Vairamuthu
Encyclopedia
Vairamuthu Ramaswamy Thevar ( ; born:13 July 1953) is an award-winning Tamil
poet
and lyricist
.
Debuting in the film Nizhalgal
(1980) with the lyrics for the song "Ponmalai Pozhudhu", he has now about 5800 songs to his credit as of January 2009. His partnership with the composers Ilaiyaraaja
, and later A. R. Rahman
, have resulted in critical praise, awards, and box office hits.
He was awarded the National Film Award
six times for Best Lyricist
, the most by any Indian lyricist. He is a recipient of Kalaimamani
, while also winning awards from the Government of Tamil Nadu
for his contribution to Tamil literature
.
and the family moved to Vadugapatti village
, community in Theni
near Periyakulam
.He is from Kallar community.it also belongs thevar community.
.
The ambience of the village is said to have inspired him to write poems.According to him, Tamil and Rationalist movements of the sixties stimulated his poetic zeal. The speeches of Periyar & Anna
, the writings of Karunanidhi and the works of eminent poets like Bharathi, Bharathidasan
and Kannadasan
and the life in the countryside shaped the young poet's thinking. At the age of fourteen, he was inspired by Thiruvalluvar
's Thirukkural to write a venba compilation of poetry, strictly adhering to the yappu grammar rules of Tamil poetry.
He joined Pachaiyappa's college
in Chennai
where he was acclaimed as the best speaker and poet. While in his second year of B. A.
and barely nineteen years of age, Vairamuthu published his maiden anthology Vaigarai Megangal. It was prescribed for study in Women's Christian College
. Thus, he achieved the distinction of a student poet whose work was taken into curriculum while he was still a student.
His second work, Thiruththi Yezhudhiya Theerppugal, in pudhu kavidhai (free verse) form was published in 1979. He made his film debut in the succeeding year when he set lyrics for Bharathiraja's Nizhalgal
.
.
, John Keats
, Khalil Gibran
, Firdausi and Nizami.
With 5,600 songs to his credit, he has published nine collections of poems. His writings have also extended to genres such as novel
, essay
, biography
and travelogue
. In fact, 20 of the 32 books he has published in the last 30 years are in prose.
He has also introduced some foreign poets and their works to Tamil in his Ella Nadhiyilum En Odum. Some of his works are translated into Telugu
, Kannada and Malayalam. The trend continues as hundreds of his film lyrics are translated into Hindi
.
Thanner Thesam
This aRiviyal kaaviyam is about the 'sea odyssey'. Kalaivannan is the hero; Tamilrojaa is the heroine. A lot of scientific facts about the sea, water, and the universe are sown in this modern poetry(pudhukk kavidhai). The work depicts the adventure of fishermen's life at sea.
Kallikattu Idhihasam
Kallikkattu Edhihasam (the epic of Kallikkadu, in literal translation) is one of his novels. It tells the agonising tale of a marginal farmer of a riverbed region of the Theni belt in southern Tamil Nadu. Kallikattu Ithikasam" - a confluence of various emotions like sadness, sufferings and depression—crammed his mind for more than four decades. Finally, when it exploded, the natives of `Kallikadugal' found their biographies in the book. But with a silver lining. The novel won him the Sahitya Akademi
award for Best Literary Work in 2003.
Karuvachi Kaaviyam
This depicts powerfully the facets of rural life in a remote corner of our State, was serialized in a popular regional weekly, Ananda Vikatan
and won accolades. Owing to its huge popularity, the series was released as a novel
Sirpiye Unnai Sedhukukiraen
A powerful book says about the good mannerism of life and personality development, self control,aim of life, and each and every part that makes a complete man. It can be said as a Rs.25 Bagavat Gita
Iduvarai Naan
This is his biography written at the age of 28
. He received this award a second time in 1993 for Roja
, directed by Mani Ratnam
. He was bestowed the honor of receiving this award for the third time, for his lyrics in the film, Karuththamma
, another film directed by Bharathiraja
, followed by Sangamam
and Kannathil Muthamittal
, directed by Mani Ratnam. In 2011 he got the National Award for Best Lyricist for the sixth time for the movie Thenmerku Paruvakaatru
to become the only lyricist to receive the Best Lyricist award most number of times at the National Film Awards.
Among regional awards from the Tamil Nadu
Government, he received one in 1981 from the then Chief Minister, M. G. Ramachandran
, a Best Architect of Films award in 1989 alongside the prestigious Kalaimaamani award
in 1990. The Tamil Development Society of Madras conferred on him the title of Kaviyarasu in 1986.His Kaviraajan Kavidhai narrating Bharathi's life in Pudhu Kavidhai, was a commendable effort. It earned him the Bharathi Literature Prize.
