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{{Short description|Indian filmmaker}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2013}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Mahendran
| image = J Mahendran at Veena S Balachander Felicitation.jpg
| image_size =
| caption = Mahendran in April 2016
| birthname = J. Alexander
| birth_date = {{birth date|1939|07|25|df=yes}}<ref>{{cite book|author1=Bibekananda Ray|author2=Naveen Joshi|author3=India. Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. Publications Division|title=Conscience of the race: India's offbeat cinema|url=https://archive.org/details/conscienceofrace00rayb|access-date=30 July 2013|date=1 January 2005|publisher=Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India|isbn=978-81-230-1298-8|page=[https://archive.org/details/conscienceofrace00rayb/page/122 122]}}</ref>
| birth_place = [[Ilaiyangudi]], [[Madras Presidency]], [[British India]]
| death_date = 2 April 2019 (Aged 79)
| death_place = Chennai
| residence =
| occupation = {{hlist|Film director|screenwriter|actor|literary editor}}
| years_active = 1966–2006, 2016–2019
| spouse = Jasmine<ref>https://www.deccanchronicle.com/entertainment/kollywood/030419/veteran-writer-director-mahendran-passes-away.html</ref>
| children = [[John Mahendran]]
| family = [[Rajesh (actor)|Rajesh]] (Cousin)<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhzcwslLNb4 |title=பாக்யராஜ் படத்தில் நடிக்கத் தயங்கினேன் - Actor Rajesh Chai With Chithra Part - 1 |date=Sep 20, 2020 |website=[[YouTube]] |publisher=Touring Talkies |at=Relationship mentioned at 4:42 |access-date=29 September 2020}}</ref>
| awards =
}}
'''J. Alexander''' (25 July 1939 – 2 April 2019), known professionally as '''Mahendran''', was an Indian film director, screenwriter and actor, known for his work in the [[Tamil cinema|Tamil film industry]]. Mahendran is regarded as one of the greatest film makers of Tamil cinema and has influenced several filmmakers of the generations followed.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cinemanewstoday.com/director-j-mahendran/|title=cinemanewstoday.com|access-date=27 June 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20141201125842/http://www.cinemanewstoday.com/director-j-mahendran/|archive-date=1 December 2014|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

Mahendran entered the film industry as a screenwriter, writing scripts for nearly 26 films. He made an immediate impact with his first directional venture ''[[Mullum Malarum]]'' (1978). Mahendran's next film ''[[Uthiripookkal]]'', based on a short story written by [[Pudumaipithan]], firmly established him as an important filmmaker in Tamil cinema. His ''[[Nenjathai Killathe]]'' won three [[National Film Awards]] including the [[National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil|award for the best regional film]].

He has also acted in films during the latter part of his film career, including ''[[Kamaraj (film)|Kamaraj]]'' (2004), ''[[Theri (film)|Theri]]'' (2016), ''[[Nimir]]'' (2018) and ''[[Petta (film)|Petta]]'' (2019). Before his death, he was the head of the direction department of BOFTA Film Institute in [[Chennai]].

== Biography ==
Mahendran was born on 25 July 1939<ref>{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/conscienceofrace00rayb|title=Conscience of the race: India's offbeat cinema|author1=Bibekananda Ray|author2=Naveen Joshi|author3=India. Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. Publications Division|date=1 January 2005|publisher=Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India|isbn=978-81-230-1298-8|page=[https://archive.org/details/conscienceofrace00rayb/page/122 122]|access-date=30 July 2013}}</ref> to Joseph Chelliah, a teacher and Manonmani.<ref name=mmalar>{{cite web|title=எம்.ஜி.ஆர். மூலமாக திரை உலகில் நுழைந்த மகேந்திரன்|url=http://cinema.maalaimalar.com/2012/05/12175316/mullu-malarum-director-mahendr.html|work=[[Maalai Malar]]|access-date=6 August 2013}}</ref> Mahendran did his schooling in [[Ilayangudi]] and completed his intermediate at [[American College, Madurai]].<ref name=mmalar/> Later he joined [[Alagappa Government Arts College]] to do a [[Bachelor of Arts]] in [[Economics]]. During his college days, he was very active in stage plays. It was during that time when [[M. G. Ramachandran]] (M.G.R) was invited as the chief guest for the college day during which Mahendran gave a speech that directly criticized the commercial elements that existed in cinema.<ref name=mmalar/> Impressed by his speech M.G.R praised Mahendran and said that he could become a good critic.<ref name=mmalar/> After completing his degree, he went to Madras to study law. Seven months after joining the course he had to discontinue due to financial concerns.<ref name=mmalar/> He then decided to go back to Ilayangud However, on the insistence of Karaikudi Kannappa Valliappan he joined ''Inamuzhakkam'', a periodical as a journalist.<ref name=mmalar/> It was during this time he met M.G.R again and he was asked to write the screenplay of ''[[Ponniyin Selvan]]'' after the former decided to make a film based on the story.<ref name=mmalar/> The idea of developing the screenplay into a film got delayed, and M.G.R asked Mahendran to write a story for his drama troupe.<ref name=mmalar/> Mahendran wrote a script titled ''Anaadhaigal''.<ref name=mmalar/> M.G.R decided to make a film based in the play. He named the film ''Vaazhve Vaa'' and acted in the lead role alongside [[Savitri (actress)|Savitri]].<ref name=mmalar/> The project got shelved after three days of shooting. Soon M.G.R acted in a film called ''[[Kaanchi Thalaivan]]'' and he recommended Mahendran to the director make him an assistant.<ref name=mmalar/>

