The demise of actor and filmmaker Manoj Bharathiraja, son of veteran director Bharathiraja, came as a shock to the entire Tamil film industry. Manoj passed away due to a cardiac arrest at the mere age of 48, back in March this year. Visuals from his demise and final rites featured a very shattered Bharathiraja, who couldn't come to terms with the death. Now, the filmmaker's brother, Jayaraj Periyamayathevar, has revealed that Bharathiraja's mental health is still very low and that he is not about to cope with the loss.

In a recent interview with a media channel, Jeyaraj shared, "Anna has been unwell for a few months now. He has not been able to cope with the loss of his son, Manoj Bharathiraja. He often looks at Manoj’s photos and breaks down. We even took him to Malaysia, hoping a change of place would console and heal him, but even there, his thoughts kept returning to his late son. Despite all the fame and money, he is unable to come to terms with this loss. He is slowly drifting away from his old memories."

Born on September 11, 1976, Manoj made his acting debut with Taj Mahal (1999), directed by his father, written by Mani Ratnam, and scored by AR Rahman. He also tried his hand at playback singing, lending his voice to the song ‘Eechi Elumichi’ from Taj Mahal.

Bharathiraja made his directorial debut with 16 Vayathinile in 1977, a year after his son was born. Some of his popular directorials include Kizhake Pogum Rail, Sigappu Rojakkal, Alaigal Oivathillai, Kaadhal Oviyam, and Mudhal Mariyathai, among others. The filmmaker has helmed nearly 40 films, earning the title Iyakkunam Immayam through the years. He has also acted in various films, with his most recent appearance in Mohanlal's Thudarum. On the directorial front, his most recent work is a segment from Modern Love Chennai, titled Paravai Kootil Vaazhum Maangal.