P. Vasu

P. Vasu
Born Vasudevan Peethambaram
(1954-09-15) 15 September 1954[1]
Kerala, India
Occupation Director, writer, producer, actor
Years active 1981 – present
Spouse(s) Shanthi
Children Sakthi Vasu, Abhirami Vasu
Website http://www.pvasu.com/

P. Vasu (born Vasudevan Peethambharam) is an Indian director, writer, and actor who works in Tamil, Kannada, Telugu and Malayalam films. In a career spanning three decades, Vasu has directed over 50 films.[2]

Personal life

P.Vsu's father Peethambaram Nair worked as a make-up man for M.G.R. and N.T.R. in their films in older days.[3] He was one of the leading make-up artists during his period and was elected as the president of the make-up union, Tamil Nadu for 30 years. He later went on to become a producer.

He produced about 25 films in Tamil and Telugu and became one of the leading producers in the south. He produced with his brother M.C. Sekhar who was a cinematographer. M.C. Sekhar had worked as a cinematographer for more than 150 films. Peethambharam died on 21 February 2011 at the age of 89.[4]

Vasu is an alumnus of Wesley High School, Chennai. Vasu is married to Shanthi and has a son, Sakthi Vasu, who is an actor and a daughter, Abhirami Vasudevan. His mother is Kamala. Vasu's brothers are Vidyasagar, Vimal and his sisters are Vijaylakshmi,Vasantha and Vanaja.[5]

Career

Vasu joined director C. V. Sridhar as an assistant. Vasu started his career with Santhana Bharathi as a co-director and made films like Panneer Pushpangal, Mella Pesungal, Sahasame Jeevitham, Neethiyin nizhal, Madhumalar. "We compromised on certain things as we had different approaches to the subject. That's the reason why some of our other movies failed to make a big impression in the box office, prompting us to take our own paths," he says.[6]

He has directed more than 60 movies in several languages which include Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Hindi including Aptha Mitra and Chandra mukhi.

The director went through a career slump in the mid 1990s after a series of failures in 1995, through the Prabhu-starrers Kattumarakaran and Mr. Madras, while his high budget romantic musical Love Birds also received poor reviews and collections.[7][8]

In June 2013, P. Vasu revealed that he was set to direct an English film titled Curry in Love with an apparent star cast of Sonam Kapoor, Anil Kapoor, Vijay, Eddie Murphy and Jon Voight. However the supposed cast denied the reports as baseless and P. Vasu postponed the film, citing a delay in production.[9][10] Similarly in early 2014, P. Vasu released an official statement claiming that his next film would be an animatronics venture titled Aishwaryavum Aayiram Kaakkavum and that Aishwarya Rai would feature in the leading role. Aishwarya Rai's team later denied claims citing that such claims of an agreement were premature.[11][12] He is currently directing the Kannada version of the 2013 Malayalam film Drishyam.[13]

Style of Working

His films are usually made with a commercial format in the masala genre, with action, family sentiment, comedy, betrayal, revenge and redemption, appearing as key themes. Family sentiment i.e. Melodrama is the recurring themes in all of his directorials. Indiaglitz wrote: "Vasu ruled the early 90's with his sentimental tearjerkers, He started using sister-brother- mother- father sentiment".[14] According to Behindwoods, " Vasu’s style of storytelling has pervasive dramatization with a more-than-usual touch of sentiment".[15]

Vasu learnt the finer nuances he learnt on direction from Sridhar, under whom he started off as an assistant director and added that he never followed Sridhar's style of filmmaking and has always tried to be original.[6] Vasu said that durin childhood "I found myself watching films and narrating the stories to my friends in school. If the school would begin at nine I would reach there by eight and narrate the story for an hour".[16]

Accolades

Vasu has won recognition for his work from the film fraternity and the state government. He won state awards for three years in a row from 1990, for Best Screenplay and Dialogues in Nadigan, in 1991 as Best Director in Chinna Thambi, in 1992 for Best Screenplay and Story in Walter Vetrivel. He was awarded the Filmfare award for Best Direction in the movie Aaptha Mithra. He was awarded the Kalaimaamani Award in 2004, with his father Shri M. Peethambaram who was an awardee for his contribution in the field of make-up.

Vasu is a member of the state award selection committee and jury member of the committee for tax-free movies.

