Wikipedia

Visu

Meenakshisundaram Ramasamy Viswanathan (1 July 1945 – 22 March 2020), best known by his stage name Visu, was an Indian screenwriter, film director, stage, film and television actor and talk-show host.[3] Visu initially worked as an assistant to director K. Balachander until becoming a director himself. He later began acting, with his first film being Kudumbam Oru Kadambam (1981), directed by S. P. Muthuraman.

Visu
Born
Meenakshisundaram Ramasamy Viswanathan[1]

(1945-07-01)1 July 1945[2]
Tamil Nadu, India
Died22 March 2020(2020-03-22) (aged 74)
Chennai, India
Occupation(s)Film director, Screenwriter, Actor, Television host.
Years active1977–2019
SpouseSundari
Children3

Career

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He started his career as a theatre artist, working with Y. G. Parthasarathy's drama troupe. He was writing scripts for stage dramas before getting into the film industry as an assistant to legendary director K. Balachander. During his time with Balachander, he wrote screenplays for numerous films including Pattina Pravesam (1977), Avan Aval Adhu (1980), Thillu Mullu (1981) and Netrikkan (1981). Thillu Mullu and Netrikkan, which were both released in 1981, became box office hits for actor Rajinikanth.Visu made his debut as an actor in the film Kudumbam Oru Kadambam (1981), for which he also wrote the screenplay. The film was directed by S. P. Muthuraman.

His first film as a director was Kanmani Poonga (1982). Most of his films including Manal Kayiru (1982), Dowry Kalyanam (1983), Samsaram Adhu Minsaram (1986), Thirumathi Oru Vegumathi (1987), Penmani Aval Kanmani (1988), Vedikkai En Vadikkai (1990) and Pattukottai Periyappa (1994) spoke about the issues of urban middle-class families. These films, which were released in the mid-80s, turned out to be crowd pullers, particularly with regard to the female audience.[4] His other super hit was Chidambara Rahasiyam (1985), which is considered a cult-classic.[5]

While he has directed a rage of actors on screen, he and his brother Kishmu used to star in many of his films. His film Neenga Nalla Irukkanum won the National Film Award for Best Film on Other Social Issues in 1992. Based on prohibition, the film was the last onscreen appearance of then chief minister, J. Jayalalithaa.[6]

He has also shared the screen with Rajinikanth in Nallavanukku Nallavan (1984), Mr. Bharath (1986), Mannan (1992), Uzhaippali (1993) and Arunachalam (1997).

During the ending phase of his career, he made movies which did not leave a lasting mark on the audience as Vaa Magale Vaa (1994), Meendum Savithri (1996) and Sigamani Ramamani (2001).[7]

Actor and stage artiste S. Ve. Shekher, who has worked in over 20 films with Visu, said that he was extremely disciplined and committed.[8]

As an actor, he was last seen in Manal Kayiru 2 (2016), the sequel to one of his earliest directorial successes, Manal Kayiru.

He is known to have starred in over 60 films and directed around 25 films.[9]

Style

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"Growing up in a joint family, I observed how each person had a difference of opinion. It wasn't bad; just that we were different. I wondered, 'Wouldn't other joint families have similar issues?' So I started writing scripts that reflect the day-to-day scenario in a joint family".

 – Visu in 2016[10]

In most of the films Visu directed, all the characters were given equal importance. Often, there was huge house wherein a joint family would reside and the character of Visu would solve their problems. Many of Visu's film titles contain rhyming words, such as Kudumbam Oru Kadambam, Samsaram Adhu Minsaram, Thirumathi Oru Vegumathi, Kavalan Avan Kovalan, Penmani Aval Kanmani, Varavu Nalla Uravu and Vedikkai En Vadikkai. His films focused on many family issues like dowry, need of remarriage for women, mother in law-daughter in law disputes and so on which were occurring that time. In most of his films there is a character named Uma, named after a school teacher who predicted his rise to fame after reading one of his scripts when he was a travel agent.[11][12][13][14]

Other works

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Visu became known for hosting live debates on television, namely Arattai Arangam on Sun TV and Visuvin Makkal Arangam on Jaya TV.[15][16] He joined and campaigned for BJP.[17]

Final years and death

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On 22 March 2020 at Chennai, Visu died of kidney failure at the age of 74.[18][19][20]

Filmography

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As director/writer

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This is a list of films that he directed and/or wrote. He also acted in many of his own directed films.

