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{{short description|Indian film director}}
{{For|the Indian actor and singer|Vishnuvardhan (actor)}}
{{EngvarB|date=September 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2014}}

{{Infobox person
| name = Vishnuvardhan
| image = Director Vishnuvardhan at the Grahanam Movie Launch.jpg
| imagesize =
| caption = Vishnuvardhan at the ''[[Graghanam]]'' Movie Launch
| birth_name = Vishnuvardhan Kulasekaran
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1976|12|06}}
| birth_place = [[Chennai]], [[Tamil Nadu]] India
| death_date =
| death_place =
| othername =
| yearsactive = 1990–present
| spouse = [[Anu Vardhan]]
| children = 1
| relatives = [[Kreshna|Krishna Kulasekaran]] (Brother)
| homepage =
| alma_mater =
| occupation = {{hlist|Film director|film producer|screenwriter}}
}}

'''Vishnuvardhan''' is an Indian film director, producer and screenwriter who predominantly works in the [[Tamil cinema]].

A one-time associate of [[Santosh Sivan]], he made his directorial debut in 2003 with ''[[Kurumbu]]'', which did not fare well at the box office. However, his subsequent films, ''[[Arinthum Ariyamalum]]'' (2005), ''[[Pattiyal]]'' (2006), ''[[Billa (2007 film)|Billa]]'' (2007), ''[[Panjaa]]'' (2011) with Pawan kalyan as main lead and ''[[Arrambam]]'' (2013) went on to become highly successful ventures, turning him into a household name in Tamil Nadu. He made his hindi film directorial debut with ''[[Shershaah]]'' (2021), for which he received positive reviews.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Jha|first=Lata|date=2021-08-31|title='Shershaah' is most-watched film on Amazon Prime Video in India|url=https://www.livemint.com/industry/media/shershaah-is-most-watched-film-on-amazon-prime-video-in-india-11630394022936.html|url-status=live|website=mint}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Audience's love to 'Shershaah' fills me with pride, says Karan Johar |url=https://www.aninews.in/news/entertainment/bollywood/audiences-love-to-shershaah-fills-me-with-pride-says-karan-johar20210831172125/ |access-date=2022-03-13 |website=ANI News |language=en}}</ref>

==Early life==
Vishnuvardhan was born and raised in [[Chennai]], Tamil Nadu.<ref name = "Cinegoer">{{cite web|url=http://www.cinegoer.net/telugu-cinema/interviews/interview-with-vishnuvardhan-210911.html|title=Vishnuvardhan - Director Vishnuvardhan - Pawan Kalyan - Billa - Santosh Sivan - Interviews - CineGoer.com}}</ref> His father is Kulasekaran, a businessman, who later became a producer of Tamil films. He has a younger brother [[Kreshna|Krishna Kulasekaran]] who is an actor in the Tamil film industry.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-cinemaplus/just-arrived/article471135.ece|title=Just arrived|author=sudhish kamath|work=The Hindu|date=4 June 2010}}</ref> Vishnuvardhan went to [[St. Bede's Anglo Indian Higher Secondary School]], Chennai and studied [[Communication studies|visual communication]] at the [[Loyola College, Chennai]].<ref name = "Vishnu">{{cite web|url=http://www.hindu.com/fr/2005/09/16/stories/2005091600870400.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071110174808/http://www.hindu.com/fr/2005/09/16/stories/2005091600870400.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=2007-11-10|work=[[The Hindu]]|title=Entertainment Chennai / Interview : Success alone succeeds}}</ref><ref name = "Rediff"/>

