{{Short description|Indian film director}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2026}} {{Infobox person | name = Vasanth | caption = Director Vasanth | image = Director_Vasanth.JPG | native_name_lang = | birth_name = | occupation = Director | years_active = 1987–2021 | notable_works = | party = |birth_place = [[Devakottai|Devakottai, Tamilnadu]], India }}
'''Vasanth''' is an Indian director well known in [[Tamil cinema|Tamil language]] films for directing films such as ''[[Keladi Kanmani]]'' (1990), ''[[Aasai]]'' (1995), ''[[Nerrukku Ner]]'' (1997), ''[[Rhythm (2000 film)|Rhythm]]'' (2000) and ''[[Satham Podathey]]'' (2007).
==Career==
Vasanth began his career as a journalist and short story writer,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fullhyderabad.com/profile/events/13062/2 |title=Just Above The Pond – A Short Film By S M A Vasant: Events in Hyderabad |publisher=Fullhyderabad.com |access-date=7 July 2012}}</ref> before he began working as an assistant director to [[K. Balachander]] on 18 films including ''[[Sindhu Bhairavi (film)|Sindhu Bhairavi]]'' and ''[[Punnagai Mannan]]''.<ref name="hindu1">{{cite web |date=21 September 2010 |title=A fine balance |url=http://www.hindu.com/mp/2010/09/21/stories/2010092150310300.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121110094624/http://www.hindu.com/mp/2010/09/21/stories/2010092150310300.htm |archive-date=10 November 2012 |access-date=7 July 2012 |work=[[The Hindu]] |df=dmy-all}}</ref> He made his first independent film in 1990, the critically acclaimed film ''[[Keladi Kanmani]]'', which starred noted playback singer [[S. P. Balasubrahmanyam]] and enjoyed a 285-days-run at theatres. He next directed ''[[Nee Pathi Naan Pathi]]'', titled after a song from his previous film, which focussed on an [[unwed mother]]'s issue. The film features the song "Nivedha", becoming noted for its visualisation and its lyrics consisting of a single word. His third directorial was the thriller ''[[Aasai]]'' (1995), which became a trendsetter and high financial success that ran for more than 200 days.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rediff.com/movies/apr/04ajit.htm |title=Rediff on the Net, Movies:Ajith.. the south hero signed for ABCL's film |work=Rediff.com |date=4 April 1997 |access-date=7 July 2012}}</ref> Produced by [[Mani Ratnam]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hindu.com/2001/12/01/stories/2001120100860200.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121110061416/http://www.hindu.com/2001/12/01/stories/2001120100860200.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=10 November 2012 |title=Realistic film-making |date=1 December 2001 |work=[[The Hindu]] |access-date=7 July 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rediff.com/movies/1999/jul/06ajit.htm |title=Rediff on the NeT, Movies: An interview with Ajith Kumar |work=Rediff.com |date=6 July 1999 |access-date=7 July 2012}}</ref> as well as the feature film debut of lead actress [[Suvalakshmi]], while Vasanth received the [[Tamil Nadu State Film Award]] for Best Director.