Mahendran made his breakthrough as a screenwriter for the film ''Naam Moovar'' in 1966.<ref name=mmalar1>{{cite web|title=முள்ளும் மலரும் படத்தின் மூலம் இயக்குனர் ஆனார் மகேந்திரன்|url=http://cinema.maalaimalar.com/2012/05/13192234/mullai-malarum-film-director-m.html|work=Maalai Malar|access-date=6 August 2013}}</ref> After the success of the film he got more offers from the same banner and worked in films like ''Sabaash Thambi'' and ''Panakkara Pillai'', both released in the subsequent years.<ref name=mmalar1/> He also wrote the script for ''Nirakudam'' starring [[Sivaji Ganesan]].<ref name=mmalar1/> He announced that he was working on a new film in 2014 starring newcomers, for which [[Ilaiyaraaja]] would score music.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sify.com/movies/illayaraja-s-music-has-been-my-films-soul-filmmaker-mahendran-news-kollywood-oczqumjfjjd.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140314140153/http://www.sify.com/movies/illayaraja-s-music-has-been-my-films-soul-filmmaker-mahendran-news-kollywood-oczqumjfjjd.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=14 March 2014|title=Illayaraja's music has been my films' soul: Filmmaker Mahendran|access-date=27 June 2016}}</ref> He also worked as an actor the films ''[[Kamaraj (film)|Kamaraj]]'' (2004), ''[[Theri (film)|Theri]]'' (2016),<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.thenewsminute.com/article/cinema-j-mahendran-social-milieu-was-his-canvas-55328|title=The cinema of J Mahendran: Social milieu was his canvas|date=2017-01-06|work=The News Minute|access-date=2017-08-26}}</ref> and ''[[Nimir]]'' (2018).<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/mahendran-titles-priyans-movie-nimir/articleshow/60940045.cms?|title=Mahendran titles Priyan's movie Nimir|last=Vijayakumar|first=Sindhu|date=5 October 2017|work=[[The Times of India]]|access-date=21 October 2017}}</ref>
He was also a part of the Blue Ocean FIlm and Television Academy (BOFTA) in Chennai where he headed the filmmaking and direction course.

Mahendran died on 2 April 2019, at the age of 79.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/j-mahendran-reluctant-filmmaker-what-man-who-gave-us-rajinikanth-was-99339|title=J Mahendran, the reluctant filmmaker: What the man who gave us Rajinikanth was like|work=The News Minute|date=2 April 2019|access-date=2 April 2019|author=Muralidharan, Kavitha}}</ref><ref>Noted director J. Mahendran passes away, https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/noted-director-j-mahendran-passes-away/article26708828.ece</ref>

== Awards ==

*[[Filmfare Award for Best Film – Tamil]] - ''[[Mullum Malarum]]'' (1978)
*[[Filmfare Award for Best Director – Tamil]] - ''[[Uthiripookkal]]'' (1979)
*[[National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil]] - ''[[Nenjathai Killathe]]'' (1980)
*[[2nd IIFA Utsavam|IIFA Utsavam]] Best actor for Performance in a negative role - ''[[Theri (film)|Theri]]'' (2016)

