Muktha V Sreenivasan, the Producer of Nayagan, passes away

Veteran director and producer Muktha V Sreenivasan passed away late on Tuesday night at his residence in the city.

He was 89.

Sreenivasan, who is known for having made exceptional movies including the classic Nayagan, which featured Kamal Haasan in the lead and which was directed by Mani Ratnam, made over 50 movies in his seven-decade long career in the Tamil film industry.

He is survived by his wife Prema, sons Muktha Sundar, Muktha Ravi and daughter Maya. Sources say that the director had been unwell for some time and had been receiving treatment.

Muktha Sreenivasan, who won a National Award for his debut film Mudhalaali which released in 1957, had an illustrious career during which he delivered several blockbusters and classics including the Sivaji Ganesan-starrer Andaman Kaadhali, Keezhvaanam Sivakkum, the Rajinikanth-starrer Polladhavan and the Jayalalithaa- Muthuraman-starrer Surya Gandhi.

Several celebrities from the film industry including Kamal Haasan and leaders from political parties paid homage to the departed director.

Sources close to the family of the director say that his body has been kept a his residence in Vaithiya Raman Street in T Nagar for the public to pay their last respects. His last rites will be performed later this evening at the Kannama Pettai funeral grounds in the city.