'One of the achievements I am most proud of': Mohanlal pays tribute to Bharathiraja

For Mohanlal, Bharathiraja was not merely a celebrated filmmaker whose work shaped generations of cinema lovers. He was also a co-star he had long admired, and one with whom he finally got the opportunity to share the screen in 'Thudarum'.

As the film industry mourned the death of Bharathiraja, Mohanlal took to social media to remember the veteran director and actor, describing their collaboration in 'Thudarum' as one of the proudest moments of his career.

Paying tribute to Bharathiraja, Mohanlal remembered the filmmaker as a storyteller who found beauty in simplicity and humanity in the everyday. Sharing screen space with him in 'Thudarum', he said, would remain one of the proudest moments of his career.

The tribute carried added significance because 'Thudarum' turned out to be Bharathiraja's final screen appearance. Directed by Tharun Moorthy and headlined by Mohanlal, the film featured the veteran filmmaker as Palani Swamy, an ageing stunt master whose bond with Mohanlal's character forms one of the story's emotional anchors.

The role came at a difficult time in Bharathiraja's life. Despite battling serious health issues and memory loss, he completed the performance with the commitment that had defined his decades-long journey in cinema. Tharun Moorthy had earlier revealed that Bharathiraja agreed to be part of the project because it offered him the chance to meet Mohanlal and spend time with him, a prospect that excited the veteran filmmaker.

Bharathiraja passed away while undergoing treatment for age-related ailments. Across a career spanning decades, he emerged as one of the most influential voices in Tamil cinema, crafting stories deeply rooted in the lives, landscapes and emotions of rural Tamil Nadu. Beginning with '16 Vayathinile', he went on to direct films such as 'Sigappu Rojakkal', 'Nizhalgal', 'Alaigal Oivathillai', 'Mudhal Mariyathai' and 'Kizhakku Cheemayile', works that earned him a place among the most respected filmmakers in Indian cinema.