The death of veteran filmmaker-actor Bharathiraja at 84 has brought back memories of a filmmaker who changed the face of Tamil cinema. For actor-director Ramesh Aravind, who was part of Bharathiraja's Marikozhundhu (1991), the late director was someone who redefined how stories were told on screen.

Speaking to CE, Ramesh recalls, "There was a time when filmmakers like Sridhar and K Balachander brought a new wave to Tamil cinema. Then Bharathiraja came along and took the camera straight to the villages." He added, "Until then, most films were shot on sets and inside studios. Through Bharathiraja's films, audiences got to see real villages, real people and real life on the big screen."

Ramesh points out that Bharathiraja's rise coincided with the emergence of two other creative forces — composer Ilaiyaraaja and writer-director K Bhagyaraj. Together, they delivered one memorable film after another.

"What was fascinating was that even while he became known for rural subjects, he could suddenly surprise audiences with something completely different like Sigappu Rojakkal," says Ramesh. "A serial-killer thriller was the last thing people expected from him at that time. It showed how versatile he was."

He also remembers Bharathiraja as a filmmaker with an extraordinary eye for talent. "He was known for spotting ordinary faces and turning them into stars. He would find people from bus stands, from the streets, and cast them as heroes. He spotted actor Pandiyan, and introduced him as a hero. He was best in introducing rural faces, rural characters and the smell of the soil into cinema."

For Ramesh, Bharathiraja's story also has a strong Kannada connection. "He was deeply influenced by Puttanna Kanagal and even worked as an assistant director under him, before he started as a full-fledged director."

Known for classics such as 16 Vayathinile, Muthal Mariyathai and Sigappu Rojakkal, Bharathiraja leaves behind a body of work that inspired generations of filmmakers. "For a period, he was simply phenomenal, and kept surprising us with the variety of stories he chose to tell."