Agathiyan
Agathiyan (born 18 August 1952; pronunciation) is an Indian film director, screenwriter, producer, lyricist, and actor. He was the first director in Tamil cinema to win the National Film Award for Best Direction for Kadhal Kottai (1996). For the film, he also won National Film Award for Best Screenplay and Filmfare Award for Best Director – Tamil.
Agathiyan

Sriram Narasimhan Silverscreen Media Inc. (https: silverscreen.in) · https: gallery=1 slide=6 · CC BY-SA 3.0
- Name
- Agathiyan
- Born
- 18 August 1952
- Birthplace
- Peravurani, Thanjavur district, Madras State (now Tamil Nadu), India
- Occupation
- * Director
- Nationality
- India
- Honours
- Filmfare Awards South
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Agathiyan (born 18 August 1952; pronunciation) is an Indian film director, screenwriter, producer, lyricist, and actor. He was the first director in Tamil cinema to win the National Film Award for Best Direction for Kadhal Kottai (1996). For the film, he also won National Film Award for Best Screenplay and Filmfare Award for Best Director – Tamil.
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Agathiyan (born 1952) is an actor, film director and screenwriter, of Indian nationality. The actor was born in Tamil Nadu. Honours include Filmfare Awards South.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 26 September 2026
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Documentary evidence
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Authority files
wikidata · Q4691545 · wikipedia · Agathiyan
In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Agathiyan • Born — 18 August 1952 • Birthplace — Peravurani, Thanjavur district, Madras State (now Tamil Nadu), India • Occupation — * Director • screenwriter • producer • lyricist • actor • Children — Kani Thiru Vijayalakshmi Agathiyan Niranjani Ahathian • Relatives — Thiru (son-in-law) Desingh Periyasamy (son-in-law) • Years Active — 1991 – present
Career
Career
Agathiyan, a director in his late forties entered films a decade back and struggled as an assistant to various directors. Hailing from a agriculturist family, he spent a happy-go-lucky time in college, and when he decided to pack his bags and come to Chennai to try his luck in films as a director, he lost his family's support. Struggling with no money, he did odd jobs in film companies and became an assistant to anyone who offered him food and shelter. He wrote story for Ramarajan starrer Manasukketha Maharasa under the name Karunanidhi Santharam and initially directed a film called Mangalyam Thanthunanena in 1991 and was credited as Ravi Thasan but it was unsuccessful. Anbalaya Prabhakaran, who acted in that movie and also produces small budgeted films with new directors, gave Ahahtian his second break as a director with Madhumathi, a teenage love story with new faces. The film was a big hit. He was back to where he started, but again fate had bigger things in store for him. Sivasakthi Pandian, a film distributor turned producer, produced Vaanmathi with Ajith and Swathi. The film was a hit. Next came Kadhal Kottai from the same banner and Ahahtian became the toast of the industry. Offers poured in for films. In late 2014, he began work on an untitled project produced by Bharathiraja starring Santhosh Prathap, Oviya, Vijayalakshmi and Manoj Bharathiraja, but the film was later shelved. He has served as jury member at 57th National Film Awards.
Personal life
Personal life
He married Radha in 1978. His elder daughter Kani (Karthika), host of Makkal TV, is married to film director Thiru. Kani Thiru is a winner of Vijay TV's Cook With Comali (Season 2). His second daughter Vijayalakshmi Agathiyan is an actress and is married to film director Feroz. His younger daughter Niranjani Ahathian is a costume designer and actress who is married to director Desingh Periyasamy.
Filmography
Filmography
• Note: all films are in Tamil, unless otherwise noted.
