S. A. Chandrasekhar

He is the father of the ninth and incumbent Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, C.

• Name — S. A. Chandrasekhar • Birth Name — Senapathy Albert Chandrasekaran • Born — 2 July 1945 • Birthplace — Thangachimadam, Madras Presidency, British India • Occupation — * Film director • Film producer • Screenwriter • Actor • Years Active — 1978–2025 • Spouse — Shoba Chandrasekhar • Children — 2 including C. Joseph Vijay • Relatives — Vikranth (nephew) S. N. Surendar (brother-in-law) • Other Names — S. A. Chandrasekhar

Chandrasekar was born in Thangachimadam, Tamil Nadu into a Catholic Christian family as S. A. Chandrasekaran. His son is Vijay, who is one of the leading actors in Tamil cinema and a politician. Chandrasekhar also had a daughter named Vidya, who died at the age of two. His brother-in-law S. N. Surendar is a playback singer and voice artist. His nephew Vikranth is also an actor.

Chandrasekar has directed over 70 movies in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Hindi. Directors S. Shankar, Senthilnathan, C. Ranganathan, Pavithran, Majith, K. R. Jaya, M. Rajesh, Ponram, T. Shivraj, and Vicky had worked with him as assistants. Some of his hit movies include Sattam Oru Iruttarai (1981), Chattaniki Kallu Levu (1981), Nyaya Ellide (1982), Palletoori Monagadu (1983), Saatchi (1983), Vetri (1984), Naan Sigappu Manithan (1985), Sattam Oru Vilayaattu (1987), Senthoorapandi (1993), Rasigan (1994), Deva (1995), Once More (1997), and Nenjirukkum Varai (2006). He introduced his son Vijay and directed several films in his formative years such as Naalaiya Theerpu (1992), Senthoorapandi (1993), Rasigan (1994), Deva (1995), and Vishnu (1995). Most of his movies are with Vijayakanth or Vijay. He also directed Telugu movies such as Chattaniki Kallu Levu (1981) and Palletoori Monagadu (1983) with Chiranjeevi. In 2019, he directed his 70th film, Capmaari.

Chandrasekhar has appeared in supporting roles in movies such as Kudumbam (1984), Pudhu Yugam (1985), Naan Sigappu Manithan (1985), Neethiyin Marupakkam (1985), Enakku Nane Needipathi (1986), Nilave Malare (1986), Vasantha Raagam (1986), Neethikku Thandanai (1987), Sattam Oru Vilayaattu (1987), Innisai Mazhai (1992), Deva (1995), Priyamudan (1998), Sukran (2005) and Kodi (2016). Chandrasekhar played the lead role in the film Touring Talkies (2015). He acted in Traffic Ramasamy (2018), a biopic about the eponymous activist, and played the title role. Chandrashekhar is a final acting film is Kooran (2025) in this last film.

In the early 2000s, Chandrasekhar slowed down his work as a director and focused on business interests, including on the construction of a three star hotel for his son. In 2000, he began pre-production work on a film titled Dhoosi with Sarathkumar but the project was later shelved.

In 2018, Chandrasekhar spoke at the music launch of the movie Visiri at Vadapalani Prasad Lab, Chennai. He allegedly said "offering at Tirupati Hundiyal was like a bribe to the deity and one cannot pass the exam by simply making offering to a deity. If the offering to deity can help you pass the exams, you don't need to write the exams and sit at home". He also said that "success can be achieved only by studying." Virugambakkam police registered a FIR against Chandrasekhar on charges of hurting religious beliefs after a complaint filed by Hindu Munnani over his statements.