Vishnuvardhan and his brother used to participate in [[extra-curricular activities]] like dance and drama in school. When director [[Mani Ratnam]] was looking for children to cast in his film ''[[Anjali (1990 film)|Anjali]]'', his school suggested his name and he shot for a dance sequence in the film with his brother and other children.<ref name = "Rediff">{{cite web|url=http://specials.rediff.com/movies/2006/mar/24slide2.htm|title=rediff.com: Pattiyal: Toast of the town}}</ref> He later appeared in ''[[Sathriyan]]'' (as the young Vijayakanth)<ref name = "Vishnu"/> and ''[[Iruvar]]'' by Mani Ratnam again.<ref name="behindwoods.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.behindwoods.com/features/Interviews/Interview4/vishnuvardhan/tamil-cinema-movie-interview-vishuvardharan.html|title=Tamil Movie Interview : Director Vishnuvardhan}}</ref> While in college, [[Santosh Sivan]], cinematographer of Mani Ratnam's films, called Vishnuvardhan to act in his directorial ''[[The Terrorist (1997 film)|The Terrorist]]''. Vishnuvardhan said "I was influenced and inspired by the works of Mani Ratnam and Santosh Sivan. Watching them create magic on screen fascinated me and I wanted to learn filmmaking". While working for ''The Terrorist'', he expressed his desire to Sivan, that he would like to assist him,<ref name = "Rediff"/> and Sivan accepted him as an apprentice and later as an associate.He worked for seven years as an assistant director to Sivan in [[Mumbai]]<ref name = "Cinegoer"/> besides playing roles in his films ''[[Fiza]]'', ''[[Malli (film)|Malli]]'' and ''[[Asoka (2001 film)|Asoka]]''.

==Career==

After Vishnuvardhan returned from Mumbai, Gemini Color Labs that had produced ''The Terrorist'' offered him to remake the Telugu comedy film ''[[Allari (film)|Allari]]'' in Tamil. Although he did not want his first film to be a remake, he accepted since he felt he shouldn't "ruin the chance".<ref name = "Slide">{{cite web|url=http://specials.rediff.com/movies/2006/mar/24slide4.htm|title=rediff.com: Pattiyal: Toast of the town}}</ref> The film, titled ''[[Kurumbu]]'', featuring [[Allari Naresh]], who played the same role in the original,<ref name = "Vishnu"/> alongside [[Nikita Thukral]] and [[Diya (actress)|Diya]], did not do well at the box office. His next film was ''[[Arinthum Ariyamalum]]'', which was the first script he had written and was supposed to mark his [[directorial debut]].<ref name = "Vishnu"/><ref name="behindwoods.com"/> He said that no big hero wanted to star in it and nobody wanted to produce the film. After he had signed the principal cast, he decided to start his own production studio SJ Films with Malaysian [[radio jockey]], Punnagai Poo Geetha,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hindu.com/fr/2005/05/06/stories/2005050600270400.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050506023511/http://www.hindu.com/fr/2005/05/06/stories/2005050600270400.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=2005-05-06|work=[[The Hindu]]|title=Entertainment Chennai / Cinema : Jithan's hero}}</ref> and produce the film on his own.<ref name = "Slide"/> Starring [[Prakash Raj]], alongside then newcomers [[Arya (actor)|Arya]], [[Navdeep]] and [[Sameksha|Samiksha]], the film was better received than his first film, critically as well as commercially. [[Sify]] called it "a taut and fairly engrossing entertainer"<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sify.com/movies/arindhum-ariyamalum-review-tamil-13746306.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140502050533/http://www.sify.com/movies/arindhum-ariyamalum-review-tamil-13746306.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2014-05-02|title=Review : Arindhum Ariyamalum|work=Sify}}</ref> and the film was termed a "super hit" having collected twice its cost at the box office.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://hindu.com/thehindu/fr/2005/12/30/stories/2005123001140100.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060920214456/http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/fr/2005/12/30/stories/2005123001140100.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=2006-09-20|work=[[The Hindu]]|title=Entertainment Chennai : Tamil cinema's new high}}</ref>

