Veteran Tamil filmmaker, actor, and screenwriter K Bhagyaraj was cremated with full state honours at the Besant Nagar Electric Crematorium in Chennai on Sunday. Family members, colleagues from the film industry, political leaders, and members of the public were present at the cremation.
Bhagyaraj passed away on Saturday following a cardiac arrest. He was 73.
From Nungambakkam to Besant Nagar
Bhagyaraj’s mortal remains were kept at his residence in Nungambakkam after his death on Saturday. Members of the film fraternity, political leaders, and admirers gathered there to pay their respects before the funeral procession began.
The body was then taken in a funeral procession through the streets of Chennai to the Besant Nagar Electric Crematorium. Actors R Parthiban and R Sarathkumar joined family members in carrying the casket during the procession.
A floral tribute bearing the words “With Love, Yours, Bhagyaraj” accompanied the procession. A photograph of Bhagyaraj with former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MG Ramachandran was also part of the procession.
At the crematorium, Bhagyaraj was accorded full state honours before his mortal remains were cremated in the presence of family and colleagues.
About K Bhagyaraj
Bhagyaraj was born in Vellankoil in Erode district. He worked across multiple roles in Tamil cinema, including as a director, actor, screenplay writer, dialogue writer, and music composer.
He made his directorial debut with ‘Suvarilladha Chithirangal’. His subsequent films included ‘Mouna Geethangal’, ‘Andha 7 Naatkal’, and ‘Mundhanai Mudichu’, all of which became well-known works in Tamil cinema.
His films combined romance, family drama, and comedy. He was known for portraying the lives of ordinary people through witty dialogues and relatable characters.
Bhagyaraj’s career spanned several decades and covered a wide range of roles within the film industry. As a director, he built a body of work that drew consistent audiences. As a screenwriter and dialogue writer, his style was widely popular for its humour.
His films are associated with a period in Tamil cinema marked by stories centred on middle-class family life and everyday situations. ‘Mundhanai Mudichu’, in particular, remains one of the more referenced Tamil films from that era.