As an actor
As an actor
• Year — Film — Role — Notes • 1996 — Kadhal Kottai — Cameo appearances • Gokulathil Seethai • 1999 — Poovellam Kettuppar — Himself • 2001 — Vinnukkum Mannukkum • 2007 — Agaram — Thiru's father • 2011 — Avargalum Ivargalum — Dr. Thamizhvanan • Maithanam — Velu • 2018 — Mr. Chandramouli — Ramamurthy
Director
Director
• Year — Serial — Channel — Notes • 2005 — Pugazh — DD Podhigai
Actor
Actor
• Year — Serial — Channel — Notes • 2024-2025 — Moondru Mudichu — Sun TV
As lyricist
As lyricist
• Year — Film — Song(s) — Notes • 1996 — Kadhal Kottai — All songs • 1996 — Gokulathil Seethai — All songs • 1997 — Vidukathai — Idhayam Idhayam, Meenakshi Kaiyil, Kidaichuruchu • 1998 — Santhosham — All songs • 2002 — Kadhal Samrajyam — All songs • 2004 — Ramakrishna — All songs • 2005 — Selvam — All songs • 2008 — Nenjathai Killathe — All songs • 2020 — Meendum Oru Mariyathai — Kozhandhan Peru
Identity and overview
Identity and overview
The following is established of the heading itself.
As writer
• Year — Film — Credited as — Notes • Writer • 1989 — Manasukketha Maharasa — Story — Credited as Karunanidhi Santharam • 1992 — Pondatti Rajyam — Story • 1998 — Santhosham
As film director
• Year — Film — Language — Notes • 1991 — Mangalyam Thanthunane — Tamil — Credited as Ravi Thasan • 1993 — Madhumathi • 1996 — Vaanmathi • Kadhal Kottai • Gokulathil Seethai • 1997 — Vidukathai • 1998 — Kaadhal Kavithai • 1999 — Sirf Tum — Hindi — credited as Ahathian • 2001 — Hum Ho Gaye Aapke • 2002 — Kadhal Samrajyam — Tamil — Unreleased film • 2003 — Ee Abbai Chala Manchodu — Telugu — Credited as Agastyan • 2004 — Ramakrishna — Tamil • 2005 — Selvam — Also producer • 2008 — Nenjathai Killadhe
Primary material
Documents and archives
Institutional database
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q4691545: Agathiyan
Scholarly · Wikimedia Foundation
reference work
- “Agathiyan”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
Awards
• National Film Awards • 1997 – Best Direction – Kadhal Kottai • 1997 – Best Screenplay – Kadhal Kottai • 1997 – National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil – Kadhal Kottai • Filmfare Awards South • 1997 – Best Director – Kadhal Kottai • Tamil Nadu State Film Awards • 1996 – Best Director – Kadhal Kottai
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Director Agathiyan's wife Radha passes away. 21 October 2016.
- 2.IndiaGlitz — Agathiyan on the move — Tamil Movie News. IndiaGlitz.com.
- 3.Dhananjayan, G. PRIDE OF TAMIL CINEMA: 1931 TO 2013: Tamil Films that have earned National and International Recognition. Blue Ocean Publishers. 358. December 2023.
- 4.Tamil Star — Profile. Archive.org. 22 December 2001.
- 5.70/80/ 90's Kids. இந்த சினிமா பாட்டு நினைவில் இருக்கா.?. Kungumam. 4 April 2021.
- 6.Welcome To Sify.com. Sify.com.
- 7.Agathiyan to direct Bharathiraaja's film. ChennaiOnline.com. June 2024.
- 8.Directorate of Film Festivals. 57th National Film Awards.
- 9.Thoranai, Vishal and Thiru — Behindwoods.com — Tamil Movies News — Thoranai Vishal Agathiyan. Behindwoods.com.
- 10.புகழ் | Pugazh | Epi - 1 #IndianClassics #TamilSerial. YouTube.
References
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
Institutional database
Wikidata, structured authority record Q4691545: AgathiyanWikimedia Foundation
Institutional witnessreference work
Secondary witness
People, houses and institutions
Knowledge graph
People, houses and institutions
Teachers, collaborators, publishers and institutions recorded against this person, each on a stated basis.
Citizenship
1- IndiaPlace
Established from a fact already recorded on a verified source.
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 16 August 2026.
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