Ameer Sultan
Encyclopedia
Ameer Sultan; born 5 December 1966) is an Indian film director
, producer
and actor, working in the Tamil film industry
. He has directed three films and has gained notable critical praise for two of them, the mystery thriller Raam (2005) and the drama Paruthiveeran
(2007). He made his acting debut in Yogi
(2009).
, Tamil Nadu
India
. He initially studied economics and worked as an entrepreneur before starting to work as an assistant director to Tamil filmmaker Bala
on his award winning film Sethu
in 1999.
Shortly after, he directed his first film, the romantic comedy Mounam Pesiyadhe
(2002). The film starred Suriya in the lead and became Trisha Krishnan
's first release featuring her in a leading role. The same year, he began his own production company, Teamwork Production House. His second directorial was the mystery thriller Raam, which he produced himself and released three years later. The film, which revolves around an autistic teenager, portrayed by Jeeva, who is highly attached to his mother, but becomes suspected of having murdered her, received critical acclaim, with Jeeva and the film's composer Yuvan Shankar Raja
winning awards at the 2005 Cyprus International Film Festival
. It also became Jeeva's breakthrough in the film industry, who till then had appeared in two unsuccessful home productions only. In 2007, he directed the drama Paruthiveeran
set in a village in Tamil Nadu
, which marked the debut of Karthi, younger son of Sivakumar
and brother of Suriya. Critics heaped high praise on the film and Ameer's direction, while Karthi as well as Priyamani
, who performed the female lead, won several notable prizes for their performances. Paruthiveeran remains Ameer's most acclaimed work, having received six Filmfare Awards South
including the Best Film and Best Director trophies, two National Film Awards
, two Tamil Nadu State Film Awards
and four Vijay Awards
. The film further fetched accolades at international platform, winning the Best Film Award at the Osian's Cinefan Festival of Asian and Arab Cinema
and Netpac Special Mention award
at the Berlin International Film Festival
. He is currently working on his fourth directorial, Aadhi Bhagavan
, featuring Jayam Ravi
and Neetu Chandra
in the lead roles.
, also a Tamil activist, and other prominent Tamil directors, actors, and producers. The rally was part of statewide protests across Tamil Nadu
in 2008 condemning Sri Lanka. During the rally, Ameer and fellow director Seeman
made speeches criticizing the Indian government and expressing support to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
, a Tamil separatist group on the island. The two were later released on bail with the help of their assistant directors, Bharathiraja, and actor R. Sarath Kumar. Ameer has expressed strong support to Eelam Tamils right to self determination and the independence of Tamil Eelam
.
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:...
, producer
Film producer
A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
and actor, working in the Tamil film industry
Tamil cinema
Tamil cinema is the film industry based in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, dedicated to the production of films in the Tamil language. It is based in Chennai's Kodambakkam district, where several South Indian film production companies are headquartered...
. He has directed three films and has gained notable critical praise for two of them, the mystery thriller Raam (2005) and the drama Paruthiveeran
Paruthiveeran
Paruthiveeran is a 2007 Indian Tamil film written and directed by Ameer Sultan. The film stars Karthi in his feature film debut as the titular character, with Priyamani as the female lead and Ponvannan, Saravanan and Ganja Karuppu and Sujatha essaying supporting roles...
(2007). He made his acting debut in Yogi
Yogi (2009 film)
Yogi is a 2009 Indian Tamil action-drama film directed by Subramaniya Shiva, who earlier directed films like Thiruda Thirudi and Pori. Starring director-turned-actor Ameer Sultan, Madhumitha, Swathi, Ponvannan, lyricist Snehan, making his acting debut, and Ganja Karuppu in lead roles, the film is...
(2009).
Early life and career
Ameer Sultan was in MaduraiMadurai
Madurai is the third largest city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. It served as the capital city of the Pandyan Kingdom. It is the administrative headquarters of Madurai District and is famous for its temples built by Pandyan and...
, Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. He initially studied economics and worked as an entrepreneur before starting to work as an assistant director to Tamil filmmaker Bala
Bala (director)
Bala is an Indian film director, screenwriter, and producer, working in Tamil cinema. Bala is frequently credited with having "revolutionized Tamil cinema", through his realistic, dark and disturbing films that have garnered high critical acclaim...
on his award winning film Sethu
Sethu
Sethu is a 1999 Tamil romantic tragedy film directed by debutant Bala. The film stars Vikram and Abitha in the lead roles with Sivakumar and Sriman in other pivotal roles...
in 1999.
Shortly after, he directed his first film, the romantic comedy Mounam Pesiyadhe
Mounam Pesiyadhe
Mounam Pesiyadhe is a 2002 Indian Tamil romantic drama film, directed and written by Ameer Sultan, making his directorial debut. It stars Suriya, Trisha, newcomers Nandha and Mahaa and choreographer-turned-actor Anju Mahendra in supporting roles along with several other newcomers, while Laila...
