Dreaded don to dear grandfather: Actor Bharathiraja’s many faces

Filmmakers make for some of the best performers on screen. Tamil cinema has had a long list of filmmakers who made a stellar turn to acting. One of the most enigmatic entrances to the list was Bharathiraja , the ‘Iyakkunar Imayam’ who breathed his last in Chennai on Wednesday. While enthralling audiences with countless iconic films that Tamil cinema audiences still fondly remember , Bharathiraja made a turn to acting in PS Nivas’ 1980 film Kallukkul Eeram . However, it was only in 2004 that the actor in Bharathiraja would find recognition, thanks to Mani Ratnam’s political actioner Aayutha Ezhuthu . While he did not have a great record as a filmmaker post 2000, the actor in him found umpteen opportunities to shine, so much so that in the late 2010s and early 2020s, the actor had become a much sought-after character artiste in Tamil cinema — and inarguably the best amongst filmmakers. An innings that began with 2017’s Kurangu Bommai grew strong, as many filmmakers saw in him an actor who could stun your heart as a grandfather in despair, as well as scare you as a menacing villain.