Veteran filmmaker Bharathiraja passed away on Monday at his residence in Chennai. He was 85. The exact cause of his demise is yet to be confirmed, though his health had been declining for over a year.

Bharathiraja never truly recovered from the loss of his son, actor Manoj Bharathiraja, who passed away due to a cardiac arrest in March 2024 at the age of 48. His brother Jayaraj Periyamayathevar had spoken publicly about the filmmaker's deteriorating mental health and his inability to cope with the grief. In December last year, Bharathiraja was hospitalised in Chennai after experiencing respiratory issues.

One of Tamil cinema's most celebrated directors, Bharathiraja made his debut with 16 Vayathinile in 1977 and went on to helm nearly 40 films over a storied career that earned him the title Iyakkunar Immayam. His body of work includes beloved classics such as Kizhake Pogum Rail, Sigappu Rojakkal, Alaigal Oivathillai, Kaadhal Oviyam, and Mudhal Mariyathai. His most recent on-screen appearance was in Mohanlal's Thudarum.