From Shankar's debut feature, Gentleman, to his magnum opus, 2.0, we have all of his movies covered. Read on...

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Celebrating Shankar: Rare working stills from the filmmaker's movie sets

As the director, known for his larger-than-life movies, recently turned 58, we give you some memorable moments, caught on camera, from his movie sets.

Team CE

Updated:19th Aug, 2021 at 4:37 PM

First film: Gentleman (1993)

Shankar with the leads - Arjun and Madhubala -, producer KT Kunjumon and Goundamani on the film's sets

A 30-year-old Shankar with the film's cinematographer, Jeeva, who died of a sudden heart attack in 2007.

Shankar directing a comedy scene involving Goundamani

Shankar with Nambiar and Vineeth, shooting the flashback portions of Gentleman

Shankar clicked with his team while shooting the train heist scene for the film

Shankar explaining a scene to Arjun and Madhoo.

Second film: Kaadhalan (1994)

Shankar directing a scene involving Prabhudeva and Vadivelu

Shankar clicked with Gireesh Karnat, who played Nagma's father in the film.

Shankar with Nagama on the sets of Kaadhalan

Shankar shooting Kaadhalan's interval block in Chidambaram, involving Nagma, Prabhudeva and a helicopter.

Shankar with his crew, while directing the beach scenes involving Prabhudeva practising dance, along with his dad, SPB.

Shankar with his team clicked after shooting a temple dance sequence for the film.

Shankar directing singer SPB, who plays a cop and a friendly dad to Prabhudeva, in the film.

Shankar clicked with the backdrop of the Chidambaram temple, while shooting the film's interval block.

Shankar, Nagma, and Prabhudeva, clicked in the sequence that happens outside the dance school.

Shankar enjoying a lighter moment with Prabhudeva.

Shankar, Nagma, and Prabhudeva clicked while shooting Kaadhalan's interval block. The helicopter is in the backdrop.

Third film: Indian (1996)

The iconic shot of Kamal directing Kamal and Sukanya as the old couple.

Shankar clicked with the film's lead, Manisha Koirala.

Another iconic click of Shankar with Kamal Haasan as Senapathy, a 70-year-old ex-freedom fighter, who turns vigilante for rooting out corruption.

Shankar directing a scene from the movie. His assistant, Madhesh, is also seen.

The shot which defines the film's making for several reasons. Shankar explains the scene where Senapathy questions the traffic Inspector to Kamal Haasan.

Shankar, clicked with Kamal Haasan and Manisha, during the shoot of the 'Telephone Manipol' song.

Fourth film: Jeans (1998)

Shankar, seen with Nasser and Radhika, while shooting Jeans' flashback porions

Shankar directing a comedy scene involving Senthil and Raju Sundaram. Raju, Prabhudeva's elder brother, played Aishwarya Rai's brother in the film.

Fifth film: Mudhalvan (1999)

Shankar, clicked on the sets of Mudhalvan, which was a script that was originally written for Rajinikanth.

Shankar explaining a scene about the one-day CM taking charge to the film's lead, Arjun.

Sixth film: Boys (2003)

Shankar with Bharath and Thaman on the film's sets.

Shankar, clicked with Siddharth and Genelia, during a song shoot.

Thaman, incidentally, is a busy music director now.

Seventh film: Anniyan (2005)

Shankar directing Anniyan's climax sequence. He seems to be explaining the long monologue scene to the black-robed guy, Chiyaan Vikram.

Shankar is seen here with the film's heroine, Sadha, who plays a Brahmin-girl in the film.

Shankar with Vikram on the sets of 'Rendekka' song.

Shankar directing a comedy sequence involving Vikram, Vivekh and Sadha.

Eighth film: Sivaji (2007)

Shankar, clicked with Rajinikanth, at the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain, during the shoot of the 'Shtyle' song.

Shankar overlooks, As KV Anand shoots the fiery interval-block of Sivaji.

Shankar explaining the climax sequence to Suman, who plays the villain in the film.

Shankar and Rajini on the sets of the Style song in Spain

Shankar explains the iconic Tea kadi 'Bajji Sapdunga' scene to Rajinikanth and Suman.

Shankar directing a shot, which requires Rajini to make a call from a PCO, in Sivaji

A click at the City of Arts and Sciences, Spain, one of the locations where the song 'Shtyle' was shot.

Ninth film: Enthiran (2010)

Shankar discussing a scene with Rajinikanth, who is the evil 2.0 avatar

Shankar working on Rajini's make-up for a scene from the film, which involved heavy CGI.

Shankar in conversation with Rajinikanth as the good robot, Chitti.

Shankar discussing a scene with the CG technicians before the final take

Shankar, and his then assistant, Atlee, removing a mannequin of 2.0 Rajinikanth from the background before a shot

Shankar in deep thought on the sets of Enthiran

Shankar directing the wedding hall scene involving 2.0

Shankar micking a scene involving Chitti, the robot, for Rajinikanth.

Tenth film: Nanban (2012)

Shankar and Vijay in a college in Ooty for shooting a campus scene

Shankar spelling out the dialogues to the female lead, Ileana DeCruz, for a college classroom scene

Shankar explains a scene to Vijay in the corridors of the college

Shankar, clicked with Jiiva, who reprised Sharman Joshi's charater, from the original, 3 idiots.

Shankar directs Vijay as the latter hugs Jiiva and Srikanth for a emotional scene.

Shankar discusses a scene with Sathyaraj, who plays the college principal, as Jiiva, AD Atlee, and Srikanth overlook.

Eleventh film: I (2015)

Shankar discusses a scene with Vikram and Amy Jackson in China for the film.

Shankar with his team of stunt choreographers on the film's sets/

Shankar explains a shot to Amy Jackson, who plays a model the film.

Shankar directs a North Madras sequence involving Santhanam for the film.

Shankar, looking at the monitor, on the sets of I.

Shankar directing a scene involving Amy Jackson. Chiyaan Vikram, in a lean look, is seen in the background.

Shankar discusses a scene with the film's cinematographer.

Shankar calls the shots for a dance sequence, as background dancers stand behind him.

Shankar conceiving a shot involving Amy Jackson for the film's first song, Mersalayitten.

Twelfth film: 2.0

Shankar overlook's Amy Jackson's robot makeup for a scene

Shankar clicked with Rajinikanth during the climax shoot.

Shankar explains a scene to Akshay Kumar, who plays the bird-man in the film.

Shankar discusses an action sequence with the Superstar, who is dressed up as Chitti.