• Note: he is mostly credited as S. A. Chandrasekaran. For many of his older films, his name was absent from the film credits and only present on promotional media • Year — Film — Language — Notes • 1978 — Aval Oru Pachai Kuzhandhai — Tamil • 1981 — Sattam Oru Iruttarai • Nenjile Thunivirunthal • Chattaniki Kallu Levu — Telugu — Remake of Sattam Oru Iruttarai • Needhi Pizhaithadhu — Tamil • 1982 — Idhayam Pesugirathu • Pattanathu Rajakkal • Om Shakti • Nyaya Ellide — Kannada — Remake of Sattam Oru Iruttarai • 1983 — Balidaanam — Telugu • Samsaram Enbathu Veenai — Tamil • Palletoori Monagadu — Telugu — Remake of Nenjile Thunivirunthal • Gedda Maga — Kannada — Remake of Moondru Mugam • Geluvu Nannade • Saatchi — Tamil • Hasida Hebbuli — Kannada — Remake of Nenjile Thunivirunthal • Simha Gharjane — Kannada • 1984 — Dopidi Dongalu — Telugu • Vetri — Tamil — Remakes of Kannada film Geluvu Nannade • Devanthakudu — Telugu • Veetuku Oru Kannagi — Tamil • Kudumbam • 1985 — Pudhu Yugam • Intiko Rudramma — Telugu • Naan Sigappu Manithan — Tamil • Balidaan — Hindi • Neethiyin Marupakkam — Tamil • 1986 — En Sabatham • Nilave Malare • Enakku Nane Needipathi • Vasantha Raagam • Sigappu Malargal • 1987 — Neethikku Thandanai • Sattam Oru Vilayaattu • Kudrat Ka Kanoon — Hindi — Remake of Neethikku Thandanai • 1988 — Sudhanthira Naattin Adimaigal — Tamil • Poovum Puyalum • Ithu Engal Neethi • 1989 — Rajanadai • 1990 — Azaad Desh Ke Gulam — Hindi — Remake of Sudhanthira Naattin Adimaigal • Seetha — Tamil • 1992 — Insaaf Ki Devi — Hindi • Mera Dil Tere Liye • Naalaiya Theerpu — Tamil • 1993 — Jeevan Ki Shatranj — Hindi — Remake of Rajanadai • Rajadurai — Tamil • Senthoorapandi • 1994 — Rasigan • 1995 — Deva • Vishnu • 1996 — Maanbumigu Maanavan • 1997 — Once More • 1999 — Perianna • Nenjinile • 2001 — Dosth • 2002 — Mutham — Spoke poems in the song "Oru Murai Nee" • 2005 — Sukran • 2006 — Nenjirukkum Varai • 2008 — Pandhayam • 2011 — Sattapadi Kutram • 2015 — Touring Talkies • 2019 — Capmaari • 2023 — Naan Kadavul Illai — Also singer for song "Kanne Kanmaniye"

• Year — Title — Notes • 1984 — Veetuku Oru Kannagi • 1999 — Nenjinile • 2005 — Sukran • 2006 — Aathi • 2010 — Veluthu Kattu • 2011 — Sattapadi Kutram • 2016 — Nayyapudai — Also assistant director • 2018 — Traffic Ramasamy

• Year — Film — width:80px;"| Role — Notes • 1977 — Olimayamana Ethirkalam — First film • 1981 — Sattam Oru Iruttarai — Hitchhiker • 1984 — Kudumbam — Sekhar • 1985 — Pudhu Yugam • Naan Sigappu Manithan — Hospital Ward Boy • 1986 — Enakku Nane Needipathi — | Advocate Chandrasekhar • Vasantha Raagam — | Chandrasekhar • 1987 — Sattam Oru Vilayaattu — Peter • 1992 — Innisai Mazhai — Police officer • 1993 — Senthoorapandi — | — Guest appearance in song "Aadada Aadada" • 1994 — Rasigan — Guest appearance in song "Thambi Konjam" • 1995 — Deva — Marimuthu • 1998 — Priyamudan — CBI officer Gopal • 2005 — Sukran — Himself — Guest appearance • 2015 — Touring Talkies — Anthony — Anthology film; segment Love @ 75 • 2016 — Nayyapudai — Vellaichamy • Kodi — | Thalaivar • 2018 — Traffic Ramasamy — Traffic Ramasamy • Aaruthra — Shiva's father • 2019 — Capmaari — Police Inspector • 2021 — Maanaadu — Arivazhagan • 2023 — Tamil Kudimagan — Chinnasamy's advocate • Naan Kadavul Illai • Karumegangal Kalaigindrana — Ramanathan's friend • 2025 — Kooran — Dharmaraj — Final film

• Year — Title — Role — Channel — Language • 2023–2024 — Kizhakku Vaasal — Swamiappan — Star Vijay — Tamil

The authorities additionally record the heading Seenathipathy Alex Chandrasekaran.