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{{Short description|Indian film director and screenwriter}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2023}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Tharun Moorthy
| image = Tharunmoorthy.jpg
| caption =
| birth_name =
| birth_date =
| birth_place = [[Vaikom]], [[Kerala]], India
| occupation = {{hlist|[[Film Director|Director]]|[[screenwriter]]}}
| years_active = 2021–present
| height =
| spouse = Revathy Roy<ref name="Hindu"/>
| parents = {{ubl|Madhu D|Vinu NP}}<ref name="Hindu"/>
| education = [[College of Engineering, Cherthala]]
| children =
| relatives =
| awards =
| website =
}}
'''Tharun Moorthy''' is an Indian film director and [[screenwriter]] who predominantly works in [[Malayalam Cinema]], with his first film being ''[[Operation Java]]''. His second film, ''[[Saudi Vellakka]]'', was chosen for the Indian Panorama at IFFI 2022.

==Career==
Early in his career, Moorthy was a part of the [[performing arts]] industry, acting in [[theatre]] and in [[kathakali]] productions since a young age. He went on to become an assistant professor in the field of [[computer science engineering]] and also had a period where he made [[advertisements]] for television. From the latter, he learned how to create studio sets and how media production is done, which led to him becoming a "self-taught" director after failing to land any major roles as an actor. He stated that his father was the first to notice and push him into writing scripts for films.<ref>{{cite news |last=Shrijith |first=Sajin |date=26 November 2020 |title=Aiming for grittiness |url=https://www.cinemaexpress.com/stories/interviews/2020/nov/26/aiming-for-grittiness-21492.html |work=[[Cinema Express]] |access-date=14 January 2023}}</ref><ref name="Silverscreen">{{cite news |last=R. |first=Chandhini |date=24 May 2021 |title='Operation Java' Doesn't Have a Star-Studded Cast; All 83 Characters Were Handpicked, Says Director Tharun Moorthy |url=https://silverscreenindia.com/movies/news/operation-java-doesnt-have-a-star-studded-cast-all-83-characters-were-handpicked-says-director-tharun-moorthy/ |work=Silverscreen India |access-date=8 January 2023}}</ref>

===''Operation Java''===
Moorthy's first film, ''Operation Java'', was released in the middle of the [[COVID-19 pandemic]], when film revenue was reduced across the entire industry. The film was a success despite this, resulting in Moorthy releasing a new film poster with the tagline "Those who don't want to lose".<ref>{{cite news |author= |date=5 March 2021 |title=ഓപ്പറേഷന്‍ ജാവ തിയറ്റര്‍ വിജയത്തിന്റെ നാലാം വാരത്തിലേക്ക്, തോല്‍ക്കാന്‍ മനസില്ലാത്തവരെന്ന് സംവിധായകന്‍ |trans-title=Heading into the fourth week of Operation Java theater success, the director says that they are determined not to lose |language=Malayalam |url=https://www.thecue.in/videos/entertainment/film-news/operation-java-boxoffice-hit-tharun-moorthy |work=The Cue |access-date=7 January 2023}}</ref> His selection of [[Lukman Avaran]] to be his lead actor after seeing his performance as the secondary best friend character in ''[[Thallumaala]]'' was initially negatively commented on by others in the film industry, with similar people claiming that Moorthy's "arrogance" is what led him to pick the same actor for his second film. He replied that it was not arrogance but "my pride" that led him to purposefully pick actors that are not already big names in the industry to help them progress as actors, since to him cinema is "not just business for us, it's also art".<ref>{{cite news |author= |date=19 August 2022 |title=Tharun Moorthy: People said I was being arrogant by casting Lukman as the lead in Saudi Vellakka |url=https://www.ottplay.com/news/tharun-moorthy-people-said-i-was-being-arrogant-by-casting-lukman-as-the-lead-in-saudi-vellakka/b8d1c41f64486 |work=[[OTTplay]] |access-date=7 January 2023}}</ref> Consequently, all 83 characters in the film were hand-picked by Moorthy, and his production crew and avoided doing an [[open audition]].<ref name="Silverscreen"/> He also had the film open with an apology note to all the actors who were ultimately rejected or whose scenes were reduced during production.<ref name="Silverscreen"/>

The film itself was originally decided by Moorthy after seeing the situation involving the leak of the film ''[[Premam]]'' and the real investigation case that was solved by two younger men. Because of this source, the names of the young men were kept the same in ''Operation Java'' after receiving permission from the individuals. To prepare for the film, he spent a lot of time alongside the [[cybercrime]] division of the police to see how the cases were dealt with.<ref name="Silverscreen"/>

