Ace choreographer and dance master Raghuram passed away on Saturday due to a heart attack.
Actor Rajinikanth pays homage and consoles late Raghuram's wife at his Kamdar Nagar residence on Saturday. - DC
Chennai: Ace choreographer and dance master Raghuram passed away on Saturday due to a heart attack. He was 64. He was ailing for the last two months, having returned home recently after a stint at Porur RamaÂchandra Hospital, a close family source said.
Raghuram master was with the industry for over 50 years and had worked in over 1,500 films across different film industries. RagÂhuram worked with several generations of actors and shared a close friendship with actor Kamal Haasan, who has, in several interviews, acknowledged him as one of his earliest friends in the industry.
Ace choreographer and dance master RaghuÂrÂam 10 films, includÂing ViÂswanathan Velai VeÂnÂum, and Bhagya DevÂta in Bengali, starring MiÂthun Chakravarthy in the lead role and RaÂjiÂniÂkanth in a special appÂeaÂrance. Some of the noÂtable films he has acÂted in include, DasaÂvaÂtharam, Avvai ShanÂmuÂgi, Padikkatha Methai, Thirumagal, DeiÂvam etc. Some of the best songs he choreographed are from films, such as Salangai Oli and Punnagai Mannan.
A master of Kathakali and Bharatanatyam, RaÂgÂhuram started learning dance from the age of five from gurus such as Gopinath, Vazhavur Ramaiah Pillai and BoÂlÂaÂnath. He was the grÂaÂnÂdÂson of K. SubrÂamaÂniÂam, noted filmmaker of the 1930s and 1940s and a key figure in the establishment of the Madras based Tamil film industry of the time.
He is survived by wife Girija, veteran choreographer, and daughters Gayathri Raghuram, who is also a full fledged choreographer and has acted in a few films, and Suja Manoj.
The daughters, both of whom are dancers, felicitaÂted RaÂgÂhÂuram last year on his completing 50 years in the industry with a grÂaÂnd show, titled, ‘Amma Appa Guru Deivam’, whÂich was attended by the who’s who of the TaÂmil film industry.
Rajinikanth, K. BalaÂchander, Radhika SaraÂthÂkumar, Editor MohÂan, T. Rama Rao Manobala, Chinni Jayanth, NamiÂtha, Vivek, S.V. RamaÂnÂan, Padma SubraÂmaniÂam, Krishnaswamy, ShÂobi and Aarthi were the early ones who paid thÂeir last respects.
Raghuram’s elder dauÂghter, Suja, reached the city last night and GaÂyathri, who is away in JaÂpan, is expected to arÂrive on Sunday when the cremation will take place.
The body has been kept at his Kamdar Nagar residence, a family source added.
( Source : dc )
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