Geetha and Vishnu then collaborated once more in the critically acclaimed ''[[Pattiyal]]'' which also proved to be successful. The film, which starred [[Arya (actor)|Arya]], [[Bharath (actor)|Bharath]], [[Pooja Umashankar|Pooja]] and [[Padmapriya Janakiraman|Padmapriya]], was recognised for its outstanding music by [[Yuvan Shankar Raja]]. Vishnu was praised for handling a serious subject while retaining the entertainment factor in the film. Sify stated that Vishnuvardhan "rewrote the rules of Tamil commercial cinema",<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sify.com/movies/chasing-a-mirage-news-tamil-kkfvlzjhbbgsi.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150830065210/http://www.sify.com/movies/chasing-a-mirage-news-tamil-kkfvlzjhbbgsi.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2015-08-30|title=Chasing a mirage!|work=Sify}}</ref> and went on to compare him with director [[Mani Ratnam]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sify.com/movies/is-vishnu-the-new-mani-ratnam-news-tamil-kkfvoAgibfisi.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150830070713/http://www.sify.com/movies/is-vishnu-the-new-mani-ratnam-news-tamil-kkfvoAgibfisi.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2015-08-30|title=Is Vishnu the new Mani Ratnam?|work=Sify}}</ref> In an interview, Vishnu stated that he had interacted with real gangsters and studied their lifestyle.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/quotpattiyalquot-a-tale-of-two-friends/article3166818.ece|title="Pattiyal," a tale of two friends|work=The Hindu|date=20 March 2006}}</ref> Vishnuvardhan's next film ''[[Billa (2007 film)|Billa]]'', a remake of the yesteryear classic, starring [[Ajith Kumar]], [[Nayanthara]] and [[Namitha]], was a big blockbuster. His ''[[Sarvam]]'' starring Arya and [[Trisha Krishnan|Trisha]] which received mixed reviews did averagely at the box office whereas his next debut film in Telugu, ''[[Panjaa]]'', was one of the most stylish films of Pawan Kalyan. Vishnuvardhan's next directorial, ''[[Arrambam]]'' starring [[Ajith Kumar]], [[Nayanthara]] and Arya was a huge success.

==Personal life==
Vishnuvardhan is married to costume designer [[Anu Vardhan]], granddaughter of Tamil actor and singer [[N. S. Krishnan]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/mp/2001/12/06/stories/2001120600070200.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011224185851/http://hindu.com/thehindu/mp/2001/12/06/stories/2001120600070200.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=2001-12-24|work=[[The Hindu]]|title=Weaves of fortune}}</ref> Anu was a classmate of Vishnuvardhan in college and also worked as an assistant to Santosh Sivan.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-cinemaplus/customising-fashion/article2705105.ece|title=Customising fashion|author=y. sunita chowdhary|work=The Hindu|date=11 December 2011}}</ref> Vishnuvardhan stated that they got married "just after college" when he had joined the industry as an assistant director.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/others/news-interviews/Kollywood-men-pay-tribute-to-women/articleshow/7647324.cms|title=Kollywood men pay tribute to women|work=The Times of India}}</ref> Anu has worked as the costume designer in all of Vishnuvardhan's films.

==Filmography==

===As director and writer===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+
|-
! rowspan="2" style="width:35px;" | Year
! rowspan="2" style="width:150px;" | Film
! colspan="2" style="width:195px;" | Credited as
! rowspan="2" style="text-align:center; width:250px;" class="unsortable" | Notes
|-
! style="width:65px;" | Director
! width="65" | Producer
|-
| 2003 || ''[[Kurumbu]]'' || style="text-align:center;" | {{y}} || style="text-align:center;" |{{nay}} || Remake of ''[[Allari (film)|Allari]]''
|-
| 2005 || ''[[Arinthum Ariyamalum]]'' || style="text-align:center;" | {{y}} || style="text-align:center;" |{{nay}} ||
|-
| 2006 || ''[[Pattiyal]]'' || style="text-align:center;" | {{y}} || style="text-align:center;" | {{nay}} ||
|-
| 2007 || ''[[Billa (2007 film)|Billa]]'' || style="text-align:center;" | {{y}} || style="text-align:center;" | {{nay}} || Remake of ''[[Billa (1980 film)|Billa]]''
|-
| 2009 || ''[[Sarvam]]'' || style="text-align:center;" | {{y}} || style="text-align:center;" |{{nay}} ||
|-
| 2011 || ''[[Panjaa]]'' || style="text-align:center;" | {{y}} || style="text-align:center;" |{{nay}} ||Debut [[Telugu language|Telugu]] film
|-
| 2013 || ''[[Arrambam]]'' || style="text-align:center;" | {{y}} || style="text-align:center;" | {{nay}} ||
|-
| 2015 || ''[[Yatchan]]'' || style="text-align:center;" | {{y}} || style="text-align:center;" | {{y}} ||Also produced with [[UTV Motion Pictures]]
|-
| 2019 || [[Fingertip (web series)|''Fingertip'']] || style="text-align:center;" | {{nay}} || style="text-align:center;" | {{y}} || Web series available on [[ZEE5]] platform<ref>{{Cite news|title='Fingertip' Trailer Video: Akshara Haasan and Gayathrie starrer 'Fingertip' Official Trailer Video ►|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/videos/entertainment/web-series/mx-play/tamil/fingertip-trailer-video-akshara-haasan-and-gayathrie-starrer-fingertip-official-trailer-video/videoshow/76197750.cms|access-date=2020-12-23|website=The Times of India|language=en}}</ref>
|-
|2021 || ''[[Shershaah]]'' || style="text-align:center;" | {{y}} || style="text-align:center;" | {{nay}} ||Debut Hindi film
|}