(2002). The film starred Suriya in the lead and became Trisha Krishnan
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...
's first release featuring her in a leading role. The same year, he began his own production company, Teamwork Production House. His second directorial was the mystery thriller Raam, which he produced himself and released three years later. The film, which revolves around an autistic teenager, portrayed by Jeeva, who is highly attached to his mother, but becomes suspected of having murdered her, received critical acclaim, with Jeeva and the film's composer 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...
winning awards at the 2005 Cyprus International Film Festival
Cyprus International Film Festival
The Cyprus International Film Festival is an annual film festival held in Cyprus. It is a non-profit organisation. The festival features premieres and screenings of many films, and contains competitive categories including Feature, Short, Documentary, Video art, Video Dance and animation...
. It also became Jeeva's breakthrough in the film industry, who till then had appeared in two unsuccessful home productions only. In 2007, he directed the drama Paruthiveeran
Paruthiveeran
Paruthiveeran is a 2007 Indian Tamil film written and directed by Ameer Sultan. The film stars Karthi in his feature film debut as the titular character, with Priyamani as the female lead and Ponvannan, Saravanan and Ganja Karuppu and Sujatha essaying supporting roles...
set in a village in Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
, which marked the debut of Karthi, younger son of Sivakumar
Sivakumar
Sivakumar is a Tamil cinema actor who has portrayed a wide range of character roles onscreen. Sivakumar was introduced in the Tamil movie Kaakum karangal which was produced by AVM Productions....
and brother of Suriya. Critics heaped high praise on the film and Ameer's direction, while Karthi as well as Priyamani
Priyamani
Priya Vasudev Mani Iyer, better known by her stage name Priyamani is an Indian film actress and model who has appeared in several Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu and Kannada films...
, who performed the female lead, won several notable prizes for their performances. Paruthiveeran remains Ameer's most acclaimed work, having received six Filmfare Awards South
Filmfare Awards South
Filmfare Awards South is the South Indian segment of the annual Filmfare Awards, presented by The Times Group to honour both artistic and technical excellence of professionals in the South Indian film industry. The awards are separately given for Kannada, Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam films...
including the Best Film and Best Director trophies, two National Film Awards
National Film Awards
The National Film Awards is the most prominent film award ceremony in India. Established in 1954, it is administered, along with the International Film Festival of India and the Indian Panorama, by the Indian government's Directorate of Film Festivals since 1973.Every year, a national panel...
, two Tamil Nadu State Film Awards
Tamil Nadu State Film Awards
Tamil Nadu State Film Awards are the most notable film awards given for Tamil films in India. They are given annually to honour the best talents and provide encouragement and incentive to the South Indian film industry by the Government of Tamil Nadu. The awards are decided by a committee headed by...
and four Vijay Awards
Vijay Awards
The Vijay Awards are presented by the Tamil television channel STAR Vijay to honour excellence in Tamil cinema. It has given annually since 2006. The awards are decided by a jury, consisting of noted filmmakers, critics and technicians, while winners in a separate category named "Favourite awards"...
. The film further fetched accolades at international platform, winning the Best Film Award at the Osian's Cinefan Festival of Asian and Arab Cinema
Osian's Cinefan Festival of Asian and Arab Cinema
Osian's-Cinefan, the largest film-festival devoted to Asian and Arab cinema, is part of Osian's Film House Division. The festival celebrated its 10th anniversary in July 2008.-History:...
and Netpac Special Mention award
Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema
The Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema is a worldwide organization of 29 member countries. It was created as the result of a conference on Asian cinema organized by Cinemaya, the Asian Film Quarterly, in New Delhi in 1990 at the instance and with the support of UNESCO, Paris.Headquartered...
at the Berlin International Film Festival
Berlin International Film Festival
The Berlin International Film Festival , also called the Berlinale, is one of the world's leading film festivals and most reputable media events. It is held in Berlin, Germany. Founded in West Berlin in 1951, the festival has been celebrated annually in February since 1978...
. He is currently working on his fourth directorial, Aadhi Bhagavan
Aadhi Bhagavan
Aadhi Bhagavan is an upcoming Tamil romance film written and directed by Ameer Sultan , which stars Jayam Ravi and Neetu Chandra in the lead roles. Produced by DMK politician J. Anbazhagan, the film, featuring music composed by Yuvan Shankar Raja, cinematography by R. B. Gurudev and K...
