G. Ramachandran (producer)

G. Ramachandran (1947/1948 – 2 June 2021), also known as GR, was an Indian film producer, actor and writer who worked on Tamil and Kannada films.^[1]

Career

Ramachandran made his acting debut in Kalathur Kannamma (1960) as a child artiste. He featured alongside Gemini Ganesan and Savitri, and worked with fellow debutant Kamal Haasan.^[2] Ramachandran worked as actor in films including Nattupura Pattu (1996), Ettupatti Rasa (1997), Veera Thalattu (1998), Manu Needhi (2000) and Rajadhi Raja (2009).

In the early 2000s, Ramachandran worked as a film producer and funded Tamil films including Manu Needhi (2000) and Sound Party (2004) under his production banner, GR Gold Films.^[2][3][4] The production of Sound Party was delayed after actress Prathyusha, who also worked on his first film, committed suicide in February 2002. The film remained unsold and unable to gain a distributor for an extended period of time after the venture had been completed.^[5] In May 2004, he began working on his first directorial venture, Nalla Koottani, which was later dropped.^[6] He then produced Kasu Irukkanum (2007) and Enga Raasi Nalla Raasi (2009), which starred Ramachandran's son, given the stagename of Vishwa, in the lead roles.^[7][8]

In the 2010s, he prioritised work in the Kannada film industry and produced films such as Hendtheer Darbar (2010) and Super Shastri (2012).^[9] Ramachandran then produced Bheeshma (2016) with Kishore in the lead role. The Kannada version of the film went through production delays and a change of title, before getting a low key release.^[10][11] A Tamil version titled Kadhali Kanavillai was also planned but did not have a theatrical release after the censor board refused to certify it as an original Tamil film. Ramachandran later filed a complaint against censor officers Madhiyazhagan and Gangai Amaran for refusing to approve the film.^[12]

Death

He died from COVID-19 on 2 June 2021, at age 73. His wife Jameela(First wife) died due to cancer and R. P. Poorani(Second wife), also a film producer, had died following a cardiac arrest weeks earlier. He was survived by three sons and a daughter Headed by Haseena (Daughter), Sulaiman, Siva Kumar, Saamy Kumar.^[2]

Filmography

As producer

• Manu Needhi (2000)
• Sound Party (2004)
• Kasu Irukkanum (2007)
• Enga Raasi Nalla Raasi (2009)
• Hendtheer Darbar (2010)
• Super Shastri (2012)
• Bheeshma (2016)

As writer

• Kasu Irukkanum (2007)
• Enga Raasi Nalla Raasi (2009)

As actor

• Kalathur Kannamma (1960)
• Solaiyamma (1994)
• Nattupura Pattu (1996)
• Ettupatti Rasa (1997)
• Veera Thalattu (1998)
• En Aasai Rasave (1998)
• Manu Needhi (2000)
• Sound Party (2004)
• Rajadhi Raja (2009)
• Super Shastri (2012)

References

External links

• G. Ramachandran at
  IMDb