Filmography

As director

Year Film Cast Language Notes
1981 Panneer Pushpangal Suresh, Shanthi Krishna Tamil Co-directed with Santhana Bharathi
1982 Madhu Malar Pratap Pothan, Suhasini Tamil Co-directed with Santhana Bharathi
1983 Mella Pesungal Vasanth, Bhanupriya Tamil Co-directed with Santhana Bharathi
1983 Guri Rajkumar, Archana KannadaSuper Hit 100 Days
1984 Sahasame Jeevitham Balakrishna, Lizy TeluguCo-directed with Santhana Bharathi
1985 Kathanayaka Vishnuvardhan, Sumalata Ambarish Kannada Super Hit 100 Days
Needhiyin Nizhal Sivaji Ganesan, Prabhu Ganesan Tamil Co-directed with Santhana Bharathi
1987 Jayasimha Vishnuvardhan, Mahalakshmi Kannada Super Hit 25 weeks
Samarappanam Malayalam
Jeevana Jyothi Vishnuvardhan, Ambika KannadaSuper Hit 100 Days
1988 Daada Vishnuvardhan, Sangeeta Bijlani Kannada Super Hit 100 Days
En Thangachi Padichava Prabhu Ganesan, Rupini Tamil Remade in Hindi as Aaj Ka Arjun
Remade in Telugu as Muddula Mavayya
1989 Vaathiyaar Veettu Pillai Sathyaraj, Shobhana Tamil 100th film of Sathyaraj
Ponmana Selvan Vijayakanth, Shobhana Tamil
Pillaikkaga Prabhu Ganesan, Gowthami Tamil
1990 Panakkaran Rajinikanth, Gowthami Tamil Remake of Hindi film Laawaris
Velai Kidaichuduchu Sathyaraj, Gowthami Tamil Remade in Telugu as Assembly Rowdy
Remade in Hindi as Loafer
Nadigan Sathyaraj, Kushboo Tamil Remake of Hindi film Professor
1991 Chinna Thambi Prabhu, Kushboo Tamil Remade in Telugu as Chanti
Remade in Kannada as Ramachari
Remade in Hindi as Anari
Best director Tamil Nadu State Award for 1992 the film
Kizhakku Karai Prabhu Ganesan, Kushboo Tamil
Adhikaari Arun Pandiyan, Gowthami Tamil
1992 Rickshaw Mama Sathyaraj, Gowthami, Kushboo Tamil
Senthamizh Paattu Prabhu Ganesan, Sukanya Tamil
Idhu Namma Bhoomi Karthik Muthuraman, Kushboo Tamil
Amma Vandhachu K. Bhagyaraj, Kushboo Tamil
Mannan Rajinikanth, Vijayashanti, Kushboo Tamil Remake of Anuraga Aralithu
1993 Walter Vetrivel Sathyaraj, Sukanya Tamil Remade in Telugu as S. P. Parasuram
Remade in Hindi as Khuddar
Uzhaippali Rajinikanth, Roja Tamil
Udan Pirappu Sathyaraj, Rahman, Sukanya Tamil
1994 Sethupathi IPS Vijayakanth, Meena Tamil
Sadhu Arjun, Raveena Tandon Tamil
1995 Kattumarakaran Prabhu Ganesan, Anjali Tamil
Coolie Sarath Kumar, Meena Tamil
Mr. Madras Prabhu Ganesan, Sukanya Tamil
1996 Love Birds Prabhu Deva, Nagma Tamil
1997 Vaimaye Vellum R. Parthiban, Rakshana Tamil
Paththini Jayaram, Kushboo Tamil
1999 Suyamvaram Sathyaraj, Prabhu Ganesan Tamil
Malabar Police Sathyaraj, Kushboo Tamil
Ponnu Veetukaaran Sathyaraj, Preetha Vijayakumar Tamil
Hogi Pyaar Ki Jeet Ajay Devgan, Neha Hindi
2000 Seenu Karthik Muthuraman, Malavika Tamil Remake of Malayalam film Bharatham
Vanna Thamizh Pattu Prabhu Ganesan Tamil
Kakkai Siraginilae R. Parthiban, Preetha Vijayakumar Tamil
2001 Asathal Sathyaraj, Ramya Krishnan Tamil [17]
2002 Prudhvi Narayana Srihari, Vijayalakshmi Telugu
2003 Hrudayavantha Vishnuvardhan, Nagma Kannada Super Hit 100 Days
Kadhal Kisu Kisu Bala, Charmy Kaur Tamil [18]
2004 Apthamitra Vishnuvardhan, Ramesh Arvind Kannada One Year Kannada Blockbuster Hit
Remake of Malayalam Film Manichitrathazhu
2005 Chandramukhi Rajinikanth, Prabhu Ganesan Tamil One year Tamil Blockbuster Hit
Remake of Malayalam Film Manichitrathazhu
2006 Paramasivan Ajith Kumar, Laila Tamil Remake of Hindi film Kartoos
2007 Maharadhi Balakrishna, Meera Jasmine Telugu [19]
Thottal Poo Malarum Sakthi Vasu, Gowri Munjal Tamil [20]
2008 Krishnarjuna Vishnu Vardhan Babu, Mamta Mohandas Telugu [21]
Kuselan Pasupathy, Rajinikanth, Prabhu Tamil Remake of Malayalam film Katha Parayumbol[22]
Kathanayakudu Jagapathi Babu, Rajinikanth Telugu
2010 Aptharakshaka Vishnuvardhan, Sandhya Kannada35 Weeks Blockbuster[23]
Nagavalli Venkatesh, Anushka Telugu
Remake of Aptharakshaka Kannada[24]
2011 Puli Vesham R. K., Karthik, Sadha Tamil Remake of Kannada film Muniya[25]
2012 Arakshaka Upendra, Ragini Dwivedi, Sadha KannadaHit 100 days [26]
2014 Drishya V. Ravichandran, Navya Nair KannadaRemake of Malayalam film Drishyam
2016 Shivalinga Shiva Rajkumar, Vedhika Kannada

