tick Tamil
1955 Town Bus Green tick Tamil
1955 Nallathangal Green tick Tamil
1955 Pennarasi Green tick Tamil
1954 Mangalyam Green tick Tamil
1953 Naalvar Green tick Green tick Tamil

References

  1. "Master of mythological cinema". hindu. Retrieved 2014-11-07.

External links

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