Visu: Difference between revisions

| image              = [[File:Visu Director.png|frameless|center]]

| birth_name        = Meenakshisundaram Ramasamy Viswanathan<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.thehindu.com/thehindu/mp/2004/08/19/stories/2004081900020100.htm |title=CHATTING for a cause |date=19 August 2004 |access-date=4 June 2019|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041019131223/http://www.hindu.com/mp/2004/08/19/stories/2004081900020100.htm|work=[[The Hindu]] |archive-date=19 October 2004}}</ref>

| birth_date        = {{birth date|1945|07|01|df=y}}<ref name="tamilfilmdirectorsassociation">{{cite web|url=http://tamilfilmdirectorsassociation.com/profile.php?sno=1783|title=TANTIS|publisher=tamilfilmdirectorsassociation.com|access-date=2014-07-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140302092730/http://tamilfilmdirectorsassociation.com/profile.php?sno=1783|archive-date=2 March 2014}}</ref>

| occupation        = Director, writer, stage actor, film actor, television host.

'''Meenakshisundaram Ramasamy Viswanathan''' (1 July 1945  –  22 March 2020), best known by his stage name '''Visu''', was an Indian writer, director, stage, film and television actor and talk-show host.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/theatre/i-never-left-the-stage/article5867255.ece|title=I never left the stage|date=3 April 2014|work=The Hindu|last=Balasubramanian|first=V.|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190911104101/https://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/theatre/i-never-left-the-stage/article5867255.ece|archive-date=11 September 2019}}</ref> Visu initially worked as an assistant to director [[K. Balachander]] until becoming a director himself. He later began acting, with his first film being ''[[Kudumbam Oru Kadambam]]'' (1981), directed by [[S. P. Muthuraman]].<ref>https://www.filmibeat.com/celebs/visu/biography.html</ref>

His first film as a director was ''[[Kanmani Poonga]]'' (1982). Most of his films including ''[[Manal Kayiru]]'' (1982), ''[[Dowry Kalyanam]]'' (1983), ''[[Samsaram Adhu Minsaram]]'' (1986), ''[[Thirumathi Oru Vegumathi]]'' (1987), ''[[Penmani Aval Kanmani]]'' (1988), ''[[Vedikkai En Vadikkai]]'' (1990) and ''[[Pattukottai Periyappa]]'' (1994) spoke about the issues of urban middle-class families. These films, which were released in the mid-80s, turned out to be crowd pullers, particularly with regard to the female audience.<ref>https://thefederal.com/states/south/tamil-nadu/tamil-actor-director-visu-passes-away/</ref> His other super hit was ''[[Chidambara Rahasiyam (film)|Chidambara Rahasiyam]]'' (1985), which is considered a cult-classic.<ref>https://www.theweek.in/news/entertainment/2020/03/22/veteran-tamil-actor-director-visu-passes-away-at-74.html</ref>

''Samsaram Adhu Minsaram'' (1986) was the first Tamil film to win the [[National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment]].<ref>https://medium.com/sylvianism/50-tamil-movies-to-watch-before-you-die-31-samsaram-adhu-minsaram-70d93da8b85</ref>

As a writer, Viswanathan was known for his sharp and witty dialogues, that lent itself to family dramas. While he has directed a rage of actors on screen, he and his brother [[Kishmu]] used to star in his films as well in memorable roles. His film ''[[Neenga Nalla Irukkanum]]'' won the [[National Film Award for Best Film on Other Social Issues]] in 1992. Based on prohibition, the film was the last onscreen appearance of then chief minister, [[J. Jayalalithaa]].<ref>https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/2020/mar/23/remembering-veteran-actor-visu-pioneer-of-successful-family-friendly-tamil-films-2120299.html</ref>

During the ending phase of his career, he made movies which did not leave a lasting mark on the audience as ''[[Vaa Magale Vaa]]'' (1994), ''[[Meendum Savithri]]'' (1996) and ''[[Sigamani Ramamani]]'' (2001).<ref>https://nettv4u.com/celebrity/tamil/director/visu</ref>

Actor and stage artiste [[S. Ve. Shekher]], who has worked in over 20 films with Visu, said that he was an extremely disciplined and committed.<ref>https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/actor-director-visu-dies-at-75-funeral-to-be-held-on-monday/article31136715.ece</ref>

The versatile actor is known to have starred in over 60 films and directed around 25 films.<ref>https://www.indulgexpress.com/entertainment/cinema/2020/mar/22/veteran-tamil-actor-director-visu-dies-of-prolonged-kidney-related-ailments-at-age-74-23355.html</ref>

| source =&nbsp;– Visu in 2016<ref>{{Cite news |date=9 July 2016 |title=Looking back at the golden years |work=[[The New Indian Express]] |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/2016/jul/09/Looking-back-at-the-golden-years-878725.html |access-date=24 February 2020}}</ref>