In 2003, Vairamuthu was awarded the Padma Shri
.
He is the Tamil Nadu President of Indo-Russian Friendship Society. At the invitation of the Russian Government, Vairamuthu has visited Russia to participate in an Indian cultural event in 1987. In response to invitations of various Tamil groups, he visited the U.S.A, United Kingdom
, Canada
, Hong Kong
, China
, Singapore
, Malayasia, Thailand
and Sri Lanka
.
His works have the underlying themes of humanism transcending barriers of space and race. He opened Tamil schools in Bangkok
, Canada
and Hong Kong
promoting Tamil children living there to develop an interest in learning the language.
In 2009 his own album was released in a village in tirupur
district. This album fully mentioned human activity and death far.
6 times in his career so far.
He won the awards for
Nizhalgal(1980)
Raaja Paarvai(1981)
AligalOyivadhilai(1981)
Kaadhal Oviyam(1882)
Munn vaasanai(1983)
Sindhu Biravi(1984)
Thendrale ennai thodu(1985)
Punnagai Mannan(1986)
are best movies with honoured.
Muthal Mariyathai (1985) - Poongaatru thirumbumaa ,
Roja (1993) - Chinna Chinna Aasai,
Karuthamma (1995) - Poraalae Ponnu thaaye,
Sangamam (2000)- Muthal murai killi paarthaen,
Kannathil Muthamittal (2003) - vidai kodu engal naade
and
Thenmerku paruvakaatru (2011) - Kallikkaattil Pirandha thaaye
Tamil
Tamil may refer to:* Tamil language, one of the Dravidian languages primarily spoken in India, Tamil Eelam and Southeast Asia* Tamil script, primarily used to write the Tamil language* Tamil people -See also:...
poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
and lyricist
Lyricist
A lyricist is a songwriter who specializes in lyrics. A singer who writes the lyrics to songs is a singer-lyricist. This differentiates from a singer-composer, who composes the song's melody.-Collaboration:...
.
Debuting in the film Nizhalgal
Nizhalgal
Nizhalgal is a 1980 Indian Tamil film directed by Bharathiraja and written by Manivannan, starring Nizhalgal Ravi, in his debut venture, Rohini, Chandrasekar and Rajasekar.-Plot:...
(1980) with the lyrics for the song "Ponmalai Pozhudhu", he has now about 5800 songs to his credit as of January 2009. His partnership with the composers Ilaiyaraaja
Ilaiyaraaja
Ilaiyaraaja is an Indian film composer, singer, and lyricist mainly in the Tamil film Industry. He is regarded as one of the finest music composers in India. Ilaiyaraaja is also an instrumentalist, conductor, and a songwriter...
, and later A. R. Rahman
A. R. Rahman
Allah Rakha Rahman is an Indian composer, singer-songwriter, record producer, musician, and philanthropist. Described as the world's most prominent and prolific film composer by Time, his works are notable for integrating eastern classical music with electronic music sounds, world music genres and...
, have resulted in critical praise, awards, and box office hits.
He was awarded the National Film Award
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...
six times for Best Lyricist
National Film Award for Best Lyrics
The National Film Award for Best Lyrics winners:Vairamuthu won the award for maximum number of times . Javed Akhtar is the only lyricist to win the award for three consecutive years .-References:...
, the most by any Indian lyricist. He is a recipient of Kalaimamani
Kalaimamani
The Kalaimamani is an award in Tamil Nadu state, India. These awards are given by the Tamil Nadu Iyal Isai Nataka Manram for excellence in the field of art and literature....
, while also winning awards from the Government of Tamil Nadu
Government of Tamil Nadu
The Government of Tamil Nadu, headquartered at Chennai is the governing authority for the Indian State of Tamil Nadu. It is seated at the Fort St. George...
for his contribution to Tamil literature
Tamil literature
Tamil literature refers to the literature in the Tamil language. Tamil literature has a rich and long literary tradition spanning more than two thousand years. The oldest extant works show signs of maturity indicating an even longer period of evolution...
.
Early life and education
Vairamuthu was born to Ramaswamythevar and Angammal of Mettur in a middle class family. When he was four, the village gave way to Vaigai DamVaigai Dam
Vaigai Dam is built across the Vaigai River near Andipatti, in the Theni district of Tamil Nadu, southern India. It provides water for irrigation for the Madurai district and the Dindigul district as well as drinking water to Madurai and Andipatti...
and the family moved to Vadugapatti village
Vadugapatti, Theni
Vadugapatti is a panchayat town in Theni district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.-Demographics:Vadugapatti is just 3 km from Periyakulam on the Andipatti road. It is located in the hills below Kodaikanal...
