# S. A. Chandrasekhar

S. A Chandrasekar (born 2 July 1945) is an Indian film director, film producer, screenwriter, and actor who primarily works within Kollywood. He made his directorial debut with Aval Oru Pachai Kuzhanthai (1978), He got his breakthrough with Sattam Oru Iruttarai (1981). He has directed over 70 movies in all south Indian languages, and is known for directing films focusing on social issues.

## Personal life

Chandrasekhar was born in Thangachimadam, Tamil Nadu into a Catholic Christian family. His son is Vijay, who is one of the leading actors in Tamil cinema. Chandrasekhar also had a daughter named Vidya, who died at the age of two. His brother-in-law, S. N. Surendar is a playback singer and voice artist. His nephew Vikranth is also an actor.

## Film career

Chandrasekar has directed over 70 movies in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Hindi. Directors S. Shankar, Senthilnathan, C. Ranganathan, Pavithran, Majith, K. R. Jaya, M. Rajesh, Ponram, T. Shivraj & Vicky had worked with him as assistants.
Some of his hit movies include Sattam Oru Iruttarai (1981), Chattaniki Kallu Levu (1981), Nyaya Ellide (1982), Palletoori Monagadu (1983), Saatchi (1983), Vetri (1984), Naan Sigappu Manithan (1985), Sattam Oru Vilayaattu (1987), Senthoorapandi (1993), Rasigan (1994), Deva (1995), Once More (1997) and Nenjirukkum Varai (2006).
He introduced Vijay and directed several films in his formative years such as Naalaiya Theerpu (1992), Senthoorapandi (1993), Rasigan (1994), Deva (1995) and Vishnu (1995). Most of his movies are with Vijayakanth and Vijay.
He also directed Telugu movies such as Chattaniki Kallu Levu (1981) and Palletoori Monagadu (1983) with Chiranjeevi.
He has appeared in supporting roles in some movies such as Kudumbam (1984), Pudhu Yugam (1985), Naan Sigappu Manithan (1985), Neethiyin Marupakkam (1985), Enakku Nane Needipathi (1986), Vasantha Raagam (1986), Nilave Malare (1986), Neethikku Thandanai (1987), Sattam Oru Vilayaattu (1987), Innisai Mazhai (1992), Deva (1995), Priyamudan (1998), Sukran (2005) and Kodi (2016).
In the early 2000s, Chandrasekhar slowed down his work as a director and focused on business interests, including on the construction of a three star hotel for his son. In 2000, he began pre-production work on a film titled Dhoosi with Sarathkumar but the project was later shelved.
He turned as the lead actor at the age of 70 in Touring Talkies (2015) which is also his last directorial venture. S. A. Chandrasekhar returned after a break with a biopic on social activist Traffic Ramasamy (2018). In 2019, he directed his 70th film titled Capmaari.
Chandrasekhar spoke at the music launch of the movie Visiri held on 22 November 2018, at Vadapalani Prasad Lab, Chennai. He allegedly said "offering at Tirupati Hundiyal was like a bribe to the deity and one cannot pass the exam by simply making offering to a deity. If the offering to deity can help you pass the exams, you don't need to write the exams and sit at home". He also said that "success can be achieved only by studying." Virugambakkam police registered a FIR against Chandrasekhar on charges of hurting religious beliefs after a complaint filed by Hindu Munnani over his statements.

