Dharani is an Indian film director

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:...

, who primarily directs action

Action film

Action film is a film genre where one or more heroes is thrust into a series of challenges that require physical feats, extended fights and frenetic chases...

-masala films

Masala (film genre)

Masala is a term given to films of Indian cinema that mix various genres in one film. Typically these films freely mix action, comedy, romance, and drama or melodrama. These films tend to be musicals that include songs filmed in picturesque locations...

. He is best known for directing the blockbuster films Dhill

Dhill

Dhill is a Tamil film directed by Dharani. The film stars Vikram, Laila Mehdin, Nassar and Vivek in critical roles. The film's score and soundtrack are composed by Vidyasagar. The film was a super hit in 2001....

, Dhool

Dhool

Dhool is a Blockbuster Tamil film directed by Dharani. As like other Dharani films it is a masala based entertainer. The movie stars Vikram, Jyothika, Reema Sen, Vivek, Sayaji Shinde, Telangana, Pasupathy, Paravai Muniyamma, Mayilsamy, Chitti Babu, Shakeela and Manoj K Jayan. The film's music...

and Ghilli

Ghilli

Ghilli is a Tamil action comedy film directed by Dharani. The film stars Joseph Vijay, Trisha Krishnan, Prakash Raj, Ashish Vidyarthi, and Dhamu. The film's score and soundtrack were composed by Vidyasagar...

.

Career

He first directed the film Ethirum Pudhirum

Ethirum Pudhirum

Edhirum Pudhirum is a Tamil movie starring Mammootty, Sangeetha, Napoleon, Manorama and Simran Bagga directed by Dharani under his real name V.C. Ramani.-Plot:Mammootty is a sincere district collector...

, loosely based on forest brigand Veerappan

Veerappan

Koose Muniswamy Veerappan commonly known as Veerappan, was a notorious dacoit, or robber bandit, of India. He was active for a period of years in a broad swath of land covering 6,000 km² in the states of Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu...

 and his younger brother's death, starring Mammootty

Mammootty

Mammootty is an Indian film actor and producer who works mainly in Malayalam cinema. He has also acted in a few Tamil, Hindi, Telugu, and Kannada films. During a career spanning more than three decades, he has acted in more than 360 films, and is only next to Prem Nazir in the number of lead roles...

. Financial constraints and political controversies ensured its delayed release in 1999. It received critical acclaim and was awarded second place in the Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Film

Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Film

The Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Film is given by the Government of Tamil Nadu as part of its annual Tamil Nadu State Film Awards for Tamil films. The awards for films are categorised into three prizes....

. The film's producer Purna Chandra Rao made Dharani the director of his next production, starring Vikram

Vikram (actor)

Vikram is an Indian film actor who has predominantly appeared in Tamil language films. During his years in the Indian film industry, he has won five Filmfare Awards as well as one National Film Award and Tamil Nadu State Film Award amongst other recognitions and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate...

, Dhill

Dhill

Dhill is a Tamil film directed by Dharani. The film stars Vikram, Laila Mehdin, Nassar and Vivek in critical roles. The film's score and soundtrack are composed by Vidyasagar. The film was a super hit in 2001....

. The film was a box-office success and his next film Dhool

Dhool

Dhool is a Blockbuster Tamil film directed by Dharani. As like other Dharani films it is a masala based entertainer. The movie stars Vikram, Jyothika, Reema Sen, Vivek, Sayaji Shinde, Telangana, Pasupathy, Paravai Muniyamma, Mayilsamy, Chitti Babu, Shakeela and Manoj K Jayan. The film's music...

, produced by A. M. Rathnam

A. M. Rathnam

A. M. Rathnam is a film producer of South Indian cinema from the town Buchi Reddy Palem of nellore Dt, Andhra Pradesh. He has produced several blockbusters under Sri Surya Movies, such as Indian, Kushi, Run, Boys, Enakku 20 Unakku 18, Dhool, Ghilli and 7/G Rainbow Colony, Bangaram. He also...

 in 2003, again with Vikram along with Jyothika Saravanan

Jyothika Saravanan

Jyothika Sadanah-Saravanan is a former Indian film actress who predominantly appeared in Tamil films. She also acted in a few Kannada, Malayalam, Telugu and Hindi films. She gained critical acclaim for her performances in Kushi, Perazhagan, Chandramukhi and Mozhi, winning one Filmfare and three...