, community in Theni
Theni
Theni is a town in the Western Tamil Nadu state of South India. It is the headquarters of Theni District. It is known for the large-scale trading of Cardamom, Cotton, Grapes, chilli and Textiles. It hosts the second largest weekly market in Tamil Nadu and the fourth largest in South India...
near Periyakulam
Periyakulam
Periyakulam is a town and a Municipality in Theni district in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu.-Geography:Periyakulam is located at . It has an average elevation of 282 metres . It is located at the foothills of the Western Ghats bordering the neighbouring state of Kerala. It is one of...
.He is from Kallar community.it also belongs thevar community.
.
The ambience of the village is said to have inspired him to write poems.According to him, Tamil and Rationalist movements of the sixties stimulated his poetic zeal. The speeches of Periyar & Anna
Annadurai
Annadurai can refer to:* C. N. Annadurai, an Indian politician* Mylswamy Annadurai, an Indian scientist...
, the writings of Karunanidhi and the works of eminent poets like Bharathi, Bharathidasan
Bharathidasan
Bharathidasan was a twentieth century Tamil poet and rationalist whose literary works handled mostly socio-political issues. His writings served as a catalyst for the growth of the Dravidian movement in Tamil Nadu...
and Kannadasan
Kannadasan
Kannadasan was a Tamil poet and lyricist, heralded as one of the greatest and most important writer in the Tamil language...
and the life in the countryside shaped the young poet's thinking. At the age of fourteen, he was inspired by Thiruvalluvar
Tiruvalluvar
Thiruvalluvar , or Tiruvalluvar, was a celebrated Tamil poet whose contribution to Tamil literature is the Thirukkural, a work on ethics. Thiruvalluvar is thought to have lived sometime between the 2nd century BC and the 8th century AD. This estimate is based on linguistic analysis of his writings,...
's Thirukkural to write a venba compilation of poetry, strictly adhering to the yappu grammar rules of Tamil poetry.
He joined Pachaiyappa's college
Pachaiyappa's College
Pachaiyappa's College is one of the oldest educational institutions in Chennai, in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The college was established as Pachaiyappa's Central Institution at Popham's Broadway on January 1, 1842, from money given in Pachaiyappa Mudaliar's will. It was the first Hindu...
in Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
where he was acclaimed as the best speaker and poet. While in his second year of B. A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
and barely nineteen years of age, Vairamuthu published his maiden anthology Vaigarai Megangal. It was prescribed for study in Women's Christian College
Women's Christian College
Women's Christian College, or WCC, is an interdenominational women's college on College Road, Nungambakkam, in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.-History:...
. Thus, he achieved the distinction of a student poet whose work was taken into curriculum while he was still a student.
His second work, Thiruththi Yezhudhiya Theerppugal, in pudhu kavidhai (free verse) form was published in 1979. He made his film debut in the succeeding year when he set lyrics for Bharathiraja's Nizhalgal
Nizhalgal
Nizhalgal is a 1980 Indian Tamil film directed by Bharathiraja and written by Manivannan, starring Nizhalgal Ravi, in his debut venture, Rohini, Chandrasekar and Rajasekar.-Plot:...
.
.
Literary Influences
He is strongly influenced by Percy Bysshe ShelleyPercy Bysshe Shelley
Percy Bysshe Shelley was one of the major English Romantic poets and is critically regarded as among the finest lyric poets in the English language. Shelley was famous for his association with John Keats and Lord Byron...
, John Keats
John Keats
John Keats was an English Romantic poet. Along with Lord Byron and Percy Bysshe Shelley, he was one of the key figures in the second generation of the Romantic movement, despite the fact that his work had been in publication for only four years before his death.Although his poems were not...
, Khalil Gibran
Khalil Gibran
Khalil Gibran Jubrān Khalīl Jubrān,Jibrān Khalīl Jibrān, or Jibrān Xalīl Jibrān; Arabic , January 6, 1883 – April 10, 1931) also known as Kahlil Gibran, was a Lebanese American artist, poet, and writer...
, Firdausi and Nizami.
With 5,600 songs to his credit, he has published nine collections of poems. His writings have also extended to genres such as novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
, essay
Essay
An essay is a piece of writing which is often written from an author's personal point of view. Essays can consist of a number of elements, including: literary criticism, political manifestos, learned arguments, observations of daily life, recollections, and reflections of the author. The definition...
, biography
Biography
A biography is a detailed description or account of someone's life. More than a list of basic facts , biography also portrays the subject's experience of those events...
and travelogue
Travel literature
Travel literature is travel writing of literary value. Travel literature typically records the experiences of an author touring a place for the pleasure of travel. An individual work is sometimes called a travelogue or itinerary. Travel literature may be cross-cultural or transnational in focus, or...