As an actor

Year Film Role Language Notes
2000 Vallarasu Kandhasamy Tamil
2000 Seenu Tamil
2001 Ee Parakkum Thalika R. K. Santhanam Malayalam
2001 Thenkasi Pattanam Devaraj Tamil
2002 Sundara Travels Gayathri's father Tamil
2003 Banda Paramasivam Tamil
2003 Kadhal Kisu Kisu Tamil
2004 Arasatchi Tamil
2004 Maha Nadigan Arivanandan Tamil
2005 Chandramukhi Tamil Special appearance in song "Devuda"
2007 Manikanda Tamil
2008 Dasavatharam J. Ragavendra (Jaa Raa) Tamil
2008 Kuselan Tamil Special appearance
2010 Naane Ennul Illai himself Tamil
2010 Aptharakshaka Kannada Special appearance in song "Chamundi Thaayiyaane"
2010 Thanthonni Malayalam

As a writer

Year Film Credited as Language Notes
Story Screenplay Dialogue
1986 Ee Jeeva Ninagagi Yes Yes Kannada
1988 En Thangachi Padichava Yes Yes Yes Tamil
1988 Nammoora Raja Yes Kannada
1989 Vaathiyaar Veettu Pillai Yes Yes Yes Tamil
1989 Ponmana Selvan Yes Yes Yes Tamil
1990 Nadigan Yes Yes Yes Tamil Best dialogue writer Tamil Nadu State Award for 1990 for the film
1990 Velai Kidaichuduchu Yes Yes Yes Tamil
1990 Panakkaran Yes Yes Tamil
1991 Assembly Rowdy Yes Telugu Remake of Velai Kidaichuduchu
1991 Chinna Thambi Yes Yes Yes Tamil
1991 Kizhakku Karai Yes Yes Yes Tamil
1992 Gharana Mogudu Yes Telugu Remake of Anuraga Aralithu
1992 Chanti Yes Telugu Remake of Chinna Thambi
1992 Rickshaw Mama Yes Yes Yes Tamil
1992 Senthamizh Paattu Yes Yes Yes Tamil
1992 Idhu Namma Bhoomi Yes Yes Yes Tamil
1992 Amma Vanthachu Yes Yes Yes Tamil
1992 Mannan Yes Yes Tamil
1993 Anari Yes Hindi Remake of Chinna Thambi
1993 Purusha Lakshanam Yes Tamil
1993 Walter Vetrivel Yes Yes Yes Tamil
1993 Uzhaippali Yes Yes Yes Tamil
1993 Udan Pirappu Yes Yes Yes Tamil
1994 Sethupathi IPS Yes Yes Yes Tamil
1994 Sadhu Yes Yes Yes Tamil
1994 S. P. Parasuram Yes Telugu Remake of Walter Vetrivel
1994 Bhale Pellam Yes Telugu
1994 Khuddar Yes Hindi Remake of Walter Vetrivel
1994 Laadla Yes Hindi Remake of Mannan
1995 Mr. Madras Yes Yes Yes Tamil
1995 Kattumarakaran Yes Yes Yes Tamil
1995 Coolie Yes Yes Yes Tamil
1995 Amma Koduku Yes Telugu Remake of Senthamizh Paattu
1996 Love Birds Yes Yes Yes Tamil
1996 Aaj Ka Arjun Yes Hindi Remake of En Thangachi Padichava
1996 Loafer Yes Yes Hindi Remake of Velai Kidaichuduchu
1997 Vaimaye Vellum Yes Yes Yes Tamil
1998 Ayushman Bhava Yes Malayalam
1999 Malabar Police Yes Yes Yes Tamil
1999 Ponnu Veetukkaran Yes Yes Yes Tamil
2000 Kakkai Siraginilae Yes Yes Yes Tamil
2000 Vanna Thamizh Pattu Yes Yes Yes Tamil
2001 Asathal Yes Yes Yes Tamil
2003 Kadhal Kisu Kisu Yes Yes Yes Tamil
2005 Chandramukhi Yes Yes Tamil Remake of Manichitrathazhu
2007 Thottal Poo Malarum Yes Yes Yes Tamil
2007 Paramasivan Yes Yes Tamil
2008 Kuselan Yes Yes Tamil
2010 Peddainti Alludu Yes Telugu
2011 Puli Vesham Yes Yes Tamil
2016 Shivalinga Yes Yes Kannada

