Why Bharathiraja Collaborated More With Kamal Haasan and Only Once With Rajinikanth

Legendary

filmmaker Bharathiraja passed away on June 10 at the age of 84. Credited with transforming Tamil cinema by moving storytelling away from studio sets to realistic rural areas, he was a pioneering force in Indian cinema. Known for his iconic opening line, “Yen Iniya Tamil Makkale,” delivered in his distinctive voice, he left behind a lasting legacy. Bharathiraja made his directorial debut with 16 Vayathinile, starring Sridevi, Kamal Haasan, and Rajinikanth, a film that went on to become a cult classic and continues to be talked about even today. Here's a look at his relationship with Rajinikanth who worked in the film.

Bharathiraja NEVER Considered Rajinikanth A Good Actor - Here's Why

His breakthrough came with the 1977 classic 16 Vayathinile, a landmark film in Tamil cinema that introduced a new wave of storytelling. The film brought together two of Indian cinema’s biggest stars—Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan. While it went on to become a cult classic, Bharathiraja never collaborated with one of the two legends again: Rajinikanth. In contrast, he continued to work with Kamal Haasan on several films. The reason behind this huge gap was later addressed by Rajinikanth himself at a public event.

In 2017, both Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan attended the inauguration of Bharathiraja’s acting institute, BRIIC (Bharathiraja International Institute of Cinema) in Chennai. During the event, Rajinikanth spoke in his witty style about his relationship with the veteran filmmaker. He said he shared a personal bond with Bharathiraja, but felt the director never fully accepted him as an actor.“I like him very much. He likes me as a good person but doesn’t like me as an actor,” Rajinikanth said. He further said that in earlier interviews, Bharathiraja would often describe him as a good human being rather than a good performer. With humour, Rajinikanth even said that he could sense the director’s doubt about his acting abilities.

Meanwhile, Ulaganayagan Kamal Haasan has worked under Bharathiraja’s direction five times in the films 16 Vayathinile, Sigappu Rojakkal, Oru Kaidhiyin Diary, Puthiya Vaarpugal, and Tik Tik Tik.

About Bharathiraja's Death

In December last year, Bharathiraja was admitted to a private hospital in Chennai’s T Nagar after experiencing respiratory issues, including wheezing. He later recovered and was discharged. It is not known whether those health concerns were connected to his passing. More recently, his brother, Jayaraj Periyamayathevar, revealed that Bharathiraja was still affected by the loss of his son, Manoj Bharathiraja, and continued to struggle emotionally in coping with the tragedy.