In 1997, Vasanth's next project, ''[[Nerrukku Ner]]'' released. Also produced by [[Maniratnam]], the film introduced actor [[Sivakumar]]'s eldest son [[Suriya (actor)|Suriya]], who played a leading role and Bollywood actress [[Simran (actress)|Simran]] alongside [[Vijay (actor)|Vijay]] and [[Kausalya (actress)|Kausalya]] also became a commercial success and ran for 175 days. Vasanth's subsequent project ''[[Poovellam Kettuppar]]'' (1999), also starred Suriya, pairing for the first time with [[Jyothika]], who would later become his wife. The film is especially known as being composer [[Yuvan Shankar Raja]]'s first major musical success. The following year, two of his directorial released, ''[[Appu (2000 film)|Appu]]'' and ''[[Rhythm (2000 film)|Rhythm]]''. The former was appreciated for [[Prakash Raj]]'s performance as a [[Hijra (South Asia)|eunuch]], whilst the latter is considered a classic, mainly for its theme and realism by critics and public. ''Rhythm'' told the tale of two individuals who lose their life partners in the same accident and overcome their sorrow to start a new relationship. The film's soundtrack, scored by [[A. R. Rahman]] consists of five songs, each depicting one of the [[Mahābhūta|five elements]].<ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite web |url=http://im.sify.com/sathumpodaathay/images/sep2007/profile_content_new-1.swf |title=Satham Podathay images |work=Sify |access-date=2015-06-20 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305131359/http://im.sify.com/sathumpodaathay/images/sep2007/profile_content_new-1.swf |archive-date=5 March 2016 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> Vasanth had picked ''Rhythm'' to be the film "closest to heart".<ref name="hindu1"/> ''[[Yai! Nee Romba Azhaga Irukke!]]'' (2002) was his following project, with its major attraction being the first ensemble soundtrack in Indian cinema, featuring five songs, composed by five debutant music directors but failed at the box office.<ref name="autogenerated1"/> In 2007, he made the thriller film ''[[Satham Podathey]]'' (2007), which was critically acclaimed but not a commercial hit.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rediff.com/movies/2007/sep/14sssp.htm |title=Satham Podathey is a good thriller |work=Rediff.com |access-date=7 July 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Balasubramanian|first=Sharada|url=http://www.nowrunning.com/movie/3130/tamil/satham-podathey/1329/review.htm|title=Satham Podathey Review|publisher=Nowrunning.com|date=21 September 2007|access-date=7 July 2012|archive-date=13 October 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121013184216/http://www.nowrunning.com/movie/3130/tamil/satham-podathey/1329/review.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> and a blockbuster at the box office, while fetching him a [[Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Storywriter]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cinesouth.com/masala/hotnews/new/30092009-1.shtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091003104224/http://www.cinesouth.com/masala/hotnews/new/30092009-1.shtml |url-status=dead |archive-date=3 October 2009 |title=Dailynews – Rajini & Kamal nominated for best actor |publisher=Cinesouth.com |date=30 September 2009 |access-date=7 July 2012}}</ref> 2013 he made the romantic musical ''[[Moondru Per Moondru Kadhal]]'', a film involving three love stories.<ref>{{cite web|first=V |last=Lakshmi|date=2 August 2011 |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/regional/news-interviews/MPMK-is-not-a-love-story/articleshow/9453422.cms |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106004745/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-08-02/news-interviews/29841736_1_love-story-cheran-film |url-status=live |archive-date=6 November 2012 |title='MPMK' is not a love story |work=[[The Times of India]] |access-date=7 July 2012}}</ref> In 2015, he began his next feature film titled ''Sivaranjaniyum Innum Sila Pengalum'', reported to be a "pro-women film", in which he would introduce Carnatic singer [[Sudha Ragunathan]] as a music director.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/Padmapriya-in-Vasanths-pro-women-film/articleshow/45869316.cms|title=Padmapriya in Vasanth's pro-women film|website=[[The Times of India]]|last1=Karthik |first1=Janani }}</ref>