As producer

Year Film Cast Language Notes
1993 Walter Vetrivel Sathyaraj, Sukanya Tamil Produced by his wife Shanthi
1994 Sadhu Arjun Sarja, Raveena Tandon Tamil
1999 Malabar Police Sathyaraj, Kushboo Tamil Produced by his wife Shanthi
2007 Thottal Poo Malarum Sakthi Vasu, Gowri Munjal Tamil

References

  1. P Vasu – Man with a Midas touch . IndiaGlitz (2006-09-16). Retrieved on 2012-04-20.
  2. Half-century not out . IndiaGlitz (2005-04-13). Retrieved on 2012-04-20.
  3. "In the right direction". The Hindu (Chennai, India). 9 September 2006.
  4. P. Vasu's Father Peethambaram Passes Away. Behindwoods.com (2011-02-21). Retrieved on 2012-04-20.
  5. P Vasu's father Peethambaram passes away. Entertainment.oneindia.in (2011-02-22). Retrieved on 2012-04-20.
  6. 1 2 http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-metroplus/in-the-right-direction/article3199228.ece
  7. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=svxOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=PRUEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4889,5608258&dq=mr+romeo+prabhu+deva&hl=en
  8. https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/soc.culture.tamil/qMqQhdPEmaM
  9. http://www.firstpost.com/bollywood/not-a-part-of-hollywood-film-curry-in-love-says-sonam-kapoor-884749.html
  10. http://behindwoods.com/tamil-movies-cinema-news-10/p-vasu---ilayathalapthy-vijay-for-a-hollywood-movie-p-vasu-ilayathalapathy-vijay-17-06-13.html
  11. http://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/aishwarya-rai-to-make-a-comeback-with-p-vasu-s-next/article1-1184995.aspx
  12. http://www.ibtimes.co.in/articles/539312/20140218/aishwarya-rai-bachchan-p-vasu-comeback-film.htm
  13. http://www.bollywoodlife.com/south-gossip/p-vasu-ravicharan-referred-my-name-for-drishyams-kannada-remake/
  14. http://www.indiaglitz.com/p-vasu-will-he-deliver-the-goods-tamil-news-11154
  15. http://www.behindwoods.com/News/12-5-05/dir_vasu.htm
  16. http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-metroplus/making-up-stories/article2251324.ece
  17. "Film Review: ''Asathal''". Chennai, India: The Hindu. 2001-05-25. Retrieved 2013-09-23.
  18. "Kadhal Kisu Kisu". Chennai, India: The Hindu. 2003-07-18. Retrieved 2013-09-23.
  19. "Maharadhi - Telugu cinema Review - Bala Krishna, Sneha, Meera Jasmine & Navaneet Kaur". Idlebrain.com. 2007-02-01. Retrieved 2013-09-23.
  20. "Movie Review : Thottal Poo Malarum". Sify. Retrieved 2013-09-23.
  21. "Review: Krishnarjuna". Rediff. Retrieved 2013-09-23.
  22. "Review: Rajnikanth's Kuselan". Rediff. Retrieved 2013-09-23.
  23. "Aptha Rakshaka Kannada Movie Review". IndiaGlitz. 2010-02-19. Retrieved 2013-09-23.
  24. "Nagavalli film review". Idlebrain.com. 2010-12-16. Retrieved 2013-09-23.
  25. "Puli Vesham Tamil Movie Review". IndiaGlitz. 2011-08-29. Retrieved 2013-09-23.
  26. Prakash Upadhyaya (2012-01-26). "Arakshaka - Movie Review". OneIndia. Retrieved 2013-09-23.
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