. In fact, 20 of the 32 books he has published in the last 30 years are in prose.
Notable works
On the literature front, his notable works include Innoru Desiya Geetham, Indha Pookkal Virppanai-kkalla, Sigarangalai nOkki, Villodu Vaa Nilave and many others numbering to 30.He has also introduced some foreign poets and their works to Tamil in his Ella Nadhiyilum En Odum. Some of his works are translated into 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...
, Kannada and Malayalam. The trend continues as hundreds of his film lyrics are translated into Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
.
Thanner Thesam
This aRiviyal kaaviyam is about the 'sea odyssey'. Kalaivannan is the hero; Tamilrojaa is the heroine. A lot of scientific facts about the sea, water, and the universe are sown in this modern poetry(pudhukk kavidhai). The work depicts the adventure of fishermen's life at sea.
Kallikattu Idhihasam
Kallikkattu Edhihasam (the epic of Kallikkadu, in literal translation) is one of his novels. It tells the agonising tale of a marginal farmer of a riverbed region of the Theni belt in southern Tamil Nadu. Kallikattu Ithikasam" - a confluence of various emotions like sadness, sufferings and depression—crammed his mind for more than four decades. Finally, when it exploded, the natives of `Kallikadugal' found their biographies in the book. But with a silver lining. The novel won him the Sahitya Akademi
Sahitya Akademi
The Sahitya Akademi ', India's National Academy of Letters, is an organisation dedicated to the promotion of literature in the languages of India...
award for Best Literary Work in 2003.
Karuvachi Kaaviyam
This depicts powerfully the facets of rural life in a remote corner of our State, was serialized in a popular regional weekly, Ananda Vikatan
Ananda Vikatan
Ananda Vikatan ஆனந்த விகடன் is the leading Tamil language weekly magazine published from Chennai, India. It is part of the Vikatan group which also publishes Junior Vikatan , Chutti Vikatan , Aval Vikatan , Naanayam Vikatan , Sakthi Vikatan , Motor Vikatan and Pasumai Vikatan Ananda Vikatan ஆனந்த...
and won accolades. Owing to its huge popularity, the series was released as a novel
Sirpiye Unnai Sedhukukiraen
A powerful book says about the good mannerism of life and personality development, self control,aim of life, and each and every part that makes a complete man. It can be said as a Rs.25 Bagavat Gita
Iduvarai Naan
This is his biography written at the age of 28
Awards and recognition
He received the President's award for the Best Lyricist for his compositions in Mudhal Mariyathai (1985), directed by 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....
. He received this award a second time in 1993 for Roja
Roja
Roja is a 1992 Tamil political drama, romance film directed by Mani Ratnam. The film was subsequently dubbed in Hindi, Marathi, Malayalam and Telugu....
, directed by Mani Ratnam
Mani Ratnam
Mani Ratnam is an Indian filmmaker, screenwriter and producer. He made his directorial debut with the Kannada film Pallavi Anu Pallavi starring Anil Kapoor in 1983...
. He was bestowed the honor of receiving this award for the third time, for his lyrics in the film, Karuththamma
Karuththamma
Karuthamma is a Tamil feature film directed by Bharathiraja. The film's score and soundtrack are composed by A. R. Rahman. The film was noticed as a milestone in the Tamil Film Industry. Bharathiraja even told that this film is the finest one that he ever done...
, another film directed by Bharathiraja
Bharathiraja
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....
, followed by Sangamam
Sangamam
Sangamam is a Tamil musical romance film directed by Suresh Krishna. Actor Rahman, the co-brother of A.R. Rahman was the hero of the film. Vindhya made her debut playing the daughter of the rich classical father played by Vijayakumar. The film's music was composed by A. R. Rahman...
and Kannathil Muthamittal
Kannathil Muthamittal
Kannathil Muthamittal is a 2002 Tamil drama film directed by Mani Ratnam. It stars P. S. Keerthana, R. Madhavan, Simran, Nandita Das, Pasupathy, J. D. Chakravarthy and Prakash Raj. The film's score and soundtrack were composed by A. R. Rahman. The film's title is a famous phrase from a poem...
, directed by Mani Ratnam. In 2011 he got the National Award for Best Lyricist for the sixth time for the movie Thenmerku Paruvakaatru
Thenmerku Paruvakaatru
Thenmerku Paruvakatru is a 2010 Tamil drama film written and directed by Seenu Ramasamy and produced by Shibu Issac. It stars Saranya Ponvannan in her 100th film, Vijay Sethupathy and Vasundhra Chiyertra in the lead roles and released on 24 December 2010....
to become the only lyricist to receive the Best Lyricist award most number of times at the National Film Awards.
