Chennai | The final rites of legendary Tamil filmmaker Bharathiraja, who passed away on Wednesday, will be performed with full state honours at his farmhouse in Theni district on June 11 afternoon, noted lyricist Vairamuthu announced here.
Speaking on behalf of the bereaved family, Vairamuthu told reporters that the filmmaker’s mortal remains will remain at his Neelankarai residence in Chennai until 9 pm on Wednesday for the public and film fraternity to pay their last respects.
The body will then be transported overnight to his native soil. "The family has decided to lay him to rest in the land where he drew his first breath," Vairamuthu said.
The remains will reach his farmhouse at Kaatrodu near Vathalagundu on Thursday morning. Following public homage, the burial will take place at 3 pm.
Vairamuthu also expressed gratitude to the Tamil Nadu government for announcing a police guard of honour for the auteur.
Thiruvananthapuram | Film personalities from the Malayalam film industry and leaders of political parties in Kerala paid tributes to legendary filmmaker P Bharathiraja, who died on Wednesday due to age-related complications.
Speaker of the Kerala Assembly Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan expressed grief over Bharathiraja’s death and said that the filmmaker changed the face of Tamil cinema through innovative themes and narrative techniques.
“A new generation of actors emerged through his films,” he said in a condolence message issued by his office.
Leader of Opposition in the state assembly, Pinarayi Vijayan, also condoled the filmmaker’s death, saying that he “left an indelible mark on Indian cinema”.
“A pioneer who brought the lives and struggles of ordinary people to the screen with remarkable authenticity, he left an indelible mark on Indian cinema. His close association with Kerala and Malayalam cinema will always be remembered. Heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and admirers,” Vijayan said in an X post.
Superstar Mammootty shared a photograph of Bharathiraja on his Facebook page with the message: “Tributes.”
His film industry colleague Mohanlal said that Bharathiraja was a director “who found poetry in the soil, truth in silence, and soul in every frame”.
“Sharing screen space with Bharathiraja sir in Thudarum was an honour I will cherish forever. Rest in peace, sir. Your legacy will continue to inspire generations, and your presence will be deeply missed,” he said in a Facebook post.
Singer Sujatha Mohan also took to social media to express her grief and pay tribute to the director.
“Deeply saddened by the passing of Bharathiraja sir. I was blessed to have sung many memorable songs like 'Sotta Sotta', 'Aathangara Marame', and others in his films, and I will always remain grateful for that.
“Though he is no longer with us, his timeless creations and artistic legacy will live on forever. Rest in peace, sir. You will be remembered with love, respect, and admiration for generations to come,” she said in a Facebook post.
The late director was a Padma Shri recipient.