Legendary late actor's Raghuvaran docufilm is in development from director Hasif Abida Hakeem, who also serves as the project's DOP as well as producer. Titled Raghuvaran: A Star That Defied Time, its teaser was shared by actor Rohini.
According to the makers, the docufilm will be "an exploration of a man who redefined cinematic storytelling through his performances. From menacing villains to deeply conflicted antiheroes, from tormented fathers to eccentric visionaries, he had a way of making his characters seem unsettlingly real."
The teaser has many unseen clips of the actor and behind-the-scenes moments from his films. "He was the unparalleled presence of Tamil cinema," the teaser states, adding that he would live, walk, talk, and fight like an actor for over 18 hours.
They added, "This film takes you through his journey—from a young dreamer stepping into the world of theatre to an actor who crafted some of the most hauntingly powerful performances in Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu, and Hindi cinema."
"It explores his relentless pursuit of authenticity, a commitment so intense that it often blurred the boundaries between performance and reality. His characters did not just exist in scripts—they lived within him, often at the cost of his own peace," the description further read.
With over 200 films to his credit in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada and Hindi, Raghuvaran established himself as a formidable antagonist in Tamil cinema with Kutravaaligal, Mr. Bharath, Manthira Punnagai, and Poovizhi Vasalile, among others. He garnered praise with his role in big-ticket films like Anjali, Baasha, Kadhalan, and Mudhalvan. Some of his prominent roles in other language films included Vyooham and by Kavacham in Malayalam, Izzatdaar, Lal Baadshah and Shiva in Hindi, and Lankeshwarudu, Lathi and Azad in Telugu.
The release date for the docufilm is yet to be announced.