Pandiraj
| Director Pandiraj | |
|---|---|
| Born |
7 June 1976 Virachilai Township, Pudukkottai. |
| Occupation | Film director, screenwriter, film producer, Distributor |
Pandiraj (பாண்டிராஜ் in Tamil) is a Tamil film film director and producer, who predominantly works in South Indian cinema. His debut movie, Pasanga released in 2009, was commercially successful[1] and won several awards, including the National Film Award for Best Screenplay. He has directed 4 films so far and has introduced several actors and technicians in all major departments to the Tamil Film industry which includes Actors Vimal (Pasanga) and Siva Karthikeyan (Marina), Cinematographers Vijay (Marina) and Prem Kumar (Pasanga), Music Directors Girish (Marina) and Taj Noor (Vamsam), Editors Athiyappan Siva (Marina) and Yoga Baskar (Pasanga), Art Directors A.A.Devaraj (Vamsam) and Crawford (Pasanga) and Child Artists Sreeram, Kishore, Pandian, Murugesh, KarthikrajaIn in Pasanga and Gautham Purushoth in Marina.
Personal life
Pandiraj was born June 7, 1976 and brought up in Virachilai Township, Pudukkottai, Tamil Nadu, India. After Schooling, he moved to Chennai year 1996. who started as an office-boy with the famous director K. Bhagyaraj, has come a long way since then. During his early years, he wrote several short stories for the famous Tamil Bagya. Gradually, his interest in film making increased and after struggling a great deal, he got the chance to be an assistant director to filmmaker Cheran (director). Later he joined as an assistant director to Director Thangar Bachan and Chimbu Deven. He worked as an Assistant Director in 6 films.
Career
As a Director
His debut movie Pasanga was the first movie to be produced by the Subramaniapuram fame Director M. Sasikumar under his 'a company productions'. Pandiraj proved his efficiency in film making in his first movie itself and in a short period of time he was recognized as one of India’s best well known directors. He is now considered one of the most popular and influential Director in Tamil cinema. Pasanga is a dedication to his childhood memories which won several National and International Awards. This movie became the debutant for actor Vimal and his role as 'Meenakshi Sundaram' was very well received by the audience.
Following the massive hit of his debut movie, Pandiraj directed his second movie with the newcomer Arulnithi and Sunaina and the movie was named Vamsam, released in 2010. The film was produced by Arulnidhi's father and M. Karunanidhi's youngest son, M. K. Thamizharasu, and features Jayaprakash, Ganja Karuppu, Kishore, Anupama Kumar among others in supporting roles. The film gained positive reviews and went well in the box office.
As a producer and Director
Pandiraj returned in 2012, producing and directing his third movie, Marina starring Siva Karthikeyan, in his feature film debut and actress Oviya of Kalavani fame in the lead roles. The movie released on February 3, 2012. It received mixed reviews from critics. The movie was produced under the director's own production house "Pasanga Productions".
The director's latest venture is Kedi Billa Killadi Ranga which is one of the block-busters of 2013 Tamil Cinema. Produced by his own Pasanga Productions, Pandiraj starred his previous heroes Siva Karthikeyan and Vimal in the lead alongside Bindu Madhavi and Regina Cassandra. The film was released on 29 March 2013 and received positive responses from critics as well as audiences and successfully completed 100 days in many theaters in Tamil Nadu.
Currently Pandiraj is distributing his former assistant Naveen's debutt movie Moodar Koodam under his banner Pasanga Productions.
He is also penning the dialogues for cinematographer Vijay Milton's second movie as director named Goli Soda
Filmography
As a Director and Producer
| Year | Title | Language | Credited As | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Pasanga | Tamil | Director | National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil National Film Award for Best Screenplay Vijay Award for Best Find of the Year Vijay Award for Best Crew Nominated-Filmfare Award for Best Director – Tamil Nominated-Vijay Award for Best Director Nominated-Vijay Award for Best Story, Screenplay Writer |
| 2010 | Vamsam | Tamil | Director | |
| 2012 | Marina | Tamil | Director and Producer | |
| 2013 | Kedi Billa Killadi Ranga | Tamil | Director and Producer | |
| 2013 | Moodar Koodam | Tamil | Distributor | |
| 2014 | Goli Soda | Tamil | Dialogues | |
| 2014 | ithu namma aalu | Tamil | Director |
Awards, Nominations and Honours
International Awards
16th International Children’s Film Festival 2009 (Hyderabad, India)
- Golden Elephant Award for Best Director
7th Chennai International Film Festival
- Best Tamil Feature Film
National Awards
57th Indian National Film Awards (India)
- Best Screenplay (Dialogues)
- Best Regional Film for Pasanga
Regional Awards
Government of Pondicherry Award
- Sankaradas Swamigal Award For Best Indian Film 2010
World Malayali Council
- Essar Award for Best Director
South Scope Cine Awards
- Best film
- Best find of the year (Pandiraj)
- Best crew (Pasanga)
Tamil Nadu Murpokku Eluthalar Kalignargal Sangam
- Best film
- Best writer & director
Chennai Arts & Literature Society
- Best Achiever Award
Tamil Nadu Kalai Ilakkiya Perumandram
- Honorary Award
Pudhucherry Manila Kalai Ilakkiya Perumandram
- Best Film
Anandha Vikatan Weekly
- Best Director
- Best Film
International Film Festival Nominations
- 19th Golden Rooster And Hundred Flowers Film Festival (Jiangyin,China)
- Chinese Festival Of India 2010 (China)
- 6th International Children Film Festival 2010 (Bangalore, India)
- 40th International Film Festival Of India 2009 (Goa)
- 2nd International Children Film Festival Bangladesh
- Pune International Children Film Festival
- Lucknow International Film Festival - Best Film (Nominee) and Best Director (Nominee)
- SILPIX Children's Film Festival" in America, Chicago 2011
- Norway International Film Festival 2010
- Children’s Film Festival, Singapore - 2011
References
External links
| ||||||||