'Aalayam' Sriram, popular producer and frequent collaborator of veteran filmmaker Mani Ratnam, passed away in the early hours of this morning. 

Mani Ratnam, along with Sriram, formed the Aalayam production house, and their first production venture was the Vijayakanth-starrer Chatriyan, directed by K Subash, an erstwhile assistant of Mani Ratnam. After the stupendous success of Roja (1992), the Kaatru Veliyidai-filmmaker, along with Sriram, started bankrolling his directorial ventures till Iruvar (1997). Thiruda Thiruda and Bombay were produced by Sriram and Mani Ratnam under the Aalayam banner.

Aalayam also produced the Sarathkumar-starrer Dasarathan, and Aasai, which gave Ajith Kumar his big break. Sriram's last production venture was the Balaji Sakthivel film, Samurai, starring Vikram. 

Sriram, who was in his sixties, is survived by his wife Nalini Sriram, a well-known costume designer, and son, Nikhil.