Veteran Tamil director-cinematographer Velu Prabhakaran dies at 68
The science fiction film Naalaiya Manithan, which was his directorial debut in 1989, became a cult favourite; he also gave films like Pratachikkaran, Kadavul, Rajali, Asuran, and Shivan
Renowned filmmaker Velu Prabhakaran passed away in Chennai on Friday (July 18) morning after a prolonged illness. He had been receiving treatment at a private hospital for the past few days. He was 68.
His mortal remains will be kept for public homage at Valasaravakkam in Chennai, from Saturday evening (July 19) to Sunday afternoon (July 20). The cremation will take place at Porur crematorium on Sunday evening, in the presence of close family and friends.
The Tamil film industry is in mourning following his passing, with many members of the fraternity paying tribute to his contributions and expressing their condolences.
Before venturing into acting and directing, Velu Prabhakaran began his career as a cinematographer. His versatility and bold storytelling helped him carve a distinctive niche in Tamil cinema.
Velu Prabhakaran made his directorial debut in 1989 with Nalaya Manithan, followed by its sequel Adhisaya Manithan the next year. After facing two back-to-back setbacks with Asuran and Rajali, he shifted his focus to directing action films in the late 1990s and early 2000s. He went on to direct a number of well-known films over the years, such as Pratachikkaran, Kadavul, Rajali, Asuran, and Shivan.
In 2009, a series of films that the director decided to mount failed to take off. In 2017, he helmed his last directorial, 'Oru Iyakkunarin Kadhal DIary'.
Since 2019, Velu Prabhakaran has been taking up acting projects. Some of his notable films include ‘Gangs of Madras', 'Cadaver', 'Pizza 3: The Mummy', 'Raid', 'Weapon' and 'Appu VI STD'. His last on-screen appearance was in 'Gajaana'.
His passing marks the end of an era, and his work continues to be remembered for its unconventional themes and fearless approach to filmmaking.