S. A. Chandrasekhar

S. A. Chandrasekhar
S. A. Chandrasekhar
	Chandrasekhar at Kanithan's audio launch
Born	2 July 1945 (age 79); Thangachimadam, Madras Presidency, British India
Occupations	Film director; Film producer; Screenwriter; Actor;
Years active	1978–present
Spouse	Shoba Chandrasekhar
Children	Vijay; Vidhya (deceased)
Relatives	Vikranth (nephew) ; S. N. Surendar (brother-in-law)

S. Alex Chandrasekar (born 2 July 1945) is an Indian film director, film producer, screenwriter, 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]

Personal life

Chandrasekhar was born in Thangachimadam, Tamil Nadu into a Catholic Christian Vellalar orthodox 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

As a director, producer and writer

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

As an actor

Year	Film	Role	Notes
1981	Sattam Oru Iruttarai	Hitchhiker	also director
1984	Kudumbam	Sekar
1985	Pudhu Yugam
1985	Naan Sigappu Manithan	Hospital Ward Boy
1986	Vasantha Raagam	Chandrasekhar
1987	Sattam Oru Vilayaattu	Peter
1992	Innisai Mazhai	Police officer	also screenplay writer
1993	Senthoorapandi	guest appearance in song "Aadada Aadada"	also director
1994	Rasigan	guest appearance in song "Thambi Konjam"
1995	Deva	Marimuthu
1998	Priyamudan	CBI officer Gopal
2005	Sukran	Himself	also director
2015	Touring Talkies	Anthony	also director
2016	Nayyapudai	Vellaichamy
2016	Kodi	Thalaivar
2018	Traffic Ramasamy	Traffic Ramasamy	also producer
2018	Aaruthra	Shiva's father
2019	Capmaari	Police Inspector	also director
2021	Maanaadu	Arivazhagan
2023	Tamil Kudimagan	Chinnasamy's advocate
	Naan Kadavul Illai		also director
	Karumegangal Kalaigindrana

Television

Year	Title	Channel	Role	Language
2023–2024	Kizhakku Vaasal	Star Vijay	Swamiappan	Tamil

References

^ cbarn. "Metro Plus Coimbatore : 'Message' man". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 10 November 2016. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
^ "Vijay's father and director, SA Chandrasekhar's health stable". The News Minute. 26 August 2016. Archived from the original on 20 September 2019. Retrieved 17 June 2020.
^ 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.
^ "SA Chandrasekhar responds to Christian conversion allegations on Thalapathy Vijay". Behindwoods. 22 February 2020. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
^ "Father s 2nd marriage in front of actor Vijay.. ? Real Reason.. ?". indiaherald.com. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
^ "Birthday Special: 5 Facts About Vijay You Must Know". Yahoo Movies. Archived from the original on 23 December 2015. Retrieved 2015-12-07.
^ "Vikranth in Vishal's 'Pandianadu'". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 29 December 2021. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
^ "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.
^ Kamath, Sudhish (26 September 2013). "Master of Bromance". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 8 April 2014. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
^ SAC breaks silence on proxy direction – IBNLive. Ibnlive.in.com (2012-06-07). Retrieved on 2015-10-16.
^ "Hot New". Archived from the original on 22 February 2003.
^ "Traffic Ramasamy review:Average". Sify. Archived from the original on 25 June 2018.
^ "Jai's next with director SA Chandrasekhar titled Capmari". Cinema Express. Archived from the original on 25 October 2020. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
^ "FIR filed against actor Vijay's father for comments". Deccan Chronicle. 1 January 2018. Archived from the original on 1 October 2021. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
^ "இந்துக்களை விமர்சித்து பேசியதாக திரைப்பட இயக்குநர் எஸ்.ஏ.சந்திரசேகர் மீது வழக்கு". Dinamani (in Tamil). Archived from the original on 31 March 2022. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
^ "விஜய்யின் தந்தை எஸ்.ஏ.சந்திரசேகர் மீது விருகம்பாக்கம் காவல்நிலையத்தில் வழக்குப்பதிவு!". Samayam Tamil (in Tamil). Archived from the original on 1 October 2021. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
^ "மத உணர்வுகளை புண்படுத்தியதாக வழக்கு: நடிகர் விஜய் தந்தை எஸ்.ஏ.சந்திரசேகருக்கு முன்ஜாமீன்". ThanthiTV.com. 8 October 2018. Archived from the original on 1 October 2021. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
^ "SA Chandrasekhar's Kanne en Kanmaniyae| Saindhavi | Naan Kadavul Illai Movie | Samuthirakani". YouTube. Archived from the original on 18 December 2021. Retrieved 18 December 2021.

External links

S. A. Chandrasekhar at IMDb

[1] rn. "Metro Plus Coimbatore : 'Message' man". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 10 November 2016. Retrieved 28 November 2016.

[2] "Vijay's father and director, SA Chandrasekhar's health stable". The News Minute. 26 August 2016. Archived 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] "Birthday Special: 5 Facts About Vijay You Must Know". Yahoo Movies. Archived from the original on 23 December 2015. Retrieved 2015-12-07.

[7] "Vikranth in Vishal's 'Pandianadu'". The Times of India. Archived 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. Archived 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] "Hot New". Archived from the original on 22 February 2003.

[12] "Traffic Ramasamy review:Average". Sify. Archived from the original on 25 June 2018.

[13] "Jai's next with director SA Chandrasekhar titled Capmari". Cinema Express. Archived 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. Archived 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). Archived 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). Archived 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. Archived 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. Archived from the original on 18 December 2021. Retrieved 18 December 2021.

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v t e Films directed by S. A. Chandrasekhar
1970s	Aval Oru Pachai Kuzhandhai (1978)
1980s	Sattam Oru Iruttarai (1981) Chattaniki Kallu Levu (1981) Needhi Pizhaithathu (1981) Nenjile Thunivirunthal (1981) Balidanam (1982) Idhayam Pesugirathu (1982) Om Sakthi (1982) Pattanathu Rajakkal (1982) Palletoori Monagadu (1983) Gedda Maga (1983) Geluvu Nannade (1983) Hasida Hebbuli (1983) Saatchi (1983) Samsaram Enbathu Veenai (1983) Simha Gharjane (1983) Kudumbam (1984) Devanthakudu (1984) Veetuku Oru Kannagi (1984) Vetri (1984) Balidaan (1985) Intiko Rudramma (1985) Naan Sigappu Manithan (1985) Neethiyin Marupakkam (1985) Pudhu Yugam (1985) Enakku Nane Needipathi (1986) En Sabatham (1986) Vasantha Raagam (1986) Sigappu Malargal (1986) Neethikku Thandanai (1987) Kudrat Ka Kanoon (1987) Sattam Oru Vilaiyattu (1987) Ithu Engal Neethi (1988) Poovum Puyalum (1988) Sudhanthira Naattin Adimaigal (1988) Rajanadai (1989)
1990s	Azaad Desh Ke Gulam (1990) Seetha (1990) Naalaiya Theerpu (1992) Mera Dil Tere Liye (1992) Insaaf Ki Devi (1992) Jeevan Ki Shatranj (1993) Rajadurai (1993) Senthoorapandi (1993) Rasigan (1994) Deva (1994) Vishnu (1995) Maanbumigu Maanavan (1996) Once More (1997) Periyanna (1999) Nenjinile (1999)
2000s	Dost (2001) Mutham (2003) Sukran (2005) Nenjirukkum Varai (2007) Pandhayam (2008)
2010s	Sattapadi Kutram (2011) Touring Talkies (2015) Capmaari (2019)
2020s	Naan Kadavul Illai (2023)