=== As actor ===
{| class="wikitable"
!Year
!Film
!Role
|-
| 1990 || ''[[Anjali (1990 film)|Anjali]]'' || A kid in the colony
|-
| 1990 || ''[[Sathriyan]]'' || young Panneer Selvam
|-
| 1997 || ''[[Iruvar]]'' || Tamizhselvan's son
|-
| 1998 || ''[[The Terrorist (1997 film)|The Terrorist]]'' || Thyagu
|-
| 2010 || ''[[Enthiran]]'' || himself
|-
| 2015 || ''[[Isai]]'' || himself
|-
|}

==Awards and nominations==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Award
! Category
! Work
! Result
! {{Tooltip|Ref.|Reference(s)}}
|-
! [[3rd South Indian International Movie Awards|2014]]
| [[South Indian International Movie Awards|SIIMA Awards]]
| [[SIIMA Award for Best Director – Tamil|Best Director - Tamil]]
| style="text-align:center;"| ''[[Arrambam]]''
| {{nom}}
|style="text-align:center;"| <ref name="OneIndia">{{cite news|last1=Shekhar|title=SIIMA Awards 2014 Nominations|url=http://entertainment.oneindia.in/telugu/news/2014/siima-awards-2014-nominations-list-of-telugu-movies-154382.html|access-date=July 22, 2014|work=[[OneIndia]]|date=July 17, 2014}}</ref>
|-
! [[22nd IIFA Awards|2022]]
| [[International Indian Film Academy Awards|IIFA Awards]]
| [[IIFA Award for Best Director|Best Director]]
| style="text-align:center;" rowspan=2| ''[[Shershaah]]''
| {{Won}}
| style="text-align:center;"| <ref>{{citation|url=https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/news/bollywood/iifa-2022-nominations-shershaah-takes-lead-12-nominations-ludo-83-emerge-strong-contenders-check-complete-list/|title=IIFA 2022 Nominations: Shershaah takes the lead with 12 Nominations, Ludo and 83 emerge as strong contenders; check out the complete list|date=1 April 2022}}</ref>
|-
![[67th Filmfare Awards|2022]]
|[[Filmfare Awards]]
|[[Filmfare Award for Best Director|Best Director]]
| {{Won}}
| style="text-align:center;" | <ref>{{cite news |title=67th Filmfare Awards 2022|url=https://www.filmfare.com/awards/filmfare-awards-2022/|access-date=30 July 2022 |work=Filmfare |date= |language=en}}</ref>
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb name|nm3315387}}
{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Vishnuvardhan}}
[[Category:Tamil film directors]]
[[Category:Tamil-language film directors]]
[[Category:Film directors from Chennai]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Loyola College, Chennai alumni]]
[[Category:Male actors from Chennai]]
[[Category:Indian male film actors]]
[[Category:Male actors in Tamil cinema]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian film directors]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian male actors]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian male actors]]
[[Category:1978 births]]

Vishnuvardhan (director) - Revision history

Ajay Kumar: Created a new article