Chennai:

Celebrated filmmaker and actor K. Bhagyaraj, marking an extraordinary 50 years in the film industry, met members of the press today on the occasion of his birthday. During the interaction, PROs Diamond Babu, M Singaravelu and Riaz K Ahmed, felicitated K. Bhagyaraj by presenting him with a shawl as a mark of respect. K Bhagyaraj also posed for photographs with the journalists who attended the event.

Addressing the gathering, K. Bhagyaraj extended his warm greetings to all journalists and media friends and conveyed his New Year wishes. He said that even today, he finds it hard to believe that he has completed 50 years in cinema. Recalling his early days, he shared that his friends and his mother always had immense faith in him and believed that he would succeed in films.

He reminisced about getting his first opportunity in cinema through the film ’16 Vayathinile’ , adding that actor Kamal Haasan had recently mentioned how everyone associated with that film went on to achieve remarkable success, something rare in the history of cinema. During his struggling days, Bhagyaraj revealed that he often introduced himself confidently as “Kovai Raja” without revealing his real name. It was during ’16 Vayathinile’ that he adopted the name Bhagyaraj, the name given to him by his mother. When the director noticed the name on the title card and asked who it was, the team explained that it was Rajan. Not wanting to lose his mother’s blessings, he decided to retain the name K. Bhagyaraj.

He expressed gratitude to the press for supporting and writing about him from his days as an assistant director. Recalling the film ‘Kizhakke Pogum Rail’, he mentioned that his director had once remarked that after him, it would be Rajan’s turn. Bhagyaraj spoke about his gradual journey—from assistant director to dialogue writer, screenplay writer, actor, and eventually director.

Sharing an amusing anecdote from ‘Kizhakke Pogum Rail’, he spoke about being tasked with bringing a donkey for the film, photographs of which later appeared on posters. His family jokingly asked if he had gone to cinema only to lose a donkey. At that time, his mother reassured him that his director would one day make him a hero. While that did come true, Bhagyaraj shared with emotion that his mother passed away before the film’s release, which remains a deep personal regret.

After debuting as a hero in his very first film, he went on to play a villain in ‘Kanni Paruvathile’, and later made his debut as a director. He thanked everyone who supported him through this journey, stating that before entering cinema, he only had the experience of watching films and no technical knowledge. He learned extensively by observing other directors’ work and developed a strong interest in reading books.

He fondly recalled a childhood incident that taught him the value of honesty. As a schoolboy, his mother would give him money to buy honey candy after school. One day, in her absence, he unknowingly gave a gold ring instead of money to the shopkeeper. Fortunately, the shopkeeper returned the ring to his mother, leaving a lasting lesson on integrity that shaped his character from a young age.

Bhagyaraj acknowledged his teachers for continuing to be a strong source of support in his life. He spoke about being deeply inspired by Puratchi Thalaivar MGR’s compassion towards people, Sivaji Ganesan’s respect for directors regardless of their experience, and Kamal Haasan’s extraordinary acting talent, which amazed him even in his youth. He recalled first seeing Rajinikanth during ’16 Vayathinile’ and remarked that Rajinikanth remains unchanged even today.

Thanking the media once again, Bhagyaraj said journalists have always stood by him and played a key role in taking every film to the audience in the right manner. Completing 50 years in cinema still feels unbelievable to him, he said.

Concluding his speech, K. Bhagyaraj announced that discussions are currently underway to direct a web series and a feature film, and that he is gearing up for several new initiatives this year. He expressed his heartfelt gratitude to everyone for their unwavering love and support.