Among regional awards from the 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...
Government, he received one in 1981 from the then Chief Minister, M. G. Ramachandran
M. G. Ramachandran
Maruthur Gopalan Ramachandran , popularly known by his initials , was an Indian film actor, director, producer and politician....
, a Best Architect of Films award in 1989 alongside the prestigious Kalaimaamani award
Kalaimamani
The Kalaimamani is an award in Tamil Nadu state, India. These awards are given by the Tamil Nadu Iyal Isai Nataka Manram for excellence in the field of art and literature....
in 1990. The Tamil Development Society of Madras conferred on him the title of Kaviyarasu in 1986.His Kaviraajan Kavidhai narrating Bharathi's life in Pudhu Kavidhai, was a commendable effort. It earned him the Bharathi Literature Prize.
In 2003, Vairamuthu was awarded the Padma Shri
Padma Shri
Padma Shri is the fourth highest civilian award in the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan...
.
He is the Tamil Nadu President of Indo-Russian Friendship Society. At the invitation of the Russian Government, Vairamuthu has visited Russia to participate in an Indian cultural event in 1987. In response to invitations of various Tamil groups, he visited the U.S.A, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, Malayasia, Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
and Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
.
His works have the underlying themes of humanism transcending barriers of space and race. He opened Tamil schools in Bangkok
Bangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
promoting Tamil children living there to develop an interest in learning the language.
In 2009 his own album was released in a village in tirupur
Tirupur
Tiruppur pronounced as is a textile city located on the banks of Noyyal River. It is also called Dollar city. It is the administrative headquarters of the Tiruppur district. It forms a part of the ancient Kongu Nadu region of South India, where its people were the first to establish territorial...
district. This album fully mentioned human activity and death far.
Partial Filmography
- Vaagai Sooda Vaa (2011)Vaagai Sooda VaaVaagai Sooda Vaa is a 2011 Tamil romantic comedy drama film directed by A. Sarkunam, directing his second film after Kalavani. It features Vimal and newcomer Iniya in the lead roles, with K. Bhagyaraj, Ponvannan and Thambi Ramaiah playing supporting roles. The film is a period piece set in the...
- Enthiran (2010)
- Raavanan (2010)
- Asal (2009)
- Modhi Vilayadu (2009)Modhi VilayaduModhi Vilayadu is a Tamil language film released on 24 July 2009. It stars Vinay Rai and Kajal Aggarwal in the lead roles. The film opened to mixed reviews with Indiaglitz.com rating it highly while Behindwoods said "The game lacks excitement". The film flopped miserably at the box office.The...
- Sivappu Mazhai (2009)
- Ananda Tandavam (2009)Ananda TandavamAnanda Tandavam is a 2009 Tamil-language film adaptation of the Sujatha Rangarajan serialized novel Pirivom Santhippom, directed by A.R. Gandhi Krishna and produced by Oscar V...
- Ayan (2009)Ayan (film)Ayan is a 2009 Tamil action thriller film written and directed by K. V. Anand. The film, starring Surya, Prabhu, Tamannaah and Akashdeep Saighal in lead roles, was produced by M. Saravanan and M. S. Guhan, while distribution handled by Sun Pictures. The film score was composed by Harris Jayaraj,...
- Dasavatharam (2008)DasavatharamDasavathaaram is a 2008 Tamil science fiction disaster film co-written and directed by K. S. Ravikumar. Kamal Haasan, who wrote the screenplay and story of the film, stars in ten distinct roles, including the lead character. Asin Thottumkal appears in a dual role and Mallika Sherawat plays a...
- Sivaji:The Boss (2007)Sivaji: The BossSivaji is a 2007 Tamil political thriller film directed by S. Shankar and produced by AVM Productions. Rajinikanth and Shriya Saran played the lead roles, with Suman, Vivek and Raghuvaran playing other significant roles in the film. A. R. Rahman composed the film's soundtrack and background music,...
- Mozhi (2007)MozhiMozhi is a 2007 Tamil film produced by Prakash Raj and directed by Radha Mohan. The film stars Prithviraj, Jyothika, Prakash Raj and Swarnamalya in pivotal roles. The theme is similar to the Hollywood film Children of a Lesser God...
- Guru (2007)
- Varalaru (2006)VaralaruVaralaru is a monthly web magazine dedicated to South Indian History. With more than , this magazine strives to bring lesser known facts about various temples of South India which are rich in inscriptions and sculptures....