During his [[sabbatical]]s from filmmaking, Vasanth has worked on several ad films, short films and documentaries as well.<ref name="hindu1"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hindu.com/mp/2005/03/14/stories/2005031401610200.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121110094724/http://www.hindu.com/mp/2005/03/14/stories/2005031401610200.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=10 November 2012 |title=Metro Plus Coimbatore / Cinema : Vasanth in a new role |date=14 March 2005 |work=[[The Hindu]] |access-date=7 July 2012}}</ref> The short films, ''Thakkayin Methu Naanku Kangal (தக்கையின் மீது நான்கு கண்கள்)'', for which he won the [[National Film Award for Best Short Fiction Film]] at the [[53rd National Film Awards|2005 ceremony]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cinesouth.com/masala/hotnews/new/11082007-1.shtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080528141056/http://www.cinesouth.com/masala/hotnews/new/11082007-1.shtml |url-status=dead |archive-date=28 May 2008 |title=Dailynews – National award for director Vasanth |publisher=Cinesouth.com |access-date=7 July 2012}}</ref> and the critically acclaimed ''Visaranai Commission'', based on Sakithya Academy prize-winning novel by Sa. Kandhasami,<ref name="hindu1"/> are the other notable works in his career. He has directed more than 40 advertising films for multinational brands and co-directed the [[Vijay TV]] extravaganza ''[[Netru, Indru, Naalai]]'' along with [[Mani Ratnam]]. Besides, Vasanth has been conducting workshops, too, teaching nuances of filmmaking.<ref name="indiatimes1">{{cite web|date=6 April 2010|title=Vasanth dons the teacher's hat!|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/regional/news-interviews/Vasanth-dons-the-teachers-hat/articleshow/5763329.cms|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120916210132/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-04-06/news-interviews/28143315_1_young-filmmakers-workshop-cinema|archive-date=16 September 2012|access-date=7 July 2012|work=[[The Times of India]]}}</ref><ref name="hindu1"/>
==Filmography==
{| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! rowspan="2" style="width:35px;"| Year ! rowspan="2" style="width:150px;"| Film ! rowspan="2" style="text-align:center; width:250px;" class="unsortable"| Notes |-
|- |rowspan="1"| 1990 || ''[[Keladi Kanmani]]'' || [[Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Film]] |- |rowspan="1"| 1991 || ''[[Nee Pathi Naan Pathi]]'' || |- |rowspan="1"| 1995 || ''[[Aasai]]''||[[Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Director]] |- |rowspan="1"| 1997 || ''[[Nerrukku Ner]]''|| |- |rowspan="1"| 1999 || ''[[Poovellam Kettuppar]]''|| |- | rowspan="2" | 2000 || ''[[Appu (2000 film)|Appu]]''|| |- | ''[[Rhythm (2000 film)|Rhythm]]''|| |- |rowspan="1"| 2002 || ''[[Yai! Nee Romba Azhaga Irukke!]]''|| |- |rowspan="1"| 2005 || ''Thakkaiyin Meedhu Naangu Kangal''|| [[National Film Award for Best Short Film (Up to 30 Min)|National Film Award for Best Short Film]] |- |rowspan="1"| 2007 || ''[[Satham Podathey]]''|| [[Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Story Writer]] |- |rowspan="1"| 2013 || ''[[Moondru Per Moondru Kadal]]''|| |- |rowspan="1"| 2016 || ''Sanath''||Short film;<br />[[National Film Award for Best Film on Social Issues]] |- |rowspan="1"|2021 | ''[[Sivaranjiniyum Innum Sila Pengalum]]'' || 2022 [[National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil]]<br/>Released on a digital platform Sony LIV |} '''Web series''' {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" id="filmography" ! Year ! Web Series ! Role ! Language ! Notes |- | 2021 ||[[Navarasa (web series)|''Navarasa'']]|| Director (Payasam) || [[Tamil language|Tamil]] || A [[Netflix]] anthology web series; Segment : ''Payasam'' |}
===Voice artist=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Film ! Role !Actor !Notes |- |1982||''Gandhi''||Mahatma Gandhi||Ben Kingsley||Dubbed for older Gandhi<ref>{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/kalki2000-10-29/page/n129/mode/2up|title=Gandhi|date=29 October 2000|page=130}}</ref> |}
===Actor=== ;Films {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Film ! Role |- |1987 |''[[Manathil Uruthi Vendum]]'' |Reporter |- |1988 |''[[Unnal Mudiyum Thambi]]'' |Reporter |- | 2014 | ''[[Ninaithathu Yaaro]]'' | Himself |- | 2015 | ''[[Vai Raja Vai]]'' | Karthik's father |} ;Television *''[[Kadhal Pagadai]]'' (1996) as himself (episode 6)
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{IMDb name|id=1182689|name=Vasanth}}
{{Vasanth}} {{TamilNaduStateAwardForBestDirector}} {{Authority control}}
[[Category:Film directors from Tamil Nadu]] [[Category:Tamil film directors]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Tamil Nadu State Film Awards winners]] [[Category:People from Cuddalore district]] [[Category:Tamil screenwriters]] [[Category:Screenwriters from Tamil Nadu]] [[Category:21st-century Indian male actors]] [[Category:Male actors in Tamil cinema]] [[Category:Male actors from Tamil Nadu]] [[Category:20th-century Indian dramatists and playwrights]] [[Category:21st-century Indian dramatists and playwrights]] [[Category:1963 births]]