Veteran filmmaker Bharathiraja, who has been undergoing intensive treatment at a private hospital in Chennai, is currently stable, confirmed doctors through a medical bulletin.
According to MGM Healthcare's recent update read, the 84-year-old director was admitted with severe lung infection and is currently being treated in the critical care unit. "He is on all appropriate treatment for organ impairments and is closely cared for by our team of medical experts. His condition is stable and he will continue to require treatment at the critical care unit," read the hospital's bulletin shared on Monday.
Meanwhile, top filmmakers from the Tamil film industry including Seenu Ramasamy, Chitra Lakshmanan, Ameer, RK Selvamani, Seeman, Lingusamy and AR Murugadoss, along with producer Kalaipuli S Thanu paid a visit to Bharathiraja at the hospital and wished him for a speedy recovery.
On December 27, Bharathiraja further fell sick, following which relatives admitted him to a private hospital in Chennai, where he has been receiving treatment. It was reported that he was admitted to the hospital after experiencing respiratory problems such as wheezing.
The director has been ailing for some time following the sudden demise of his son, actor-director Manoj Bharathiraja in March 2025. The 48-year-old passed away after suffering a cardiac arrest. Since then, Bharathiraja has been going through a tough time, unable to cope up with the loss of his son.
Bharathiraja made his directorial debut with 16 Vayathinile in 1977. 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 (2025). On the directorial front, his most recent work is a segment from Modern Love Chennai (2023), titled Paravai Kootil Vaazhum Maangal.