Celebrities and fans paid homage to the late Bharathiraja at his final rites ceremony on June 11, Thursday. The legendary filmmaker was laid to rest with state honours in his hometown in Theni in recognition of his significant contributions to the Indian film industry. There was tight security for the ceremony. The presence of the large crowd contributed to an even more emotional atmosphere at the event.
Recently, Bharathiraja's brother, Jayaraj, expressed his gratitude to Chief Minister Joseph Vijay for his handling of the ceremony. Speaking to Galatta, Jayaraj said, "Vijay sir made all the arrangements for it. I run out of words thanking him for it. Millions of thanks to him." He added that it would have been impossible for the legendary filmmaker's family to take care of the large crowd without the chief minister's assistance.
On June 10, Vijay visited the veteran filmmaker and paid his final respects to him. At the time, the CM wrote, "Upon learning the news of the passing of Mr Bharathiraja, the director of Tamil cinema, I am overwhelmed with profound sorrow and grief. He created several successful films infused with the vibrant essence of rural life, leaving an indelible mark unique to him in the world of Tamil cinema." The CM drew attention to the numerous awards that the filmmaker won, which include the Padma Shri.
Vijay continued, "His contributions in shaping generations of artists will forever stand etched in the history of Tamil cinema." He also called it "an irreplaceable and monumental loss to the Tamil film industry" and extended his condolences to the filmmaker's family, friends, and industry peers.
Vijay never worked with Bharathiraja in a film, although his father Chandrasekhar talked to the filmmaker about a village-based project that unfortunately did not materialise. However, his efforts to ensure a smooth funeral for the director has been recognised by the filmmaker's family.