===''Saudi Vellakka''===
After the success of his first film, Moorthy began work on a second film titled ''Saudi Vellakka'' that was meant to address the "nature of hate" and how the spread of hatred between people can alter how one thinks of another person, with Moorthy stating that the main characters central issue is "common to many families".<ref name="Express"/> He first conceived of the film after seeing a newspaper clipping about the real life case the film is based on. To be able to better depict court proceedings, but also to alter them to be more humorous and cinematic, Moorthy and the production team spent several weeks attending various court sessions.<ref>{{cite news |last=Srilekha |first=RB |date=5 December 2022 |title=ദേവിയമ്മയോട് പറഞ്ഞു, 'ബിഗ് ബിയിലെ മമ്മൂക്കയപ്പോലെ ഇരുന്നാൽ മതി': തരുൺ മൂര്‍ത്തി അഭിമുഖം |trans-title=Deviamma was told to 'just sit like Mammouk in Big B': Tarun Murthy Interview |language=Malayalam |url=https://www.manoramaonline.com/movies/interview/2022/12/05/exclusive-chat-with-tharun-moorthy.html |work=[[Malayala Manorama]] |access-date=7 January 2023}}</ref> He had difficulty, however, in obtaining a release date for the film as the lack of popular well-known actors in the production inhibited the potential audience size.<ref name="Express">{{cite news |last=Shrijith |first=Sajin |date=7 December 2022 |title=Tharun Moorthy: I wanted Saudi Vellakka to be an eye-opener for hatemongers |url=https://www.cinemaexpress.com/malayalam/interviews/2022/dec/07/tharun-moorthy-i-wanted-saudi-vellakka-to-be-an-eye-opener-for-hatemongers-37480.html |work=[[Cinema Express]] |access-date=7 January 2023}}</ref> Moorthy stated that his method of filmmaking involves deciding on the characters and what their faces look like, then leaving finding the corresponding actors to the casting director. Because of this, 50 of the actors in the movie are new to film, with several coming from [[theatre]] careers.<ref name="Hindu">{{cite news |last=M. |first=Athira |date=12 December 2022 |title=Malayalam director Tharun Moorthy: 'Saudi Vellakka' has been an emotional journey |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/tharun-moorthy-speaks-about-his-new-movie-saudi-vellakka/article66254172.ece |work=[[The Hindu]] |access-date=7 January 2023}}</ref>

''Saudi Vellakka'' was chosen to be screened at the 2022 [[International Film Festival of India]] (IFFI) for the Indian Panorama section<ref>{{cite news |author= |date=3 January 2023 |title='സൗദി വെള്ളക്ക' ഒടിടിയിലേക്ക്; എപ്പോൾ, എവിടെ കാണാം? |trans-title='Saudi Vellakka' to OTT; Where and when? |language=Malayalam |url=https://zeenews.india.com/malayalam/movies/saudi-vellakka-movie-ott-latest-update-malayalam-film-starts-streaming-in-sony-liv-from-january-6-121088 |work=[[Zee News]] |access-date=7 January 2023}}</ref> and was nominated for the [[IFFI ICFT UNESCO Gandhi Medal]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Munshi |first=Suman |date=29 November 2022 |title=Iranian film 'Nargesi' wins ICFT-UNESCO Gandhi Medal at IFFI 53 |url=https://ibgnews.com/2022/11/29/iranian-film-nargesi-wins-icft-unesco-gandhi-medal-at-iffi-53/ |work=IBG News |access-date=7 January 2023}}</ref> Moorthy's second film was officially released in theaters on 2 December 2022 to critical acclaim, with Indian film people such as actress [[Manju Warrier]] and director [[AR Murugadoss]] highly praising the film,<ref>{{cite news |author= |date=5 December 2022 |title=Manju Warrier praises Tharun Moorthy's 'Saudi Vellakka' |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movies/news/manju-warrier-praises-tharun-moorthys-saudi-vellakka/articleshow/95995147.cms |work=[[The Times of India]] |access-date=7 January 2023}}</ref> and was further released on [[Over-the-top media service|OTT services]] on 2 January 2023.<ref>{{cite news |author= |date=27 December 2022 |title=Tharun Moorthy's 'Saudi Vellakka' gets an OTT release date |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movies/news/tharun-moorthys-saudi-vellakka-gets-an-ott-release-date/articleshow/96542884.cms |work=[[The Times of India]] |access-date=7 January 2023}}</ref> Despite positive critical reviews and opening at the top of the box office, the film had a slow accumulation of revenue, earning just ₹87 lakhs (approximately $107,000) in its first three days.<ref>{{cite news |author= |date=6 December 2022 |title='Saudi Vellakka' box office collection: Tharun Moorthy's film mints Rs 87 lakhs in three days |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movies/box-office/saudi-vellakka-box-office-collection-tharun-moorthys-film-mints-rs-87-lakhs-in-three-days/articleshow/96029166.cms |work=[[The Times of India]] |access-date=7 January 2023}}</ref>

Moorthy attributed his successes to the supporters that helped him make his films in the manner and style he desired, particularly for ''Saudi Vellakka''. After his first film's success, many people in the film industry were pushing him to next do a "superstar" level film, but it was his producers that allowed him to instead do the type of important message stories that he cared about. He noted that while his primary goal as a filmmaker is to "entertain the audience", he hoped to also give his viewers "food for thought" about meaningful issues affecting contemporary society, such as [[cybercrime]] for ''Operation Java'' and the massive backlog of pending court cases for ''Saudi Vellakka''.<ref>{{cite news |last=Sidhardhan |first=Sanjith |date=5 January 2023 |title=Saudi Vellakka producers trusted my vision when others wanted me to helm superstar film: Tharun Moorthy |url=https://www.ottplay.com/news/saudi-vellakka-producers-trusted-my-vision-when-others-wanted-me-to-helm-superstar-film-tharun-moorthy-exclusive/869d61f973232 |work=[[OTTplay]] |access-date=8 January 2023}}</ref>

