S. P. Jananathan

S. P. Jananathan was an Indian film director and screenwriter who worked in Tamil cinema. He started his career as an assistant to directors like B. Lenin, Bharathan, Vincent Selva and Keyaar. He also served as a visual effects director for some films. He made his debut as a director with Iyarkai (2003), a romantic drama that won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil in 2004. He followed it with E (2006), a medical thriller that was a commercial success. His third film, Peranmai (2009), was an action-adventure film loosely based on the 1972 Russian movie The Dawns Here Are Quiet. He also made his debut as a producer with Purampokku Engira Podhuvudamai (2015), a political thriller that featured Arya, Vijay Sethupathi and Shaam. He wrote the dialogues for Bhooloham (2015), a sports drama starring Jayam Ravi. His final film, Laabam (2021), was a social drama that starred Vijay Sethupathi and Shruti Haasan. It was released six months after his death. Jananathan was known for his films that dealt with social issues and had a Marxist ideology. He was also a treasurer of the Tamil Film Directors' Union. He died on 14 March 2021 at the age of 61 after being unconscious for two days following a cardiac arrest. He was admitted to a private hospital in Chennai and was under ventilator support. He was mourned by many celebrities and fans who appreciated his work and contribution to Tamil cinema.