{{short description|Indian screenwriter and director (born 1931)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}} {{Infobox person | name = Chitralaya Gopu | image = Chitralaya Gopu 2015.JPG | alt = | caption = Gopu at the play "Chocolate Krishna" in 2015 | birth_name = Sadagopan | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1931|7|02}}<ref name="death1">{{Cite news |url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/article413724.ece |title=Happy 80th birthday, Chitralaya Gopu! |date=2 July 2011 |work=The New Indian Express |access-date=9 December 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141223183851/http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/article413724.ece |archive-date=23 December 2014}}</ref> | birth_place = | death_date = | death_place = | other_names = | occupation = Writer, director | years_active = 1959–1990 | spouse = Kamala | children = 4 | partner = | website = }}
'''Sadagopan''' (better known as '''Chitralaya Gopu''') is an Indian screenwriter and director who works in Tamil cinema. He has written nearly 60 films, and directed 27 of them.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://ibnlive.in.com/news/happy-80th-birthday-chitralaya-gopu/164294-60-120.html |title=Happy 80th birthday, Chitralaya Gopu! |date=4 July 2011 |website=IBN Live |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20141209142349/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/happy-80th-birthday-chitralaya-gopu/164294-60-120.html |archive-date=9 December 2014 |access-date=9 December 2014}}</ref> He scripted dramatic films such as ''Moondru Dheivangal'' and ''Shanti Nilayam'' and comedies such as ''Kadhalikka Neramillai'', ''Galatta Kalyanam'', ''Patti Sollai Thattathe'' and ''Uttharavindri Ulle Vaa''.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/In-relaxed-mood-Chitralaya-Gopu/article16815321.ece |title=In relaxed mood – 'Chitralaya' Gopu |last=Kumar |first=S. R. Ashok |date=2010-02-18 |work=The Hindu |access-date=2020-02-06 |archive-date=6 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200206082228/https://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/In-relaxed-mood-Chitralaya-Gopu/article16815321.ece |url-status=live }}</ref>
== Career == C. V. Sridhar and Sadagopan were childhood friends since their schooldays in St. Joseph's High School, Chengalpattu.<ref name="Sridhar">{{Cite news |url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/film-director-sridhar-dead/article1361013.ece |title=Veteran film director Sridhar dead |last=Srinivasan |first=Meera |date=21 October 2008 |work=The Hindu |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140316051717/http://www.hindu.com/2008/10/21/stories/2008102154260400.htm |archive-date=16 March 2014}}</ref> Both were playwrights; Sridhar wrote stage plays and played the hero while Sadagopan wrote the humorous parts and played the comedian.<ref name="Reminiscence">{{Cite news |url=https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-fridayreview/Looking-back-with-a-smile/article15938930.ece |title=Looking back with a smile |last=Rangarajan |first=Malathi |date=10 July 2009 |work=The Hindu |access-date=6 February 2020 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140316061749/http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-fridayreview/looking-back-with-a-smile/article659092.ece |archive-date=16 March 2014}}</ref> Later, when Sridhar had the opportunity to direct a film, he asked Sadagopan to join him and produce the comedy track.<ref name="Chithralaya">{{Cite news |url=http://www.hindu.com/2005/11/20/stories/2005112014160200.htm |title='Chithralaya' Gopu, proprietor of Mannar & Co, Oho Productions |last=Ashok Kumar |first=S.R. |date=20 November 2005 |access-date=6 February 2020 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140316060216/http://www.hindu.com/2005/11/20/stories/2005112014160200.htm |work=The Hindu |archive-date=16 March 2014}}</ref><ref name="Heaven">{{Cite news |url=http://hindu.com/thehindu/mp/2010/11/24/stories/2010112450090100.htm |title=Memories of Madras: Heaven on earth |last=Parthasarathy |first=Anusha |date=24 November 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140316053322/http://hindu.com/thehindu/mp/2010/11/24/stories/2010112450090100.htm |work=The Hindu |archive-date=16 March 2014}}</ref> The film ''Kalyana Parisu'' (1959) was a hit and Sridhar started his own production house, Chitralaya.<ref name="Sridhar" /><ref name="Cult">{{Cite news |url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/009200810210329.htm |title=Sridhar – The man with the midas touch |date=21 October 2008 |work=The Hindu |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140316051219/http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/009200810210329.htm |archive-date=16 March 2014 |agency=PTI}}</ref> Sadagopan became popularly known as 'Chitralaya' Gopu.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.cinemaexpress.com/stories/columns/2019/mar/03/thamizh-talkies-when-the-pen-isnt-thought-to-be-mighty-10355.html |title=Thamizh Talkies: When the pen isn't thought to be mighty |last=Narayanan |first=Sujatha |date=3 March 2019 |website=Cinema Express |access-date=6 February 2020 |archive-date=6 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200206112234/https://www.cinemaexpress.com/stories/columns/2019/mar/03/thamizh-talkies-when-the-pen-isnt-thought-to-be-mighty-10355.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
He received the Kalaimamani Award from Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa in 1992.{{citation needed|date= December 2022}}