- Anniyan (2006)AnniyanAnniyan is a 2005 Tamil psychological thriller film directed by S. Shankar. The film stars Vikram, Sadha, Prakash Raj, and Vivek, while featuring background score and soundtrack composed by Harris Jayaraj. The film was released worldwide on 10 June 2005....
- Ullam Ketkumae (2005)Ullam KetkumaeUllam Ketkumae is a 2005 Tamil romantic film directed and co-written by Jeeva, with dialogues by Sujatha. The film features Shaam, Arya, Laila, Asin and Pooja in the lead roles as five college students. The film's score and soundtrack are composed by Harris Jayaraj, while Vairamuthu penned the...
- Chellamae (2004)ChellamaeChellamae is a Tamil film directed by Gandhi Krishna, who directed the critically acclaimed Nila Kaalam. The film stars Vishal, Reema Sen, Bharath, Bhanupriya and Vivek. The film's score and soundtrack are composed by Harris Jayaraj. The film became one of the highest grossing Tamil films of 2004...
- Attahasam (2004)
- Aayutha Ezhuthu (2004)
- Vasool Raja MBBS (2004)Vasool Raja MBBSVasool Raja MBBS is a Tamil film starring Kamal Haasan and directed by Saran. This film is a remake of Hindi film Munnabhai MBBS. The rest of the cast includes Sneha, Prakash Raj, Prabhu, Sneha, Jayasurya, Nagesh, Malavika and Karunas...
- Anbe Sivam (2003)Anbe SivamAnbe Sivam is a 2003 Tamil drama film directed by Sundar C and written by Kamal Hassan. The film stars Kamal Hassan and R. Madhavan. The music is composed by Vidyasagar....
- Iyarkai (2003)IyarkaiIyarkai is an award-winning debut film in Tamil directed by S. P. Jananathan. N. K. Ekambaram, also a relatively newcomer in the field of cinematography, served as the film's cinematographer. The film stars Shaam, Arun Vijay, Kutti Radhika and Seema Biswas. This film was a low-budget production...
- Kannathil Muthamittal (2002)Kannathil MuthamittalKannathil Muthamittal is a 2002 Tamil drama film directed by Mani Ratnam. It stars P. S. Keerthana, R. Madhavan, Simran, Nandita Das, Pasupathy, J. D. Chakravarthy and Prakash Raj. The film's score and soundtrack were composed by A. R. Rahman. The film's title is a famous phrase from a poem...
- Villain (2002)VillainA villain is an "evil" character in a story, whether a historical narrative or, especially, a work of fiction. The villain usually is the antagonist, the character who tends to have a negative effect on other characters...
- Gemini (2002)Gemini (2002 film)Gemini is a Tamil language film which was released in 2002. It was directed by successful director, Saran and it was produced by the AVM company headed by M. S. Guhan and M. Saravanan. The film starred Vikram and Kiran Rathod in the lead roles with Kalabhavan Mani in a villain role. Kiran Rathod...
- Povellam un Vasam (2001)Poovellam Un VasamPoovellam Un Vasam is a 2001 Tamil film directed by Ezhil and produced by Venu Ravichandran, starring Ajith Kumar and Jyothika in leading roles. Nagesh, Sivakumar, Sayaji Shinde, Vivek also appear in supporting roles while Yukta Mookhey appeared in a solo item number...
- Majnu (2001)
- Shahjahan (2001)Shahjahan (film)Shahjahan is a 2001 Tamil film directed and written by K. S. Ravi and produced by R. B. Choudary. The film features Vijay and Richa Pallod in the lead roles while Krishna and Vivek portray supporting roles. The film, which had music was composed by Mani Sharma, released to [highly positive reviews...
- Citizen (2001)Citizen (film)Citizen is a 2001 Tamil action film directed by Sharavanan Subbaiya and produced by S. S. Chakravarthy. The film features Ajith Kumar in the lead role as a social activist with Vasundhara Das, Meena and Nagma playing supporting roles. The film's score and soundtrack are composed by Deva, whilst...
- Kushi (2000)Kushi (2000 film)Kushi was a Tamil movie released in 2000, starring Joseph Vijay and Jyothika Saravanan. The movie ran for 175 days at the box-office..The Crew of "Kushi" celebrated the 175 days celebration, which was telecasted on sun tv, a popular Tamil channel.-Cast:...
- Rhythm (2000)Rhythm (film)Rhythm is a 2000 Tamil film directed by Vasanth. The film stars Arjun, Meena and Manivannan in lead roles and Ramesh Aravind and Jyothika in supporting roles. The music is by A. R. Rahman, while cinematography was handled by P.S. Vinod and Arthur A. Wilson...
