Vishnuvardhan (director)
Encyclopedia
Vishnuvardhan Kulasekaran, often credited simply as Vishnuvardhan, (Tamil
: விஷ்ணுவர்தன் குலசேகரன்) is an Indian film director
. A one-time associate of Santosh Sivan
he made his directorial debut in 2003 with Kurumbu
, which did not fare well at the box office. However, his subsequent films, Arinthum Ariyamalum
(2005), Pattiyal
(2006) and Billa
(2007), went on to become highly successful ventures, turning him into a household name in Tamil Nadu.
as the eldest son to Kulasekaran. His younger brother is actor Krishna Sekhar
. Vishnuvardhan graduated from Chennai and was a visual communication
student who studied at the Loyola College
at Chennai
. As a child, Vishnu had also done small roles in Mani Ratnam's Anjali
and later on during his teenage years, continued to do brief roles in films like The Terrorist, Fiza
, Malli
and Asoka.
and Santosh Sivan
, with whom he had associated, he expressed his wishes of directing to Santosh Sivan on the sets of Asoka. Realizing his dream, Santosh agreed to accept him as his apprentice. During this period of time, Vishnu observed everything that went on behind and around the camera, from the positioning of the lights and directing the artistes and arranging the frames and sets, to the finer points of correcting the artistes and even stayed back even to clean the sets. Santosh Sivan
later also took him as an associate director for films like Malli and Asoka. In an interview, Vishnu has stated that he strives to make his films look "raw and realistic".
He made his debut through his own production, Kurumbu
starring Allari Naresh
and Diya
which was a remake of a Telugu language
film. The film did not do well at the box office and Vishnu almost written off by most critics. He later came back with a bang with the immensely successful Arinthum Ariyamalum
starring Arya
, Navdeep
and Samiksha
. The film, made at a moderate budget, emerged as one of the biggest hits in 2005. The film was produced by Geetha, a popular Malaysian radio jockey
who after hearing the script from Vishnu, immediately expressed interest in making the film.
Geetha and Vishnu then collaborated once more in the critically acclaimed Pattiyal
which also proved to be successful. The film, which starred Arya, Bharath
, Pooja
and Padmapriya, was recognized for its outstanding music by Yuvan Shankar Raja
. Vishnu was praised for handling a serious subject while retaining the entertainment factor in the film. In an interview, Vishnu stated that in order to make the film adaptation of his nephew's story more convincing, he had to interact with real gangsters and study their lifestyle. Vishnu's most recent film, Billa
, a remake of the yesteryear classic, starring Ajith Kumar
, Nayanthara and Namitha, was an all-time blockbuster. His Sarvam
starring Arya and Trisha
is musically a hit movie. -Siragugal- song was an evergreen super hit song. Now it is likely that he will be doing the biggest film in his career with Power Star Pawan Kalyan as Panjaa
the title.
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| Year || Film || Cast || Language || Notes
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Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
: விஷ்ணுவர்தன் குலசேகரன்) is an Indian film director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
. A one-time associate of Santosh Sivan
Santosh Sivan
Santosh Sivan is an Indian cinematographer, film director, and producer who has worked in Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil, and Hindi cinema....
he made his directorial debut in 2003 with Kurumbu
Kurumbu
Kurumbu is a 2003 Indian Tamil film directed by Vishnuvardhan, making his directorial debut. The film, a remake of the 2002 Telugu film Allari, stars Allari Naresh, who also starred in the original version, which marked his acting debut, along with the female artists Diya and Nikita Thukral in lead...
, which did not fare well at the box office. However, his subsequent films, Arinthum Ariyamalum
Arinthum Ariyamalum
Arinthum Ariyamalum is a 2005 Indian Tamil film written and directed by Vishnuvardhan that stars Prakash Raj along with newcomers Arya, Navdeep and Samiksha in lead and Adithya and Krishna in supporting roles. The film's music is composed by top director, Yuvan Shankar Raja...
(2005), Pattiyal
Pattiyal
Pattiyal is a 2006 Indian Tamil gangster film directed by Vishnuvardhan. The film tackles the issue of dons. It stars Arya, Bharath, Pooja Umashankar, Padmapriya Janakiraman, Cochin Haneefa and Santhana Bharathi in pivotal roles. The film's score and soundtrack are composed by Yuvan Shankar Raja...
(2006) and Billa
Billa (2007 film)
Billa is a 2007 Tamil gangster-thriller film directed by Vishnuvardhan. Based on the 1980 Tamil film of the same name and the 2006 Hindi film, Don: The Chase Begins Again, it was adapted by the director, who rewrote portions of the film from the original...
(2007), went on to become highly successful ventures, turning him into a household name in Tamil Nadu.