Year Title Credited as Role Notes Ref.
Director Writer Actor
1977 Pattina Pravesam  N  Y  N — [21]
1978 Sadhurangam  N  Y  N — also dialogue writer [22]
1980 Avan Aval Adhu  N  Y  N — [23]
1980 Mazhalai Pattalam  N  Y  N — [24]
1981 Thillu Mullu  N  Y  Y As a film crew Voice-Over Actor (Dubbing) [25]
1981 Netrikkan  N  Y  N —
1981 Keezh Vaanam Sivakkum  N  Y  N — [26]
1981 Kudumbam Oru Kadambam  N  Y  Y Srinivasa Raghavan [27]
1982 Kanmani Poonga  Y  Y  Y Cricketer Ramkumar [28]
1982 Simla Special  N  Y  N —
1982 Manal Kayiru  Y  Y  Y Uthramerur Narathar Naidu [29]
1982 Puthukavithai  N  Y  N —
1983 Dowry Kalyanam  Y  Y  Y Ganesh [21]
1984 Nallavanukku Nallavan  N  Y  Y Owner Gangadharan [30]
1984 Puyal Kadantha Boomi  Y  Y  Y Nammaalu allies Namachivaayan
1984 Rajathanthiram  Y  Y  Y Bairavan [31]
1984 Vaai Sollil Veeranadi  Y  Y  Y Vengapuli Varadhachari
1984 Naanayam Illatha Naanayam  Y  Y  Y Veerapandi [32]
1985 Pudhiya Sagaptham  Y  Y  Y Ramadasaradan [33]
1985 Aval Sumangalithan  Y  Y  Y Watchman Aarumugam [34]
1985 Ketti Melam  Y  Y  Y [35]
1985 Chidambara Rahasiyam  Y  Y  Y Beemarao [36]
1986 Mr. Bharath  N  Y  Y Kumaresa Gounder
1986 Dharma Pathini  N  Y  Y Lawyer "Vicks" Vardarajan
1986 Samsaram Adhu Minsaram  Y  Y  Y Ammaiyappa Mudaliyar National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment [37]
1987 Thirumathi Oru Vegumathi  Y  Y  Y Naagarkoil Naadhamuni [38]
1987 Kavalan Avan Kovalan  Y  Y  Y Prabhu's Father-in-law [39]
1987 Srimathi Oka Bahumathi  Y  Y  Y Telugu film; remake of Thirumathi Oru Vegumathi
1988 Veedu Manaivi Makkal  N  N  Y Subbaiah Pillai [40]
1988 Penmani Aval Kanmani  Y  Y  Y Radio Mama [41]
1988 Aadade Aadharam  Y  Y  Y Nandi Award for Second Best Story Writer
Telugu film; remake of Penmani Aval Kanmani		 [42]
1988 Illu Illalu Pillalu  Y  Y  Y Telugu film; remake of Veedu Manaivi Makkal
1989 Sakalakala Sammandhi  Y  Y  Y Mayavaram Malayappan
1990 Varavu Nalla Uravu  Y  Y  Y Appa Ambalavanar Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Story Writer [43]
1990 Vedikkai En Vadikkai  Y  Y  Y Kaavisattai Kandasamy [44]
1992 Urimai Oonjaladugiradhu  Y  Y  Y Kasturi's Father [45]
1992 Neenga Nalla Irukkanum  Y  Y  Y National Film Award for Best Film on Other Social Issues [46]
1994 Pattukottai Periyappa  Y  Y  Y Pattukottai Periyappa [47]
1994 Vaa Magale Vaa  Y  Y  Y Viswanathan [48]
1996 Meendum Savithri  Y  Y  Y Narayana Moorthy [49]
1996 Neti Savithri  Y  Y  N — Telugu film [50]
2001 Sigamani Ramamani  Y  Y  Y Sundaramoorthy [51]
2016 Manal Kayiru 2  N  Y  Y Uthramerur Narathar Naidu

Actor

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This is a list of films that Visu worked only as an actor.

Year Title Role Notes
1983 Oru Kai Paappom Kai Adi Kamalakannan
1984 Oorukku Upadesam Sankaran
1986 Oomai Vizhigal Rathnasabapathy
1986 Mella Thirandhathu Kadhavu Thulasi's father
1986 Thaaiku Oru Thaalaattu Ponnambalam
1986 Anandha Kanneer Paapa Panchu
1987 Kathai Kathaiyam Karanamam
1988 Mappillai Sir Vakkil Varadharajan
1992 Mannan Viswanathan
1993 Uzhaippali Barrister
1993 Sinna Mapplai Marriage Broker
1994 Aranmanai Kaavalan Santhanam
1994 Vanaja Girija Business man Ramanathan
1994 Vaanga Partner Vaanga Ganapathi
1995 Mayabazar Vishwanathan
1995 God Father Viswanatham Telugu film
1996 Irattai Roja Anchor Guest appearance
1997 Nesam Himself
1997 Aravindhan
1997 Adimai Changili
1997 Vasuki Ramasamy
1997 Arunachalam Adv. Rangachari
1997 Sishya Aadhimoolam
1997 Vaimaye Vellum
1998 Bhagavath Singh
1999 Mannavaru Chinnavaru Shanmugasundaram
1999 Anbulla Kadhalukku Chandrasekhar
2000 Kakkai Siraginilae Judge
2000 Vaanavil Himself
2001 Krishna Krishna Advocate Viswanathan Guest appearance
2001 Middle Class Madhavan Advocate
2001 Vadagupatti Maapillai Gomathi Shankar
2001 Looty Dr. Kuzhanthavelu
2001 Vedham Guest appearance
2003 Thithikudhe Himself
2004 Maha Nadigan
2005 Ji Raghavan
2007 Cheena Thaana 001 Governor Guest appearance
2007 Nenjirukkumvarai Ninaivirukkum Guest appearance
2008 Ellam Avan Seyal
2009 Innoruvan Judge
2009 Kannukulle
2013 Alex Pandian Chief Minister
2013 Oruvar Meethu Iruvar Sainthu Judge
Television
  • Arattai Arangam - Sun TV
  • Makkal Arangam - Jaya TV
  • Naalavathu Mudichu - Jaya TV[52]

References

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