Chithra Lakshmanan

Chitra Lakshmanan
Born	Lakshmanan Ramasamy (1948-01-23) 23 January 1948 Arani, Tamil Nadu, India
Occupation	Film director, Film producer, Actor, Film journalist
Years active	1983-present
Spouse(s)	Radhika (m.1989-present)
Children	Gayatri, Krithiga

Lakshmanan Ramasamy (born 23 January 1948), known professionally as Chitra Lakshmanan, is an Indian journalist, filmmaker and actor. He produced and directed several Tamil language films starring some of Tamil cinema's major stars during the 1980s and 1990s, while appearing in numerous films and television series in supporting roles. He currently operates a YouTube channel called Touring Talkies, which features interviews and talk shows about Tamil cinema.

Career

Lakshmanan began working in a hardware shop in Arani. He later joined the magazine Vidhi Velli as a sub-editor until its closure. He later joined Thayin Manikodi run by Jayakanthan. He later joined a Singaporean Tamil magazine. After it's failure, he decided to start his own magazine Thirai Kathir which became successful. His career in entertainment journalism helped him to also become a public relations officer.

He became acquainted with director Bharathiraja to enter the film industry, and subsequently served as a co-producer on all his films with Lakshmanan's brother, Ramu. In 1983, he produced Mann Vasanai under Gayathri Films, which won commercial success as well as the Filmfare Award for Best Tamil Film. He also served as a press relations officer for Tamil films during the 1980s, and later reprised that role as an actor through Uttama Villain (2015). His first directorial venture was Soora Samhaaram (1988) with Kamal Haasan and later he directed Periya Thambi (1997) with Prabhu and Chinna Raja (1999) with Karthik in the lead role. He turned actor in Japanil Kalyanaraman (1985) and began to prioritise acting commitments in the 2000s, winning acclaim for his comedy roles in Boss Engira Bhaskaran (Nene Ambhani) (2010) and Theeya Velai Seiyyanum Kumaru (2013).

Throughout his career, Lakshmanan has also taken up posts of responsibility. He served as the Secretary of Tamil Film Producers Council for four years and as an executive committee member in South Indian Film Chamber of Commerce, Film Federation of India, and Tamil Film Directors Association for several years. In 2011, he published the book 80 Years of Tamil Cinema, an account documenting the history of Tamil cinema.

Filmography

As producer

Year	Film	Cast	Notes
1983	Mann Vasanai	Pandiyan, Revathi, Vijayan
1984	Ambigai Neril Vanthaal	Mohan, Radha, Urvashi
	Vaazhkai	Sivaji Ganesan, Ambika, Pandiyan
1985	Puthiya Theerppu	Vijayakanth, Ambika
1987	Jallikattu	Sivaji Ganesan, Sathyaraj, Radha
1989	Chinnappadass	Sathyaraj, Radha, Kodai Mazhai Vidya

As director and producer

Year	Film	Cast	Notes
1988	Soora Samhaaram	Kamal Haasan, Nirosha, Nizhalgal Ravi
1997	Periya Thambi	Prabhu, Nagma, Goundamani
1999	Chinna Raja	Karthik, Roja, Priya Raman

As actor

Films

Year	Film	Role	Notes
1984	Pudhumai Penn
	Dhavani Kanavugal	Guest Appearance
1985	Japanil Kalyanaraman	GuideMunusamy
	Puthiya Theerppu	Murali
1987	Jallikattu	Dharmaraj
1997	Periya Thambi
1999	Chinna Raja
	Sundari Neeyum Sundaran Naanum	Ramalingam (guest appearance)
2001	Ullam Kollai Poguthae	Jyothi's father
	Azhagana Naatkal
2002	Kadhal Virus	Guest Appearance
	Unnai Ninaithu	Vaidyalingam
2003	Relax
2004	Bose
	Kangalal Kaidhu Sei
	Vasool Raja MBBS	Dr. Kalidas
2005	Unarchigal	Balaji's father (guest appearance)
2006	Pachchak Kuthira
	Kusthi
2007	Piragu	Film Producer
2008	Vaitheeswaran	Dhanasekaran's Henchman
2010	Boss Engira Bhaskaran	Shanmugasundaram/nayantara's father/Mongoose Mandayan
2011	Sadhurangam
2012	Saguni	Boopathi's sidekick
2013	Settai	Murugaraj
	Isakki
	Pattathu Yaanai	Inspector
	Theeya Velai Seiyyanum Kumaru	Kunchithapadam
	Arya Surya
	Ya Ya	Kanaka's father
	Naveena Saraswathi Sabatham	Kovai Kamaraj
2014	Ninaithathu Yaaro
	Nimirndhu Nil	Judge Chitra Lakshmanan
	Aranmanai	Maya's father
2015	Janda Pai Kapiraju		Telugu film
	Nannbenda	Hotel Manager
	Uttama Villain	PRO Lakshmanan
	Sakalakala Vallavan
2016	Pokkiri Raja	Kothandam
	Vaaliba Raja	Chithra Lakshmanan
	Muthina Kathirika	Politician
	Vellikizhamai 13am Thethi	Raasathi's father
2017	Kattappava Kanom
	Ullam Ullavarai
2018	Vidhi Madhi Ultaa	Divya's father
	Nagesh Thiraiyarangam	Pundek
	Itly	Bank Manager

Television

Year	Title	Role	Channel
2003 - 2009	Anandham		Sun TV
2006 - 2008	Ganga Yamuna Saraswati		Sun TV
2009 - 2012	Idhayam	Devarajan	Sun TV
2012 - 2013	Sondha Bandham	Damodaran
2014 - 2015	Akka		Jaya TV
2018 - 2019	Chandralekha	Gemini Ganeshan	Sun TV

External links

• Chithra Lakshmanan on IMDb