, turned out to be a blockbuster. He worked with A. M. Rathnam

A. M. Rathnam

A. M. Rathnam is a film producer of South Indian cinema from the town Buchi Reddy Palem of nellore Dt, Andhra Pradesh. He has produced several blockbusters under Sri Surya Movies, such as Indian, Kushi, Run, Boys, Enakku 20 Unakku 18, Dhool, Ghilli and 7/G Rainbow Colony, Bangaram. He also...

 again for the film Ghilli

Ghilli

Ghilli is a Tamil action comedy film directed by Dharani. The film stars Joseph Vijay, Trisha Krishnan, Prakash Raj, Ashish Vidyarthi, and Dhamu. The film's score and soundtrack were composed by Vidyasagar...

starring Vijay and Trisha

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...

 which was again a blockbuster. It was followed by Telugu

Telugu language

Telugu is a Central Dravidian language primarily spoken in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India, where it is an official language. It is also spoken in the neighbouring states of Chattisgarh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Orissa and Tamil Nadu...

 film Bangaram

Bangaram

Bangaram is a Telugu film which released on 3 May 2006 and was directed by Tamil director Dharani. This film has Pawan Kalyan in the lead role and Meera Chopra, Raja, Reema Sen, Ashutosh Rana, Mukesh Rishi, and playing the supporting roles.The movie was an average grosser at box office.- Plot...

, featuring Pawan Kalyan

Pawan Kalyan

Pawan Kalyan ; is an Indian film Actor, Director, Screenwriter and Action choreographer in Telugu cinema...

 in the lead, that received below average reviews. In 2008, he directed Kuruvi

Kuruvi

Kuruvi is a 2008 Tamil Action film. Directed and co-written by Dharani and produced by Udhayanidhi Stalin, it stars Joseph Vijay, Trisha Krishnan and Suman in the lead roles...

, rejoining the lead cast of Ghilli. Unlike the previous success in Ghilli, Kuruvi received mixed reviews despite its large opening. In 2011, he remade the 2010 Hindi blockbuster Dabangg

Dabangg

Dabangg is a 2010 Hindi action film, directed by Abhinav Kashyap in his directorial debut and produced by Arbaaz Khan under the Arbaaz Khan Productions. The lead actors in the film include Arbaaz's elder brother, Salman Khan and Sonakshi Sinha...

in Tamil as Osthe, with Silambarasan in the lead role.

Filmography

Year	Film	Language	Starring	Notes
1999	Ethirum Pudhirum Ethirum Pudhirum Edhirum Pudhirum is a Tamil movie starring Mammootty, Sangeetha, Napoleon, Manorama and Simran Bagga directed by Dharani under his real name V.C. Ramani.-Plot:Mammootty is a sincere district collector...	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...	Mammootty Mammootty Mammootty is an Indian film actor and producer who works mainly in Malayalam cinema. He has also acted in a few Tamil, Hindi, Telugu, and Kannada films. During a career spanning more than three decades, he has acted in more than 360 films, and is only next to Prem Nazir in the number of lead roles...
2001	Dhill Dhill Dhill is a Tamil film directed by Dharani. The film stars Vikram, Laila Mehdin, Nassar and Vivek in critical roles. The film's score and soundtrack are composed by Vidyasagar. The film was a super hit in 2001....	Tamil	Vikram Vikram (actor) Vikram is an Indian film actor who has predominantly appeared in Tamil language films. During his years in the Indian film industry, he has won five Filmfare Awards as well as one National Film Award and Tamil Nadu State Film Award amongst other recognitions and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate...
2003	Dhool Dhool Dhool is a Blockbuster Tamil film directed by Dharani. As like other Dharani films it is a masala based entertainer. The movie stars Vikram, Jyothika, Reema Sen, Vivek, Sayaji Shinde, Telangana, Pasupathy, Paravai Muniyamma, Mayilsamy, Chitti Babu, Shakeela and Manoj K Jayan. The film's music...	Tamil	Vikram Vikram (actor) Vikram is an Indian film actor who has predominantly appeared in Tamil language films. During his years in the Indian film industry, he has won five Filmfare Awards as well as one National Film Award and Tamil Nadu State Film Award amongst other recognitions and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate...
2004	Ghilli Ghilli Ghilli is a Tamil action comedy film directed by Dharani. The film stars Joseph Vijay, Trisha Krishnan, Prakash Raj, Ashish Vidyarthi, and Dhamu. The film's score and soundtrack were composed by Vidyasagar...	Tamil	Vijay
2006	Bangaram Bangaram Bangaram is a Telugu film which released on 3 May 2006 and was directed by Tamil director Dharani. This film has Pawan Kalyan in the lead role and Meera Chopra, Raja, Reema Sen, Ashutosh Rana, Mukesh Rishi, and playing the supporting roles.The movie was an average grosser at box office.- Plot...	Telugu Telugu language Telugu is a Central Dravidian language primarily spoken in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India, where it is an official language. It is also spoken in the neighbouring states of Chattisgarh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Orissa and Tamil Nadu...	Pawan Kalyan Pawan Kalyan Pawan Kalyan ; is an Indian film Actor, Director, Screenwriter and Action choreographer in Telugu cinema...
2008	Kuruvi Kuruvi Kuruvi is a 2008 Tamil Action film. Directed and co-written by Dharani and produced by Udhayanidhi Stalin, it stars Joseph Vijay, Trisha Krishnan and Suman in the lead roles...	Tamil	Vijay
2011	Osthe	Tamil	Silambarasan

