The death of veteran filmmaker Bharathiraja has left the Tamil film fraternity in deep grief. The acclaimed director passed away on June 10 at the age of 84 and several tributes were shared by fans and celebrities.Several members of the industry visited his residence to pay their last respects. Among them were legendary composer Ilaiyaraaja and his brother, musician and filmmaker Gangai Amaran.
Gangai Amaran’s emotional reaction
During her visit to Bharathiraja’s residence, Gangai Amaran was visibly overcome with grief. A video surfaced online showing her anguish near the mortal remains of the late director.According to Money Control reports, Bharathiraja’s family members were questioned about the filmmaker’s last days. He reportedly said, “You all finally left him alone.” He also said that the veteran filmmaker died with no one by his side. Actress Radhika Sarathkumar was also seen asking to put the issue to rest.Later, while talking to the media, Gangai Amaran opened up about the importance of Bharathiraja in his life and career. He spoke about the close bond between Bharathiraja, Ilaiyaraaja and him in their early years.According to the Hindustan Times, he said, “Don’t you realize how sad we are? Bharathiraja is the one who raised us. If he hadn’t come to Chennai, we wouldn’t be here. Both Ilaiyaraaja and I worked with him, and we all lived on his salary. We were fed, and they raised us. It’s a shame when you realize that such a man is no longer with us.
Ilaiyaraaja struggles to put the loss into words
Ilaiyaraaja also paid homage at Bharathiraja’s residence. However, when approached for comment by reporters, the composer found it difficult to talk about the loss. “What’s there to say? There’s nothing to say. There’s literally nothing to say; we’ve lost the man. This is not the place for a conversation,” he said.He further added, “I pray to God that his soul rest in peace. I always respect this country, its people and its artists. The bond I share with you, my audience, is the same bond I share with him.”
Radha Ravi recalls Bharathiraja’s personal struggles
Actor Radha Ravi has spoken about Bharathiraja’s personal struggles in recent years. In an interaction with Filmibeat, Manoj recalled the emotional impact of losing his son.According to Radha Ravi, the tragedy changed Bharathiraja significantly and left a lasting impact on him. He said, “Bharathiraja was never the same after Manoj passed away. He fought to come out of that pain. Losing a son at such a young age took a toll on him.”He further added, “He would feel sad thinking about Manoj’s wife and children. That thought stayed with him and caused him a lot of mental stress.”