Early life
Vishnuvardhan was born in KumbakonamKumbakonam
Kumbakonam , also spelt as Coombaconum in the records of British India , is a town and a special grade municipality in the Thanjavur district in the southeast Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Located 40 kilometres from Thanjavur and 272 kilometres from Chennai, it is the headquarters of the Kumbakonam...
as the eldest son to Kulasekaran. His younger brother is actor Krishna Sekhar
Krishna Sekhar
Krishna Kulasekaran is an Indian film actor. He is the brother of noted film director, Vishnuvardhan.-Filmography:-References:...
. Vishnuvardhan graduated from Chennai and was a visual communication
Communication studies
Communication Studies is an academic field that deals with processes of communication, commonly defined as the sharing of symbols over distances in space and time. Hence, communication studies encompasses a wide range of topics and contexts ranging from face-to-face conversation to speeches to mass...
student who studied at the Loyola College
Loyola College, Chennai
Loyola College is a Jesuit institution in Chennai, India. The college admits undergraduates and post-graduates and offers degrees in the liberal arts, sciences and commerce. It is an autonomous institution affiliated with the University of Madras.-History:...
at Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
. As a child, Vishnu had also done small roles in Mani Ratnam's Anjali
Anjali (film)
Anjali is a 1990 Tamil-language Indian feature film directed by Mani Ratnam, starring Raghuvaran, Revathi, Prabhu, Tarun, Shruthi and Shamili. The musical film's score and soundtrack is composed by Ilaiyaraaja, being his 500th movie. Anjali is about a dying mentally disabled child, and the...
and later on during his teenage years, continued to do brief roles in films like The Terrorist, Fiza
Fiza
Fiza is a 2000 Indian film written and directed by Khalid Mohammed. The film stars Karisma Kapoor, Hrithik Roshan and Jaya Bachchan.- Synopsis :...
, Malli
Malli (film)
Malli is a Tamil feature film directed by Santosh Sivan. The film met with widespread critical acclaim upon release, and has been shown at many film festivals including the Toronto International Film Festival and the New York International Children's Film Festival.-Synopsis:The film revolves...
and Asoka.
Career
Influenced by the directing styles of Mani RatnamMani Ratnam
Mani Ratnam is an Indian filmmaker, screenwriter and producer. He made his directorial debut with the Kannada film Pallavi Anu Pallavi starring Anil Kapoor in 1983...
and Santosh Sivan
Santosh Sivan
Santosh Sivan is an Indian cinematographer, film director, and producer who has worked in Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil, and Hindi cinema....
, with whom he had associated, he expressed his wishes of directing to Santosh Sivan on the sets of Asoka. Realizing his dream, Santosh agreed to accept him as his apprentice. During this period of time, Vishnu observed everything that went on behind and around the camera, from the positioning of the lights and directing the artistes and arranging the frames and sets, to the finer points of correcting the artistes and even stayed back even to clean the sets. Santosh Sivan
Santosh Sivan
Santosh Sivan is an Indian cinematographer, film director, and producer who has worked in Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil, and Hindi cinema....
later also took him as an associate director for films like Malli and Asoka. In an interview, Vishnu has stated that he strives to make his films look "raw and realistic".
He made his debut through his own production, Kurumbu
Kurumbu
Kurumbu is a 2003 Indian Tamil film directed by Vishnuvardhan, making his directorial debut. The film, a remake of the 2002 Telugu film Allari, stars Allari Naresh, who also starred in the original version, which marked his acting debut, along with the female artists Diya and Nikita Thukral in lead...
starring Allari Naresh
Allari Naresh
Allari Naresh is an Indian film actor who stars in Tollywood films. He is the son of Telugu veteran director and producer EVV Satyanarayana. He got the tag Allari before his name after the success of his first film. But his debut film in Tamil, Kurumbu which was a remake of Allari.-Film...
and Diya
Diya
Diya may refer to:*Oladipo Diya, a Nigerian general*Diya , a ghee-based candle*Diyya, an Islamic term for monetary compensation for unintentional murder*Dia Mirza, a South Indian actress...
which was a remake of a Telugu language
Telugu language
Telugu is a Central Dravidian language primarily spoken in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India, where it is an official language. It is also spoken in the neighbouring states of Chattisgarh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Orissa and Tamil Nadu...
film. The film did not do well at the box office and Vishnu almost written off by most critics. He later came back with a bang with the immensely successful Arinthum Ariyamalum
Arinthum Ariyamalum
Arinthum Ariyamalum is a 2005 Indian Tamil film written and directed by Vishnuvardhan that stars Prakash Raj along with newcomers Arya, Navdeep and Samiksha in lead and Adithya and Krishna in supporting roles. The film's music is composed by top director, Yuvan Shankar Raja...
starring Arya
Arya (actor)
Arya is an Indian film actor who mainly appears in Tamil films. He is best known for his roles in the films Pattiyal , Naan Kadavul , Madrasapattinam , and Boss Engira Bhaskaran.-Personal life:...
