Chennai: Veteran yesteryear filmmaker A.C. Tirulokchandar passed away in a private hospital in the city on Wednesday after a brief age-related illness. He was 85.
The ace director started his film career with AVM Productions Veera Thirumagan where he introduced comedienne Sachu as the lead heroine. Similarly, veteran Sivakumar was his discovery in AVM’s Kakkum Karangal. Tirulokchandar had directed more than 65 films in Tamil, Hindi and Telugu and written the story for more than 20 movies.
He had directed legendary MGR for Anbe Vaa for AVM and 25 films with Nadigar Thilagam Sivaji Ganesan. His combo with Sivaji worked wonders at box office, especially he specialised in remakes of other language films into Tamil in his own inimitable style. With Sivaji, he wielded megaphone for memorable films like Thangai, Iru Malargal, Enga Mama, Engirundho Vandhaal, Bharata Vilas and Deiva Magan among others.
A.C. Tirulokchandar with A.V. Meiyappan and Sivaji Ganesan.
Deiva Magan had the distinction of first Tamil films, which went for Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film category. He had directed Jayalalithaa in Avan Thaan Manithan. He also directed Rajinikanth in Vanakatthukuriya Kadhaliye. His Hindi movies include Dharmendra’s Main Bhi Ladku Hoon and Teri Kasam.
A Kalaimamani awardee, Tirulokchandar headed Madras Film Institute for four tenures and Tamil Nadu state award committee several times. He is survived by son Raj and daughter Mallikeswari. One of his sons Prem died of cancer in the US recently.