- Aalavandhan (2000)AalavandhanAalavandhan is a Indian Tamil Thriller film released in 2001. Directed by Suresh Krishna, it stars Kamal Haasan in a dual role, with Raveena Tandon and Manisha Koirala as his love interests. The film's soundtrack was composed by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy and the background score by late Mahesh Mahadevan...
- Mugavaree (2000)
- Alaipayuthey (2000)AlaipayutheyAlaipayuthey is a 2000 Tamil romantic drama film directed by Mani Ratnam, starring Madhavan and Shalini, the film explores the tensions of married life and the maturing of love. The film's score and soundtrack are composed by A. R...
- Kandukondain Kandukondain (2000)Kandukondain KandukondainKandukondain Kandukondain is a 2000 Tamil musical and romantic film based on Jane Austen's novel Sense and Sensibility. Directed and co-written by Rajiv Menon, the film features an ensemble cast of Ajith Kumar, Mammootty, Tabu, Aishwarya Rai and Abbas in the lead roles...
- Paarthen Rasithen (2000)Parthen RasithenParthen Rasithen is a Tamil movie starring Prashanth, Simran, Lawrence Raghavendra, Laila and Dhamu and music composed by Bharadwaj. The film is directed by Saran.-Background:...
- Thullatha Manamum Thullum (1999)
- Vaali (1999)VaaliVaali is a 1999 Tamil thriller film written and directed by S. J. Suryah. The film stars Ajith Kumar in a dual role with Simran appearing in another leading role. The supporting cast of the film include Jyothika in her debut venture, Livingston and Vivek. The film's music is composed by the music...
- Amarkalam (1999)AmarkalamAmarkalam is a 1999 Tamil action film directed by Saran and produced by Venkateswaralayam. The film featured Ajith Kumar and Shalini in the lead roles with Raghuvaran, Raadhika and Nassar in other pivotal roles...
- Mudhalvan (1999)MudhalvanMudhalvan is a 1999 Tamil political thriller film co-written and directed by S. Shankar. The film features Arjun, Manisha Koirala and Raghuvaran in the lead roles with Manivannan, Vijayakumar and Hanifa portraying other significant roles. The film featured an award-winning soundtrack composed by...
- Padayappa (1999)PadayappaPadayappa is a 1999 Tamil drama film written and directed by K. S. Ravikumar. The film features Rajinikanth, Soundarya and Ramya Krishnan playing lead roles, whilst Sivaji Ganesan, Lakshmi and Nassar play pivotal supporting roles. With soundtrack composed by A. R...
- Sangamam (1999)SangamamSangamam is a Tamil musical romance film directed by Suresh Krishna. Actor Rahman, the co-brother of A.R. Rahman was the hero of the film. Vindhya made her debut playing the daughter of the rich classical father played by Vijayakumar. The film's music was composed by A. R. Rahman...
- Jodi (1999)Jodi (film)Jodi is a film directed by Praveen Gandhi,starring Prashanth and Simran. The film's score and soundtrack are composed by A.R. Rahman.-Plot:Kannan , repairs musical instruments for a living...
- Nilaave Vaa (1998)Nilaave VaaNilaave Vaa is a Tamil film which released on 14 August 1998 and was directed by A. Venkatesh. This film stars Vijay and Suvalakshmi in the main lead. Produced By K. T. Kunjumon.-Story:...
- Kadhal Mannan (1998)Kadhal MannanKaadhal Mannan is a 1998 Tamil romantic film directed by Saran, which features Ajith Kumar and Maanu in the lead roles. The film also saw prominent music composer M. S. Viswanathan make his debut in a supporting role, whilst Vivek, Karan and Girish Karnad also played other roles...
- Jeans (1998)JeansJeans are trousers made from denim. Some of the earliest American blue jeans were made by Jacob Davis, Calvin Rogers, and Levi Strauss in 1873. Starting in the 1950s, jeans, originally designed for cowboys, became popular among teenagers. Historic brands include Levi's, Lee, and Wrangler...
- Iruvar (1997)IruvarIruvar is a 1997 Tamil film directed, co-written, and co-produced by Mani Ratnam, with music composed by A. R. Rahman. The film is a fictionalized account of the lives of 1980s Tamil Nadu political icons M. G. Ramachandran and M...
- Indian (1996)
- Muthu (1995)
- Indira (1995)Indira (film)Indira is a 1995 Tamil film co-written and directed by Suhasini Manirathnam. It stars Anu Hasan in the title role. Its score and well acclaimed soundtrack are composed by A. R. Rahman. Although not a runaway success in Tamil Nadu, the film did well in Tokyo, Japan upon release...