, featuring Jayam Ravi
Jayam Ravi
Jayam Ravi is an Indian film actor. Ravi has appeared in films including Jayam, M. Kumaran Son Of Mahalakshmi, Unakkum Enakkum, Santhosh Subramaniam and Thillalangadi all of which have been directed by his brother, M...
and Neetu Chandra
Neetu Chandra
Neetu Chandra is an Indian theatre and film actress and model.-Early life and education:Neetu Chandra was born in Patna, Bihar, India. A resident of Patliputra Colony, she did her schooling from the Notre Dame Academy, Patna, and dreamt of entering the modelling world...
in the lead roles.
As director
This is a list of films directed by Ameer Sultan. For many of these films, Ameer Sultan is also credited for story, screenplay and producing:| Year | Film | Language | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Mounam Pesiyadhe Mounam Pesiyadhe Mounam Pesiyadhe is a 2002 Indian Tamil romantic drama film, directed and written by Ameer Sultan, making his directorial debut. It stars Suriya, Trisha, newcomers Nandha and Mahaa and choreographer-turned-actor Anju Mahendra in supporting roles along with several other newcomers, while Laila... |
Tamil 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... |
|
| 2005 | Raam | Tamil | |
| 2007 | Paruthiveeran Paruthiveeran Paruthiveeran is a 2007 Indian Tamil film written and directed by Ameer Sultan. The film stars Karthi in his feature film debut as the titular character, with Priyamani as the female lead and Ponvannan, Saravanan and Ganja Karuppu and Sujatha essaying supporting roles... |
Tamil | Winner, Osian's Film House Division, Filmfare Award for Best Director – Tamil |
| 2011 | Aadhi Bhagavan Aadhi Bhagavan Aadhi Bhagavan is an upcoming Tamil romance film written and directed by Ameer Sultan , which stars Jayam Ravi and Neetu Chandra in the lead roles. Produced by DMK politician J. Anbazhagan, the film, featuring music composed by Yuvan Shankar Raja, cinematography by R. B. Gurudev and K... |
Tamil | Filming |
As actor
| Year | Film | Role | Language | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Yogi Yogi (2009 film) Yogi is a 2009 Indian Tamil action-drama film directed by Subramaniya Shiva, who earlier directed films like Thiruda Thirudi and Pori. Starring director-turned-actor Ameer Sultan, Madhumitha, Swathi, Ponvannan, lyricist Snehan, making his acting debut, and Ganja Karuppu in lead roles, the film is... |
Yogeshwaran (Yogi) | Tamil 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... |
Written by Ameer |
| 2010 | Yuddham Sei Yuddham Sei Yuddham Sei is a 2011 Indian Tamil crime thriller film written and directed by Myshkin. It stars director Cheran in the lead role along with debutant Dipa Shah, Y. Gee. Mahendra, Lakshmi Ramakrishnan and Jayaprakash. The film was released on 4 February 2011.-Plot:J.K. , a brooding CB-CID officer,... |
Tamil | Special appearance | |
| 2012 | Annakodiyum Kodiveeranum Annakodiyum Kodiveeranum Annakodiyum Kodiveeranum is a 2012 Tamil film directed by veteran director Bharathiraja.It features Ameer and Iniya in the lead roles. The film has music by G. V... |
Kattuviriyan | Tamil | Filming |
Controversy
On 24 October 2008, Ameer was arrested. Being a Tamil activist, he took part in a film rally condemning state atrocities against Tamils in Sri Lanka, organized by director BharathirajaBharathiraja
P. Bharathiraja , is a critically acclaimed South Indian filmmaker.He displayed a story-teller's potential from an early age. Bharathiraja is known for his realistic and sensitive portrayal of village-life in his movies....
, also a Tamil activist, and other prominent Tamil directors, actors, and producers. The rally was part of statewide protests across Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
in 2008 condemning Sri Lanka. During the rally, Ameer and fellow director Seeman
Seeman (director)
Seeman is a film director and actor in the Tamil film industry, as well as being a Tamil activist. He is the founder and chairman of the organisation " Naam Thamizhar Iyakkam " which turned a political party in 2010.- Career :...
made speeches criticizing the Indian government and expressing support to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam was a separatist militant organization formerly based in northern Sri Lanka. Founded in May 1976 by Vellupillai Prabhakaran, it waged a violent secessionist and nationalist campaign to create an independent state in the north and east of Sri Lanka for Tamil...
, a Tamil separatist group on the island. The two were later released on bail with the help of their assistant directors, Bharathiraja, and actor R. Sarath Kumar. Ameer has expressed strong support to Eelam Tamils right to self determination and the independence of Tamil Eelam
Tamil Eelam
Tamil Eelam , is the name given by certain Tamils in Sri Lanka and the Sri Lankan Tamil diaspora to the independent state which they aspire to create in the north and east of Sri Lanka. Tamil Eelam has no official status or recognition by any other state or authority...
.