Veteran Indian filmmaker, actor and screenwriter K. Bhagyaraj has died at the age of 73 after suffering a heart attack in Chennai.
India’s Vice President, C. P. Radhakrishnan, confirmed the news in a tribute on X, describing Bhagyaraj as one of India’s finest screenwriters whose distinctive storytelling and innovative screenplay techniques left a lasting mark on Indian cinema. He said the late filmmaker inspired generations of directors and artists, adding that his death was an irreparable loss to the industry.
Born Krishnaswamy Bhagyaraj on January 7, 1953, in Tamil Nadu’s Erode district, he began his career in the 1970s as an assistant director before rising to become one of the most influential figures in Tamil-language cinema during the 1980s.
Over a career spanning more than four decades, Bhagyaraj directed more than 25 films and appeared in over 75 movies. He won the Filmfare Award for Best Actor for the 1983 hit ‘Mundhanai Mudichu’ and earned widespread acclaim as a director with films including ‘Oru Kaidhiyin Diary’ (1985) and ‘Aakhree Raasta’ (1986). His directing career continued through ‘Siddhu’ (2010), while his final acting role came in the 2026 film ‘Dark Giant’.
Paying tribute, actor R. Sarathkumar described Bhagyaraj’s death as a profound shock, remembering him as the “king of screenplay” whose unique blend of humour, emotion and social commentary resonated deeply with audiences. He said Bhagyaraj’s timeless films, dialogues, and storytelling would continue to inspire generations.
Bhagyaraj is survived by his wife, actress Poornima Bhagyaraj, and their children, Shanthanu Bhagyaraj and Saranya Bhagyaraj.