}}In Visu's films, all the characters were given equal importance. Often, there was huge house wherein a joint family would reside and the character of Visu would solve their problems. Many of Visu's film titles contain rhyming words, a trait which began with ''[[Samsaram Adhu Minsaram]]'' (1986). His movies focused on many family issues like dowry, need of remarriage for women, mother in law-daughter in law disputes and so on which were occurring that time. In most of the films he directed there is a character named Uma, named after a teacher to whom he first presented his script for Samsaram adhu minsaram and got praise. Visu promised her to always name one of his characters Uma in his films.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Ashok Kumar |first=S. R. |date=26 March 2020 |title=Visu, a colossus |work=[[The Hindu]] |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/visu-a-colossus/article31172346.ece |access-date=16 February 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Rangan |first=Baradwaj |date=23 March 2020 |title=A Tribute To Visu, Known For His Middle-Class Melodramas Like Samsaram Adhu Minsaram |url=https://www.filmcompanion.in/a-tribute-to-visu-known-for-his-middle-class-melodramas-like-samsaram-adhu-minsaram-baradwaj-rangan |access-date=11 April 2020 |website=[[Film Companion]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=24 March 2020 |title=Remembering Visu, the king of the middle-class family drama |url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/remembering-visu-king-middle-class-family-drama-121034 |access-date=16 February 2021 |website=[[The News Minute]]}}</ref>

A philanthropist, Visu had been supporting the needy through his own foundation. He became known for hosting live debates on television, namely  ''Visuvin Makkal Arangam'' on [[Jaya TV]] and ''Arattai Arangam'' on [[Sun TV (India)|Sun TV]].<ref name="hindu">{{cite web|url=http://www.hindu.com/mp/2004/09/11/stories/2004091100320200.htm|title=Inimitable Visu|author=thmrn|access-date=2014-07-20|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050124084904/http://www.hindu.com/mp/2004/09/11/stories/2004091100320200.htm|work=[[The Hindu]]|archive-date=24 January 2005}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Visakhapatnam/a-passionate-journey/article6583799.ece|title=A Passionate journey|work=The Hindu|date=11 November 2014|last=Devalla|first=Rani|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190911103540/https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Visakhapatnam/a-passionate-journey/article6583799.ece|archive-date=11 September 2019}}</ref> He joined and campaigned for BJP.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/current-affairs/310116/veteran-actor-visu-joins-bjp.html|title=Veteran actor Visu joins BJP|date=31 January 2016|website=Deccan Chronicle|access-date=22 March 2020}}</ref>

Visu died due to kidney failure on 22 March 2020 at Chennai.<ref>{{Cite news |date=22 March 2020 |title=Veteran Kollywood director Visu passes away at 74 |work=[[The New Indian Express]] |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/2020/mar/22/veteran-kollywood-director-visu-passes-away-at-74-2120181.html |access-date=22 March 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=22 March 2020 |title=உடல்நலக்குறைவால் நடிகர் விசு காலமானார்..! |language=ta |trans-title=Actor Visu expired due to illness |work=[[Dinamalar]] |url=http://www.dinamalarnellai.com/cinema/news/87261 |url-status=live |access-date=22 March 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200322132854/http://www.dinamalarnellai.com/cinema/news/87261 |archive-date=22 March 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=22 March 2020 |title=Director Visu passes away |work=[[The Times of India]] |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/director-visu-passes-away/articleshow/74761184.cms? |url-status=live |access-date=22 March 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200322133829/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/director-visu-passes-away/articleshow/74761184.cms? |archive-date=22 March 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=22 March 2020 |title=Veteran Kollywood director Visu passes away at 74 |url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/veteran-tamil-actor-writer-and-director-visu-passes-away-he-was-75-120862 |access-date=22 March 2020 |website=[[The News Minute]]}}</ref>

|''Oru Kai Paappom'' || style="text-align:center;"| {{n}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{n}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || ||

|''[[Anandha Kanneer]]'' || style="text-align:center;"| {{n}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{n}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || Paapa ||

|''Aadade Aadharam'' || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || || [[Nandi Award for Best Story Writer|Nandi Award for Second Best Story Writer]]<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://ipr.ap.nic.in/New_Links/Film.pdf|title=నంది అవార్డు విజేతల పరంపర (1964–2008)|trans-title=A series of Nandi Award Winners (1964–2008)|publisher=[[Andhra Pradesh (magazine)|Information & Public Relations of Andhra Pradesh]]|access-date=21 August 2020}}(in [[Telugu language|Telugu]])</ref> <br/> Telugu Film

|''[[Mappillai Sir]]'' || style="text-align:center;"| {{n}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{n}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || Sock Puppet ||

| ''[[Aranmanai Kaavalan]]'' || style="text-align:center;"| {{n}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{n}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || CBI Officer ||