Bharathiraja's first film 16 Vayathinile broke the then existing convention to create a new genre of rural cinema. The film is now regarded as a milestone in the history of Tamil Cinema.
Criticisms that he was capable of catering only to village audiences led Bharathiraja to make Sigappu Rojakkal, a thriller about a psychopathic woman-hater, loosely based on serial-killer Raman RaghavBharathiraja again refused to be tied down to one particular genre with an experimental film Nizhalgal in 1980. The film revolves around a group of youngsters and their struggles in the society.Bharathiraja surprised audiences by following up Nizhalgal with Tik Tik Tik, a thriller about a photographer, who gets acquainted with supermodels, and in the process, unearths a smuggling racket.Bharathiraja's Alaigal Oivathillai was a first of its kind in taking on the religious norms of the 80s head-on. The love story of a Hindu and a Christian, the film went on to become a cult-classic.Despite Bharathiraja's attempts at establishing versatility, rural themes proved to be his strong suit in the 1980s, as evidenced by the blockbuster success of Mann Vasanai, the debut film of Revathi.Another crime thriller ahead of its times, Oru Kaidhiyin Diary saw Kamal Haasan collaborate with makeup artist Michael Westmore for the first time. Kamal would later work with Westmore in Indian, etc.Muthal Mariyathai is about the romance that blooms between a middle-aged village head (Sivaji) and a young, lower caste boatwoman (Radha). It won best film at the National Awards.Kadalora Kavdhaigal, which saw Bharathiraja cast the then-action hero Sathyaraj against type as a violent person who gets to understands love, and the meaning of life, was the debut film of Rekha.Quite in keeping with its title, Vedham Pudhidu is one of the earliest critiques of the caste system and its hypocrisies. The film contains a lot of the director's trademark touches.. Featuring an international cast, Nathodi Thendral, set in British India, is based on a triangular love story between a goldsmith (Karthik), a gypsy (Ranjitha) and the district collector's sister.Another surprise package from Bharathiraja, Captain Magal happens to be one of the earliest female-oriented thrillers. Khusbu, in the titular role, delivers a killer performance.Bharathiraja's flair for village themes extends to the 90s, with 1993's Diwali release, Kizhakku Seemayile, starring Radhika and Vijayakumar, receiving both critical and commercial acclaim.Karuththamma is considered a milestone in the way it addresses the heinous act of female foeticide prevalent in Tamil Nadu during that time. AR Rahman's sountrack is hailed as a masterpiece.The 1996 period-art house film, Anthimanthaarai, starring Vijaykumar and Jayasudha, follows the platonic relationship that develops between a wartime freedom fighter and a young woman.Bharati Raja experiments with the structure of one of his first loves — the whodunit - in Bommalaattam (2008). The Hindi-Tamil bilingual marked Nana Patekar's Tamil debut.