Meenakshisundaram Ramasamy Viswanathan (1 July 1945 – 22 March 2020), best known by his stage name Visu, was an Indian writer, 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.[4]
Visu | |
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Born | Meenakshisundaram Ramasamy Viswanathan[1] (1945-07-01)1 July 1945[2] Tamil Nadu, India |
Died | 22 March 2020(2020-03-22) (aged 74) Chennai, India |
Occupation | Director, writer, actor, television host. |
Years active | 1977–2016 |
Spouse(s) | Sundhari (m.1975–2020) |
Children | Lavanya Sangeetha Kalpana |
Relatives | Kishmu (brother) |
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.The script and the flawless screenplay gave Rajinikanth a platform to prove that he can do comedy and not just action movies. 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. Though Visu acted as a protagonist in a few of his own films, he was largely known as a character artist.
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.[5] His other super hit was Chidambara Rahasiyam (1985), which is considered a cult-classic.[6]
Samsaram Adhu Minsaram (1986) was the first Tamil film to win the National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment.
As a writer, Viswanathan was known for his sharp and witty dialogues, that lent itself to family dramas. While he has directed a rage of actors on screen, he and his brother Kishmu used to star in his films as well in memorable roles. 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.[7]
He has also shared the screen with superstar Rajinikanth in successful films such as 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).[8]
Actor and stage artiste S. Ve. Shekher, who has worked in over 20 films with Visu, said that he was an extremely disciplined and committed.[9]
As an actor, he was last seen in Manal Kayiru 2 (2016), the sequel to one of his earliest directorial successes, Manal Kayiru.
The versatile actor is known to have starred in over 60 films and directed around 25 films.[10]
"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[11]
In Visu's films, 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 the films he directed there is a character named Uma, named after one of his school teachers.[12][13][14][15]
A philanthropist, Visu had been supporting the needy through his own foundation. He became known for hosting live debates on television, namely Arattai Arangam on Sun TV and Visuvin Makkal Arangam on Jaya TV.[16][17] He joined and campaigned for BJP.[18]
Visu died due to kidney failure on 22 March 2020 at Chennai, at the age of 74.[19][20][21][22]
Year | Title | Credited as | Role | Notes | ||
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Director | Writer | Actor | ||||
1977 | Pattina Pravesam | N | Y | N | ||
1978 | Sadhurangam | N | Y | N | also dialogue | |
1980 | Avan Aval Adhu | N | Y | N | ||
1980 | Mazhalai Pattalam | N | Y | N | ||
1981 | Thillu Mullu | N | Y | Y | As a film crew | Voice-Over Actor (Dubbing) |
1981 | Netrikkann | N | Y | N | ||
1981 | Keezh Vaanam Sivakkum | N | Y | N | ||
1981 | Kudumbam Oru Kadambam | N | Y | Y | Srinivasa Raghavan | |
1982 | Kanmani Poonga | Y | Y | Y | Cricketer Ramkumar | |
1982 | Simla Special | N | Y | N | ||
1982 | Manal Kayiru | Y | Y | Y | Uthramerur Narathar Naidu | |
1982 | Pudhukavithai | N | Y | N | ||
1983 | Oru Kai Paappom | N | N | Y | Kai adi Kamalaknnan | |
1983 | Dowry Kalyanam | Y | Y | Y | Ganesh | |
1984 | Nallavanuku Nallavan | N | Y | Y | Owner Gangadharan | |
1984 | Puyal Kadantha Boomi | Y | Y | Y | Nammaalu allies Namachivaayan | |
1984 | Rajathandhiram | Y | Y | Y | Bairavan | |
1984 | Vaai Sollil Veeranadi | Y | Y | Y | Vengapuli Varadhachari | |
1984 | Nanayam Illatha Nanayam | Y | Y | Y | Veerapandi | |
