Cheran life and biography

Cheran, born 12 December 1966, is a Tamil film director and actor, who has a reputation for directing and producing culturally strong films.

Born at Pazhaiyurpatty, near Melur in Madurai district, Tamil Nadu. His father was a cinema (machine) operator and his mother was a school nursery school teacher. Cheran nurtured his acting skills by the stage dramas enacted in those days during local festival seasons. He went on grooming himself and his dreams by undergoing self-designed rehearsals by himself standing in front of the mirror, speaking out the film dialogues of Sivaji Ganesan, which he carried out with the accompanying acting gestures. He was worn out after he ran away from home to Chennai with dreams of becoming an actor. As his endless chasings after people and cinema studios for getting cinema chances proved to be failures, his hopes were shattered. At last, putting an end to his day-dreaming of becoming a film actor, he succeeded in turning his attention towards the other sides of film-making. He learnt the art of film direction under the mentorship of director K.S Ravikumar.

He earned the reputation of remaining a good film director capable of making quality films. This became possible only through his directional ventures, starting from Bharathi Kannamma to Paandavar Boomi. While directing Paandavar Boomi he demonstrated to the artistes how to enact their part. The film's cameraman Thangarbachchaan noticed this and identified the actor in him during such instances and introduced him as an actor in Solla Marantha Kathai. The people, on their part, have accepted him as an actor too. Cheran is a person who is against selling pirated VCD's. He conducted raids in his own style to stop them. Cheran began his career as an assistant to K.S. Ravikumar. The young man caught the attention of the film producer, Henry. Henry was the producer of the Malayalam film 'Yavanika' directed by K.G. George. Consequent to the success of that movie, he made his entry into Tamil Cinema with 'Kolangal', a subject based on a girl rescued from the red light area in Mumbai who faces social problems back home in Chennai. Henry insisted that the film should not only be commercial but also have a strong social theme.

His movies are characterized by their realism and the strong social messages that they convey. He has won the National Award thrice, one for Vetri Kodi Kattu (which won Best Film of 2000 dealing with social issues) and one for Most Entertaining Film in 2004 (for Autograph) and one for "Thavamai Thavamirundhu" (2005) grabbed the national award for best film on Family Welfare.

It's told that Actress Meena is a lucky mascot for him as this movie has fetched him several renowned awards and at the same time it was a runaway box office hit.
Director Cheran has always had a unique take on movies. Almost every one of them had a message and focused a lot on family, love, affection and duty: acting like a template for how to live life.

Strong characterizations and an overwhelming amount of goodness usually form the backbone of his plots, and the director is an unabashedly emotional, romantic person, something that figures in his movies as well.

Bharathi Kannamma (1997)
Cheran's differing perceptions first came to light in this rather charming rural movie with an age-old plot: the relationship between the daughter of a rich family and their retainer.

Parthiban, sans his usual smug demeanor and Meena, in a break from her glamorous avatar made everyone sit up. But the movie made headlines for another reason, apart from its poetic quality. Its truly unique climax, which, though raised doubts when it was in production, won the universal acclaim of critics and viewers alike.

Filmography:

Direction
1997 Bharathi Kannamma
1998 Desiya Geetham Winner, Filmfare Best Director Award (Tamil)
Porkkaalam Winner, Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Director
2000 Vetri Kodi Kattu Winner, National Film Award for Best Film on Other Social Issues
Winner, Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Dialogue Writer
2001 Pandavar Bhoomi Winner, Filmfare Best Director Award (Tamil)
2004 Autograph Winner, Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Director
Winner, Filmfare Best Director Award (Tamil)
Winner, Filmfare Best Film Award (Tamil)
2005 Thavamai Thavamirundhu Winner, National Film Award for Best Film on Family Welfare
2007 Maya Kannadi
2009 Pokkisham

Acting
2002 Kadhal Virus , Solla Marandha Kadhai
2004 Autograph
2005 Thavamai Thavamirundhu
2007 Maya Kannadi , Aadum Koothu
2008 Pirivom Santhippom, Raman Thediya Seethai
2009 Pokkisham
2011 Yuddham Sei , Muran

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