- Basha (1995)Basha (film)Baashha is a 1995 Tamil action thriller starring Rajinikanth, Nagma, and Raghuvaran. The film was directed by Suresh Krishna, and features music by Deva. The film enjoyed a highly positive box office response and considered one of Rajinikanth's most commercially successful films. The film's...
- Karuthamma (1994)KaruththammaKaruthamma is a Tamil feature film directed by Bharathiraja. The film's score and soundtrack are composed by A. R. Rahman. The film was noticed as a milestone in the Tamil Film Industry. Bharathiraja even told that this film is the finest one that he ever done...
- Kadhalan (1994)KadhalanKadhalan is a Tamil film released in 1994, written and directed by S. Shankar. The film's score and soundtrack were composed by A. R. Rahman. The film stars Prabhu Deva and Nagma in the lead roles. Actor Vikram has dubbed his voice for Prabhu Deva...
- Pavithra (1994)PavithraPavithra is a Tamil film directed by K. Subhash under his home banner, Dhanooja Films. The film features Raadhika in the lead role with Nassar and Ajith Kumar in supporting roles. The film's music was by A.R. Rahman and lyrics by Vairamuthu, who won the National Film Award for Best Lyrics for the...
- Duet (1994)Duet (film)Duet is a 1994 Tamil musical film directed by K. Balachander, starring Prabhu, Meenakshi Seshadri, Ramesh Aravind and Prakashraj. The film's score and soundtrack is composed by A. R. Rahman...
- Pudhiya Mugam (1993)Pudhiya MugamPudhiya Mugam is a 1993 Tamil thriller film directed by Suresh Menon. It stars Vineeth, Suresh Menon and Revathi as prime characters. The film featured an acclaimed soundtrack by A. R...
- Gentleman (1993)Gentleman (film)Gentleman is a 1993 Tamil film directed by S. Shankar, produced K. T. Kunjumon. The film marked S. Shankar's debut in film, and with the highest budget for an Indian film in that year, became a blockbuster upon release. It stars Arjun and Madhoo in the lead roles...
- Kizhakku Cheemayile (1993)Kizhakku CheemayileKizhakku Cheemayile is a 1993 Tamil film directed by Bharathiraaja. It has music composed by A. R. Rahman. The film involves a touching sentimental story between a brother and a sister...
- Kodi Parakuthu(1989)Kodi ParakuthuKodi Parakuthu is a Tamil film is directed by Bharathiraja.The film was released on 1988 Diwali day. After a decade Rajinikanth joined with BharathiRaja for this film. Movie released with lots of expectations and did resonably at the box office. In other words, it was bad and not many people wanted...
- Vedham Pudhithu (1987)Vedham PudhithuVedham Pudhithu , starring Sathyaraj and Amala is a critically acclaimed Tamil movie, directed by Bharathiraja. Charuhasan, Saritha, Raja and 'Nizhalgal' Ravi played supporting roles in the movie. The story and dialogue was written by Kannan....
- Punnagai Mannan (1986)Punnagai MannanPunnagai Mannan is a 1986 Tamil language film starring Kamal Haasan in the lead role of the protagonist. The film was directed by K. Balachander.-Cast:Kamal Haasan Sethu/Chaplin ChellapaRevathi Malini...
- Sindhu Bairavi (1985)
- Mudhal Mariyathai (1985)
- Ninaivellam Nithya (1982)Ninaivellam NithyaNinaivellam Nithya is a 1982 Indian Tamil romance film directed by Tamil Sridhar. It brings to the limelight the true love that blossoms between two hearts without discriminating against caste and/or creed. The true love even sacrifices itself for the benefit of the beloved...
- Nizhalgal (1980)NizhalgalNizhalgal is a 1980 Indian Tamil film directed by Bharathiraja and written by Manivannan, starring Nizhalgal Ravi, in his debut venture, Rohini, Chandrasekar and Rajasekar.-Plot:...
Award-winning songs
Vairamuthu has received the National AwardNational 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...
6 times in his career so far.
He won the awards for
Nizhalgal(1980)
Raaja Paarvai(1981)
AligalOyivadhilai(1981)
Kaadhal Oviyam(1882)
Munn vaasanai(1983)
Sindhu Biravi(1984)
Thendrale ennai thodu(1985)
Punnagai Mannan(1986)
are best movies with honoured.
Muthal Mariyathai (1985) - Poongaatru thirumbumaa ,
Roja (1993) - Chinna Chinna Aasai,
Karuthamma (1995) - Poraalae Ponnu thaaye,
Sangamam (2000)- Muthal murai killi paarthaen,
Kannathil Muthamittal (2003) - vidai kodu engal naade
and
Thenmerku paruvakaatru (2011) - Kallikkaattil Pirandha thaaye