## Filmography
### As a director, producer and writer

| Year | Film | Credited as | Credited as | Credited as | Credited as | Language | Notes |
| Year | Film | Director | Producer | Screenplay | Story | Language | Notes |
| 1978 | Aval Oru Pachai Kuzhandhai | Y | | | | Tamil | |
| 1981 | Sattam Oru Iruttarai | Y | | Y | | Tamil | |
| 1981 | Nenjile Thunivirunthal | Y | | Y | Y | Tamil | |
| 1981 | Chattaniki Kallu Levu | Y | | Y | | Telugu | Remake of Tamil Film Sattam Oru Iruttarai |
| 1981 | Needhi Pizhaithadhu | Y | | Y | Y | Tamil | |
| 1982 | Idhayam Pesugirathu | Y | | Y | Y | Tamil | |
| 1982 | Pattanathu Rajakkal | Y | | Y | Y | Tamil | |
| 1982 | Om Shakti | Y | | | | Tamil | |
| 1982 | Nyaya Ellide | Y | | Y | | Kannada | Remake of Tamil Film Sattam Oru Iruttarai |
| 1983 | Balidaanam | Y | | | | Telugu | Remake of Malayalam film Raktham |
| 1983 | Samsaram Enbathu Veenai | Y | | | | Tamil | |
| 1983 | Palletoori Monagadu | Y | | | | Telugu | Remake of Tamil Film Nenjile Thunivirunthal |
| 1983 | Gedda Maga | Y | | | | Kannada | Remake of Tamil Film Moondru Mugam |
| 1983 | Geluvu Nannade | Y | | | | Kannada | |
| 1983 | Saatchi | Y | | Y | Y | Tamil | Remake of Malayalam Film Raktham |
| 1983 | Hasida Hebbuli | Y | | Y | | Kannada | Remake of Tamil Film Nenjile Thunivirunthal |
| 1983 | Simha Gharjane | Y | | Y | | Kannada | |
| 1984 | Dopidi Dongalu | Y | | | | Telugu | |
| 1984 | Vetri | Y | | | | Tamil | Remake of Kannada Film Geluvu Nannade |
| 1984 | Devanthakudu | Y | | | | Telugu | Remake of Kannada Film Geluvu Nannade |
| 1984 | Veetuku Oru Kannagi | Y | Y | Y | | Tamil | |
| 1984 | Kudumbam | Y | | Y | Y | Tamil | |
| 1985 | Pudhu Yugam | Y | | Y | Y | Tamil | Remake of Kannada Film Simha Gharjane |
| 1985 | Intiko Rudramma | Y | | | | Telugu | |
| 1985 | Naan Sigappu Manithan | Y | | Y | | Tamil | Remake of Bollywood Film Aaj Ki Awaaz |
| 1985 | Balidaan | Y | | | | Hindi | Remake of Malayalam film Raktham |
| 1985 | Neethiyin Marupakkam | Y | | Y | | Tamil | |
| 1986 | En Sabatham | Y | | | | Tamil | |
| 1986 | Nilave Malare | Y | | | | Tamil | |
| 1986 | Enakku Nane Needipathi | Y | | Y | Y | Tamil | |
| 1986 | Vasantha Raagam | Y | | Y | | Tamil | |
| 1986 | Sigappu Malargal | Y | | Y | Y | Tamil | |
| 1987 | Neethikku Thandanai | Y | | Y | | Tamil | |
| 1987 | Sattam Oru Vilayaattu | Y | | Y | Y | Tamil | |
| 1987 | Kudrat Ka Kanoon | Y | | | | Hindi | Remake of Tamil Film Neethikku Thandanai |
| 1988 | Sudhanthira Naattin Adimaigal | Y | | | | Tamil | |
| 1988 | Poovum Puyalum | Y | | | | Tamil | |
| 1988 | Ithu Engal Neethi | Y | | Y | | Tamil | |
| 1989 | Rajanadai | Y | | Y | | Tamil | |
| 1990 | Azaad Desh Ke Gulam | Y | | | | Hindi | Remake of Tamil Film Sudhanthira Naattin Adimaigal |
| 1990 | Seetha | Y | | | | Tamil | |
| 1990 | Jai Shiv Shankar | Y | | | | Hindi | Remake of Malayalam Film Vartha |
| 1991 | Nanbargal | Y | | | | Tamil | |
| 1992 | Insaaf Ki Devi | Y | | | | Hindi | |
| 1992 | Mera Dil Tere Liye | Y | | | | Hindi | Remake of Tamil Film Nanbargal |
| 1992 | Innisai Mazhai | | | Y | | Tamil | |
| 1992 | Naalaiya Theerpu | Y | | Y | | Tamil | |
| 1993 | Jeevan Ki Shatranj | Y | | Y | | Hindi | Remake of Tamil Film Rajanadai |
| 1993 | Rajadurai | Y | | Y | | Tamil | |
| 1993 | Senthoorapandi | Y | | Y | | Tamil | |
| 1994 | Rasigan | Y | | Y | | Tamil | |
| 1995 | Deva | Y | | Y | | Tamil | |
| 1995 | Vishnu | Y | | Y | | Tamil | |
| 1996 | Maanbumigu Maanavan | Y | | Y | | Tamil | |
| 1997 | Once More | Y | | Y | | Tamil | |
| 1999 | Periyanna | Y | | Y | | Tamil | |
| 1999 | Nenjinile | Y | Y | Y | | Tamil | |
| 2001 | Dosth | Y | | Y | Y | Tamil | |
| 2002 | Thamizhan | | | Y | | Tamil | |
| 2002 | Mutham | Y | | Y | | Tamil | spoke poems in the song "Oru Murai Nee" |
| 2005 | Sukran | Y | Y | Y | Y | Tamil | |
| 2006 | Aathi | | Y | | | Tamil | |
| 2007 | Nenjirukkum Varai | Y | | Y | | Tamil | |
| 2008 | Pandhayam | Y | | Y | Y | Tamil | |
| 2010 | Veluthu Kattu | | Y | | | Tamil | |
| 2011 | Sattapadi Kutram | Y | Y | Y | Y | Tamil | |
| 2015 | Touring Talkies | Y | Y | Y | Y | Tamil | |
| 2016 | Nayyapudai | | Y | Y | Y | Tamil | |
| 2018 | Traffic Ramasamy | | Y | | | Tamil | |
| 2019 | Capmaari | Y | | Y | | Tamil | |
| 2023 | Naan Kadavul Illai | Y | | Y | | Tamil | also singer for song "Kanne Kanmaniye" |