Recurring collaborators

Actors and Technicians	Edhirum Pudhirum	Dhill Dhill Dhill is a Tamil film directed by Dharani. The film stars Vikram, Laila Mehdin, Nassar and Vivek in critical roles. The film's score and soundtrack are composed by Vidyasagar. The film was a super hit in 2001....	Dhool Dhool Dhool is a Blockbuster Tamil film directed by Dharani. As like other Dharani films it is a masala based entertainer. The movie stars Vikram, Jyothika, Reema Sen, Vivek, Sayaji Shinde, Telangana, Pasupathy, Paravai Muniyamma, Mayilsamy, Chitti Babu, Shakeela and Manoj K Jayan. The film's music...	Ghilli Ghilli Ghilli is a Tamil action comedy film directed by Dharani. The film stars Joseph Vijay, Trisha Krishnan, Prakash Raj, Ashish Vidyarthi, and Dhamu. The film's score and soundtrack were composed by Vidyasagar...	Bangaram Bangaram Bangaram is a Telugu film which released on 3 May 2006 and was directed by Tamil director Dharani. This film has Pawan Kalyan in the lead role and Meera Chopra, Raja, Reema Sen, Ashutosh Rana, Mukesh Rishi, and playing the supporting roles.The movie was an average grosser at box office.- Plot...	Kuruvi Kuruvi Kuruvi is a 2008 Tamil Action film. Directed and co-written by Dharani and produced by Udhayanidhi Stalin, it stars Joseph Vijay, Trisha Krishnan and Suman in the lead roles...	Osthe
Vidyasagar Vidyasagar Vidyasagar may refer to:People*Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, the Bengali scholar *Acharya Vidyasagar, the prominent Digambar Jain Acharya *Vidyasagar , the South Indian music directorOther...
Ashish Vidyarthi Ashish Vidyarthi Ashish Vidyarthi is an Indian actor who worked predominantly in Hindi films and lately in South Indian films. He has won the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor for film Drohkaal in 1995....
Vivek Vivek (actor) Vivekananthan is an Indian film actor and comedian. He has won four Filmfare Best Comedian Awards for his performances in Run, Saamy, Perazhagan and Sivaji, respectively. In April 2009, Vivek received the Padma Shri award by the Government of India for his contribution to the arts. He was...
Mayilsamy Mayilsamy Mayilsamy is a Tamil comedian actor who prominently plays supporting roles. Appearing in many Tamil films, he is also a regular guest judge on Asathapovathu Yaaru on Sun TV in Chennai...
Vikram Vikram (actor) Vikram is an Indian film actor who has predominantly appeared in Tamil language films. During his years in the Indian film industry, he has won five Filmfare Awards as well as one National Film Award and Tamil Nadu State Film Award amongst other recognitions and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate...
Vijay
Trisha 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...
Reemma Sen