, Navdeep
Navdeep
Navdeep is a regional Indian actor.Navdeep has appeared in both Telugu and Tamil films in his career, portraying diverse characters.Navdeep's first major film appearance was in the 2004 Telugu romantic film, Jai, in which he played an Indian boxer fighting against Laskar-E-Taiba terrorists...
and Samiksha
Samiksha
Samiksha is an Indian actress, mostly appearing in Telugu and Tamil films.- Early Life:Born in Chandigarh, Samiksha is an Electronic Engineer and she made her debut in movies with Telugu film 143 directed by one of the top notch telugu movie director, Puri Jaggannath...
. The film, made at a moderate budget, emerged as one of the biggest hits in 2005. The film was produced by Geetha, a popular Malaysian radio jockey
Radio jockey
A radio jockey is a person who hosts a radio talk show where the RJ selects the music to be played, or topic of discussion, by interacting with the audience; the interaction is often via telephone, but may also be online, or via email....
who after hearing the script from Vishnu, immediately expressed interest in making the film.
Geetha and Vishnu then collaborated once more in the critically acclaimed Pattiyal
Pattiyal
Pattiyal is a 2006 Indian Tamil gangster film directed by Vishnuvardhan. The film tackles the issue of dons. It stars Arya, Bharath, Pooja Umashankar, Padmapriya Janakiraman, Cochin Haneefa and Santhana Bharathi in pivotal roles. The film's score and soundtrack are composed by Yuvan Shankar Raja...
which also proved to be successful. The film, which starred Arya, Bharath
Bharath
Bharath is an Indian actor, who appears in Tamil films. He is probably best known for his critically acclaimed performances in Kaadhal, Pattiyal, Veyil and Kanden Kadhalai.-Early life:...
, Pooja
Pooja Umashankar
Pooja Gauthami Umashankar is an actress of Kannadiga Lingayat origin who has appeared in Tamil, Malayalam, Sinhala and Amateur films...
and Padmapriya, was recognized for its outstanding music by Yuvan Shankar Raja
Yuvan Shankar Raja
Yuvan Shankar Raja is an Indian film score and soundtrack composer, singer and occasional lyricist. He has predominantly scored music for Tamil as well as several Telugu films. His musical career began in 1996, at age 16, as he composed the film score for Aravindhan...
. Vishnu was praised for handling a serious subject while retaining the entertainment factor in the film. In an interview, Vishnu stated that in order to make the film adaptation of his nephew's story more convincing, he had to interact with real gangsters and study their lifestyle. Vishnu's most recent film, Billa
Billa (2007 film)
Billa is a 2007 Tamil gangster-thriller film directed by Vishnuvardhan. Based on the 1980 Tamil film of the same name and the 2006 Hindi film, Don: The Chase Begins Again, it was adapted by the director, who rewrote portions of the film from the original...
, a remake of the yesteryear classic, starring Ajith Kumar
Ajith Kumar
Ajith Kumar is an Indian film actor who works mainly in Tamil cinema. He began his career as a supporting actor in a Telugu film before gaining critical recognition in the Tamil thriller Aasai . A succession of high-grossing films followed where Ajith was usually depicted as a romantic hero, with...
, Nayanthara and Namitha, was an all-time blockbuster. His Sarvam
Sarvam
Sarvam is a 2009 Indian Tamil romantic thriller film written and directed by Vishnuvardhan, who has earlier directed highly successful Tamil films like Arinthum Ariyamalum , Pattiyal and Billa . Starring Arya and Trisha Krishnan in the lead roles while J. D...
starring Arya and Trisha
Trisha Krishnan
Trisha Krishnan is an Indian film actress and model, who primarily appears in Tamil and Telugu language films, but has also appeared in Hindi language films. She was noticed after winning several beauty pageants like the Miss Madras contest , which marked her entry into filmdom...
is musically a hit movie. -Siragugal- song was an evergreen super hit song. Now it is likely that he will be doing the biggest film in his career with Power Star Pawan Kalyan as Panjaa
Panjaa
Panjaa , is an upcoming Indian Telugu action film directed by Vishnuvardhan, starring Pawan Kalyan. The film, jointly produced by Arka Mediaworks and Sanghamitra Art Productions, also stars Sarah-Jane Dias, Anjali Lavania, Jackie Shroff and Sesh Adivi, while featuring music scored by Yuvan Shankar...
the title.
Filmography
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| Year || Film || Cast || Language || Notes
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