== Filmography ==

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! rowspan="2" style="width:35px;"| Year
! rowspan="2" style="width:150px;"| Film
! colspan="5" style="width:195px;" | Credited as
! rowspan="2" style="text-align:center; width:35px;" class="unsortable"|{{Abbr|Ref.|References}}
|-
! style="width:65px;" | Director
! width=65 | Story
! width=65 | Screenplay
! width=65 | Dialogues
! width=65 | Actor
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|1966
| ''[[Naam Moovar]]''
|
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
|
|
|
|
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|1967
| ''[[Sabash Thambi]]''
|
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
|
|
|
|
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|1968
| ''[[Panakkara Pillai]]''
|
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
|
|
|
|
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|1969
| ''[[Nirai Kudam]]''
|
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
|
|
|
|
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|1972
| ''[[Ganga (1972 film)|Ganga]]''
|
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
|
|
|
|
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|1974
| ''[[Thirudi]]''
|
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
|
|
|
|
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|1974
| ''[[Thangapathakkam]]''
|
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
|
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
|
|
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|1975
| ''Thottathellam Ponnagum''
|
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
|
|
|
|
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|1975
| ''Nambikkai Natchathiram''
|
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
|
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
|
|
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|1975
| ''[[Vaazhnthu Kaattugiren]]''
|
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
|
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
|
|
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|1975
| ''[[Avalukku Aayiram Kangal]]''
|
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
|
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
|
|
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|1976
| ''[[Vazhvu En Pakkam]]''
|
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
|
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
|
|
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|1976
| ''[[Mogam Muppadhu Varusham]]''
|
|
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
|
|
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|1977
| ''Sonthamadi Nee Enakku''
|
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
|
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
|
|
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|1977
| ''[[Chakravarthi (1977 film)|Chakravarthi]]''
|
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
|
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
|
|
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|1977
| ''Sonnathai Seiven''
|
|
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
|
|
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|1977
| ''[[Aadu Puli Attam (1977 film)|Aadu Puli Attam]]''
|
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
|
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
|
|
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|1978
| ''[[Mullum Malarum]]''
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
|
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
|
|
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|1979
| ''[[Pagalil Oru Iravu]]''
|
|
|
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
|
|
|-
| style="text-align:center;" |1979
| ''[[Uthiripookkal]]''
| style="text-align:center;" |{{y}}
|
| style="text-align:center;" |{{y}}
| style="text-align:center;" | {{y}}
|
|
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|1980
| ''[[Challenge Ramudu]]''
|
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
|
|
|
|
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|1980
| ''[[Rishi Moolam]]''
|
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
|
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
|
|
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|1980
| ''[[Poottaatha Poottukkal]]''
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
|
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
|
|
|-
| style="text-align:center;" |1980
| ''[[Kaali (1980 film)|Kaali]]''
|
| style="text-align:center;" | {{y}}
|
| style="text-align:center;" | {{y}}
|
|
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|1980
| ''[[Johnny (1980 film)|Johnny]]''
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
|
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
|
|
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|1980
| ''[[Nenjathai Killathe]]''
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
|
|
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|1981
| ''[[Nandu (film)|Nandu]]''
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
|
|
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|1982
| ''[[Hitler Umanath]]''
|
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
|
|
|
|
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|1982
| ''[[Metti (film)|Metti]]''
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
|
|
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|1982
| ''[[Azhagiya Kanne]]''
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
|
|
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|1984
| ''[[Kai Kodukkum Kai]]''
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
|
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
|
|
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|1986
| ''[[Kannukku Mai Ezhuthu]]''
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
|
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
|
|
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|1991
| ''[[Thaiyalkaran]]''
|
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
|
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
|
|
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|1992
| ''[[Naangal]]''
|
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
|
|
|
|
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|1992
| ''[[Oor Panjayathu]]''
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
|
|
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|1999
| ''[[Kallazhagar]]''
|
|
|
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
|
|
|-
|style="text-align:center;"|2004
|''[[Kamaraj (film)|Kamaraj]]''
|
|
|
|
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
|
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|2006
| ''[[Sasanam]]''
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
|
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
|
|
|-
|style="text-align:center;"|2016
|''[[Theri (film)|Theri]]''
|
|
|
|
|style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
|
|-
|style="text-align:center;"|2017
|''[[Katamarayudu]]''
|
|
|
|
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
|
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|2018
|''[[Nimir]]''
|
|
|
|
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
|
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|2018
|''[[Mr. Chandramouli]]''
|
|
|
|
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
|
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|2018
|''[[Seethakaathi]]''
|
|
|
|
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
|
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|2019
|''[[Petta (film)|Petta]]''
|
|
|
|
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
|
|-
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|2019
|''[[Boomerang (2019 film)|Boomerang]]''
|
|
|
|
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
|
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|2019
|''[[Rustum (2019 film)|Rustum]]''
|
|
|
|
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
| Posthumous release; [[Kannada]] film
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|2019
|''[[Pon Manickavel (film)|Pon Manickavel]]''
|
|
|
|
| style="text-align:center;"| {{y}}
| Posthumous release
|}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{IMDb name|id=0536820}}

{{Mahendran}}
{{FilmfareAwardBestTamilDirector}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mahendran, J.}}
[[Category:1939 births]]
[[Category:2019 deaths]]
[[Category:Film directors from Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Indian Tamil people]]
[[Category:Tamil film directors]]
[[Category:Filmfare Awards South winners]]
[[Category:People from Sivaganga district]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian film directors]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian film directors]]
[[Category:Tamil screenwriters]]
[[Category:Screenwriters from Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian dramatists and playwrights]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian dramatists and playwrights]]

Mahendran (filmmaker) - Revision history

imported>GreenC bot: Rescued 1 archive link; reformat 1 link. Wayback Medic 2.5