Rudraiah Chockalingam is an Indian film director most known for directing the film, Aval Appadithan (1978) which starred Kamal Haasan, Rajinikanth and Sripriya. He graduated with a Bachelor Degree in Economics from St. Josephs College, Trichy and went on to pursue a degree in film direction (d.f. tech) from Film and Television Institute of Tamil Nadu, Chennai. Aval Appadithan 'made an impact at the time of its release because its story and dialogue were different from many other Tamil films. The photography throughout the film emphasises moods by using shadows, and close-up shots are used extensively. Jump cuts are also common throughout the film. Aval Appadithan is considered as a milestone in Tamil film history. Renowned film critic, Mrinal Sen, remarked that the film "was far ahead of the times" . Rudraiah's second film, Gramathu Athiyayam (1980) was a rural tale set in a rustic Tamil village.[1][2]