### As an actor

| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
| 1981 | Sattam Oru Iruttarai | Hitchhiker | also director |
| 1984 | Kudumbam | Sekar | also director |
| 1985 | Pudhu Yugam | | also director |
| 1985 | Naan Sigappu Manithan | Hospital Ward Boy | also director |
| 1986 | Vasantha Raagam | Chandrasekhar | also director |
| 1987 | Sattam Oru Vilayaattu | Peter | also director |
| 1992 | Innisai Mazhai | Police officer | also screenplay writer |
| 1993 | Senthoorapandi | guest appearance in song "Aadada Aadada" | also director |
| 1994 | Rasigan | guest appearance in song "Thambi Konjam" | also director |
| 1995 | Deva | Marimuthu | also director |
| 1998 | Priyamudan | CBI officer Gopal | |
| 2005 | Sukran | Himself | also director |
| 2015 | Touring Talkies | Anthony | also director |
| 2016 | Nayyapudai | Vellaichamy | |
| 2016 | Kodi | Thalaivar | |
| 2018 | Traffic Ramasamy | Traffic Ramasamy | also producer |
| 2018 | Aaruthra | Shiva's father | |
| 2019 | Capmaari | Police Inspector | also director |
| 2021 | Maanaadu | Arivazhagan | |
| 2023 | Tamil Kudimagan | Chinnasamy's advocate | |
| 2023 | Naan Kadavul Illai | | also director |
| 2023 | Karumegangal Kalaigindrana | | |
| 2025 | Kooran | Dharmaraj | |

## Television

| Year | Title | Channel | Role | Language |
| 2023–2024 | Kizhakku Vaasal | Star Vijay | Swamiappan | Tamil |