He directed and acted in television forays, such as ''Washingtonil Thirumanam'', which was shot in the U.S.{{citation needed|date= December 2022}}
== Personal life == Gopu is married to Kamala, a novelist.<ref name="Reminiscence" /> They have four sons.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/theatre/fathima-babuditrected-thaarama-tallyaa-was-impressive/article8253010.ece |title=An account of family ties |last=Balasubramanian |first=V. |date=18 February 2016 |work=The Hindu |access-date=21 January 2019 |archive-date=17 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210817060931/https://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/theatre/fathima-babuditrected-thaarama-tallyaa-was-impressive/article8253010.ece |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movies-cinema-celebrity-column/Gopu-is-Gold-29-06-12.html |title=Gopu Is Gold |last=Rekhs |date=29 June 2012 |website=Behindwoods |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200206112346/https://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movies-cinema-celebrity-column/Gopu-is-Gold-29-06-12.html |archive-date=6 February 2020 |access-date=6 February 2020}}</ref>
== Partial filmography == {{BLP unreferenced section|date= December 2022}} {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! rowspan="2" style="width:35px;"| Year ! rowspan="2" style="width:160px;"| Film ! colspan="2" style="width:195px;"| Credited as ! rowspan="2" style="text-align:center; width:250px;" class="unsortable"| Notes |- ! style="width:65px;" | Director ! width=65 | Writer |- | 1959 || ''Kalyana Parisu'' || style="text-align:center;"| {{n}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || |- | 1962 || ''Nenjil Or Aalayam'' || style="text-align:center;"| {{n}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || |- | 1964 || ''Kadhalikka Neramillai'' || style="text-align:center;"| {{n}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || |- | 1964 || ''Kalai Kovil'' || style="text-align:center;"| {{n}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || |- | 1966 || ''Pyar Kiye Jaa'' || style="text-align:center;"| {{n}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || Remake of ''Kadhalikka Neramillai'' |- | 1966 || ''Kodimalar'' || style="text-align:center;"| {{n}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || |- | 1967 || ''Nenjirukkum Varai'' || style="text-align:center;"| {{n}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || |- | 1967 || ''Ooty Varai Uravu'' || style="text-align:center;"| {{n}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || |- | 1967 || ''Anubavam Pudhumai'' || style="text-align:center;"| {{n}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || |- | 1968 || ''Galatta Kalyanam'' || style="text-align:center;"| {{n}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || |- | 1969 || ''Shanti Nilayam'' || style="text-align:center;"| {{n}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || |- | 1970 || ''Veettuku Veedu'' || style="text-align:center;"| {{n}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || |- | 1971 || ''Moondru Deivangal'' || style="text-align:center;"| {{n}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || |- | 1971 || ''Sumathi En Sundari'' || style="text-align:center;"| {{n}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || |- | 1971 || ''Uttharavindri Ulle Vaa'' || style="text-align:center;"| {{n}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || |- | 1972 || ''Kasethan Kadavulada'' || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || |- | 1974 || ''Athaiya Mamiya'' || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || |- | 1974 || ''Penn Ondru Kanden'' || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || |- | 1974 || ''Galate Samsara'' || style="text-align:center;"| {{n}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || |- | 1977 || ''Kalamadi Kalam'' || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || |- | 1977 || ''Rasi Nalla Rasi'' || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || |- | 1979 || ''Alankari'' || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || |- | 1979 || ''Aasaikku Vayasillai'' || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || |- | 1979 || ''Dhairyalakshmi'' || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || |- | 1984 || ''Raja Veettu Kannukkutty'' || style="text-align:center;"| {{n}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || |- | 1985 || ''Thanga Mama 3D'' || style="text-align:center;"| {{n}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || |- | 1985 || ''Vellai Manasu'' || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || |- | 1985 || ''Thendrale Ennai Thodu'' || style="text-align:center;"| {{n}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || |- | 1988 || ''Vasanthi'' || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || |- | 1988 || ''Paatti Sollai Thattathe'' || style="text-align:center;"| {{n}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || |- | 1989 || ''Dilli Babu'' || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || |- | 1990 || ''Ulagam Pirandhadhu Enakkaga'' || style="text-align:center;"| {{n}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || Last film<ref name="Reminiscence" /> |}
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == * {{IMDb name|id=1367024}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Gopu, Chitralaya}} Category:Tamil film directors Category:Tamil screenwriters Category:Place of birth missing (living people) Category:1931 births Category:Living people Category:Screenwriters from Kanchipuram district Category:Screenwriters from Tamil Nadu Category:Film directors from Tamil Nadu Category:20th-century Indian dramatists and playwrights