1984 | Oorukku Upadesam | N | N | Y | Sankaran | |
1985 | Puthiya Sagaptham | Y | Y | Y | Ramadasaradan | |
1985 | Aval Sumangalithan | Y | Y | Y | Watchman Aarumugam | |
1985 | Ketti Melam | Y | Y | Y | ||
1985 | Chidambara Rahasiyam | Y | Y | Y | Beemarao | |
1986 | Mr. Bharath | N | Y | Y | Kumaresa Gounder | |
1986 | Dharma Pathini | N | Y | Y | Lawyer "Vicks" Vardarajan | |
1986 | Samsaram Adhu Minsaaram | Y | Y | Y | Ammaiyappa Mudaliyar | National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment |
1986 | Oomai Vizhigal | N | N | Y | Rathnasabapathy | |
1986 | Mella Thirandhathu Kadhavu | N | N | Y | Thulasi's father | |
1986 | Thaaiku Oru Thaalaattu | N | N | Y | Ponnambalam | |
1986 | Anandha Kanneer | N | N | Y | Paapa Panchu | |
1987 | Thirumathi Oru Vegumathi | Y | Y | Y | Naagarkoil Naadhamuni | |
1987 | Kavalan Avan Kovalan | Y | Y | Y | Prabhu's Father-in-law | |
1987 | Aadade Aadharam | Y | Y | Y | Nandi Award for Second Best Story Writer[23] Telugu film | |
1987 | Kathai Kathayam Karanamam | N | N | Y | ||
1988 | Veedu Manaivi Makkal | N | N | Y | Subbaiah Pillai | |
1988 | Penmani Aval Kanmani | Y | Y | Y | Radio Mama | |
1988 | Illu Illalu Pillalu | Y | Y | Y | Telugu film | |
1988 | Mappillai Sir | N | N | Y | Vakkil Varadharajan | |
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 |
1990 | Vedikkai En Vadikkai | Y | Y | Y | Kaavisattai Kandasamy | |
1992 | Mannan | N | N | Y | Viswanathan | |
1992 | Urimai Oonjaladugirathu | Y | Y | Y | Kasturi's Father | |
1992 | Neenga Nalla Irukkanum | Y | Y | Y | National Film Award for Best Film on Other Social Issues | |
1993 | Uzhaippali | N | N | Y | Barrister | |
1993 | Chinna Mapillai | N | N | Y | Marriage Broker | |
1994 | Pattukottai Periyappa | Y | Y | Y | Pattukottai Periyappa | |
1994 | Aranmanai Kaavalan | N | N | Y | Silai thirudan Santhanam | |
1994 | Vaa Magale Vaa | Y | Y | Y | Viswanathan | |
1994 | Vanaja Girija | N | N | Y | Business man Ramanathan | |
1994 | Vaanga Partner Vaanga | N | N | Y | Ganapathi | |
1995 | Mayabazar | N | N | Y | Vishwanathan | |
1995 | God Father | N | N | Y | Viswanatham | Telugu film |
1996 | Irattai Roja | N | N | Y | Anchor | Guest appearance |
1996 | Meendum Savithri | Y | Y | Y | Narayana Moorthy | |
1997 | Nesam | N | N | Y | Himself | |
1997 | Aravindhan | N | N | Y | ||
1997 | Adimai Changili | N | N | Y | ||
1997 | Vasuki | N | N | Y | Ramasamy | |
1997 | Arunachalam | N | N | Y | Adv. Rangachari | |
1997 | Sishya | N | N | Y | Aadhimoolam | |
1997 | Vaimaye Vellum | N | N | Y | ||
1998 | Bhagavath Singh | N | N | Y | ||
1999 | Mannavaru Chinnavaru | N | N | Y | Shanmugasundaram | |
1999 | Anbulla Kadhalukku | N | N | Y | Chandrasekhar | |
2000 | Kakkai Siraginilae | N | N | Y | Judge | |
2000 | Vaanavil | N | N | Y | Himself | |
2001 | Sigamani Ramamani | Y | Y | Y | Sundaramoorthy | |
2001 | Krishna Krishna | N | N | Y | Advocate Viswanathan | Guest appearance |
2001 | Middle Class Madhavan | N | N | Y | Advocate | |
2001 | Vadagupatti Maapillai | N | N | Y | Gomathi Shankar | |
2001 | Looty | N | N | Y | Dr. Kuzhanthavelu | |
2003 | Thithikudhe | N | N | Y | Himself | |
2004 | Maha Nadigan | N | N | Y | ||
2005 | Ji | N | N | Y | Raghavan | |
2007 | Cheena Thaana 001 | N | N | Y | Governor | Guest appearance |
2007 | Nenjirukkumvarai Ninaivirukkum | N | N | Y | Guest appearance | |
2008 | Ellam Avan Seyal | N | N | Y | ||
2009 | Innoruvan | N | N | Y | Judge | |
2009 | Kannukulle | N | N | Y | ||
2013 | Alex Pandian | N | N | Y | Chief Minister | |
2013 | Oruvar Meethu Iruvar Sainthu | N | N | Y | Judge | |
2016 | Manal Kayiru 2 | N | Y | Y | Uthramerur Narathar Naidu |
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Films directed by Visu | |
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