==Filmography==

{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Year
! Title
! Director
! Writer
! Notes
! {{refh}}
|-
|2021
|''[[Operation Java]]''
|{{Yes}}
|{{Yes}}
|
|<ref>Reviews for ''Operation Java'':
* {{cite news |last=Parasuraman |first=Prathyush |date=19 May 2021 |title=Operation Java movie review: Charming thriller told as anthology, with the emotional continuity of a film |url=https://www.firstpost.com/entertainment/operation-java-movie-review-charming-thriller-told-as-anthology-with-the-emotional-continuity-of-a-film-9633801.html |work=Firstpost |access-date=7 January 2023}}</ref>
|-
|2022
|''[[Saudi Vellakka]]''
|{{Yes}}
|{{Yes}}
|
|<ref>Reviews for ''Saudi Vellakka'':
* {{cite news |author= |date=9 December 2022 |title=Saudi Vellakka |language=Malayalam |url=https://www.doolnews.com/actor-sujith-shankar-perfomance-in-the-movie-saudi-vellakka-94-121.html |work=Dool News |access-date=7 January 2023}}
* {{cite news |author= |date=8 December 2022 |title=റിയാലിറ്റി അല്ല ഇത് ഭയപ്പെടുത്തുന്ന റിയാലിറ്റിയാണ്; സൗദി വെള്ളക്കയെ കുറിച്ച് ജി.ആര്‍ ഇന്ദുഗോപന്‍ |trans-title=This is a terrifying reality; GR Indugopan about Saudi Vellakka |language=Malayalam |url=https://www.southlive.in/movie/film-news/soudi-vellakka-movie-g-r-indu-gopan-letter-to-tharun-moorthy |work=SouthLive |access-date=7 January 2023}}
* {{cite news |last=Sidhardhan |first=Sanjith |date=2 December 2022 |title=Saudi Vellakka movie review: Tharun Moorthy delivers an impactful and moving social drama |url=https://www.ottplay.com/review/saudi-vellakka-movie-review-tharun-moorthy-delivers-a-impactful-and-moving-social-drama/0aab66f9ce121 |work=[[OTTplay]] |access-date=7 January 2023}}
* {{cite news |last=Ragesh |first=G. |date=2 December 2022 |title=Tharun Moorthy's Saudi Vellakka a cinematic experience destined to haunt you |url=https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/movie-reviews/2022/12/02/saudi-vellakka-movie-review-lukman-tharun-moorthy.html |work=[[Onmanorama]] |access-date=8 January 2023}}
* {{cite news |last=Praveen |first=S.R. |date=2 December 2022 |title='Saudi Vellakka' movie review: Tharun Moorthy's sophomore effort is emotionally impactful |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/saudi-vellakka-movie-review-tharun-moorthys-sophomore-effort-is-emotionally-impactful/article66214398.ece |work=[[The Hindu]] |access-date=8 January 2023}}</ref>
|-
|2025
|''[[Thudarum (film)|Thudarum]]''
|{{Yes}}
|{{Yes}}
|
|<ref>{{cite news|title=മോഹൻലാലിന്റെ പുതിയ സിനിമ, സംവിധാനം തരുൺ മൂർത്തി, നിർമ്മാണം എം. രഞ്ജിത്ത്|url=https://www.asianetnews.com/entertainment-news/actor-mohanlal-360th-movie-directed-by-tharun-moorthy-nrn-sahday |work=[[Asianet News]] |access-date=17 March 2024}}</ref>
|-
|TBA
|{{pending film|Athimanoharam|italic=yes|align=left}}
|{{Yes}}
|{{Yes}}
|
|<ref>{{Cite news |last=Bureau |first=The Hindu |date=2026-04-15 |title=‘Athimanoharam’: Mohanlal-Tharun Moorthy film gets title; first look out |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/athimanoharam-mohanlal-tharun-moorthy-film-gets-title-first-look-out/article70864118.ece |access-date=2026-04-15 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}</ref>
|-
|{{TBA}}
|{{Pending film|Torpedo}}
|{{Yes}}
|{{No}}
|
|<ref>{{cite news |title=‘Torpedo’, ‘Thudarum’: Tharun Moorthy announces new films with Fahadh Faasil, Arjun Das, Naslen, Ganapathi |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/torpedo-thudarum-tharun-moorthy-fahadh-faasil-arjun-das-naslen-ganapathi/article69521318.ece |work=[[The Hindu]] |date=2 May 2024 |access-date=5 May 2025}}</ref>
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb name|11291284}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Moorthy, Tharun}}
[[Category:Malayalam film directors]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian people]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]
[[Category:People from Vaikom]]
[[Category:Artists from Kerala]]

Tharun Moorthy - Revision history

TajWagstaff: Created Some Info Needs Work