The director & # 39; Mullum Malarum & # 39; J Mahendran, dies at age 79

Mahendran's first director, Mullum Malarum (1978), was an instant hit that had an impact beyond the box office.

The late director J Mahendran. (Image: Twitter)

One of the most prominent faces of Tamil cinema, director J Mahendran made his last sigh Tuesday morning at his home in Chennai. He was 79 years old.

Last week, he was hospitalized after a brief illness. His son and filmmaker, John Mahendran, announced the news on Twitter. He wrote, "Director Mahendran died this morning." pic.twitter.com/usCPXX7Qsr

– Dir.JohnMahendran (@johnroshan) April 2, 2019

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Mahendran became a prolific screenwriter before turning to management. His first achievement Mullum Malarum (1978) was an instant hit that had an impact beyond the box office. The film had Rajinikanth, Sarath Babu and Sobha in the lead roles. Mahendran and Rajinikanth later worked in films such as Kaali and Johnny . Many believe that Mahendran has contributed significantly to Rajinikanth's rise as a superstar as we know him today.

According to some reports, his initiation to cinema took place following a meeting with MG Ramachandran. Mahendran was very active in the plays during his college years and had the opportunity to speak at an event where MGR was the main guest. Mahendran's speech criticized the commercial aspect of cinema and left MGR impressed. Later, they met again after several months and MGR asked him to write a play. Later, they collaborated on a film.

Lately, he has been seen in many movies as an actor. Beginning with Kamaraj in 2004, he continued to act until Petta and Boomerang in 2019.