A.C. Thirilogachandar passes away

Famous film director A.C.Thirilogachander died on Wednesday afternoon . He was 86 and is survived by his son and daughter. He had not been keeping good health and was so frail that even the news of his younger son succumbing to cancer a week ago was not conveyed to him.

Arunachala Chengalvaraya Thirilogachander (ACT, as he was known) was the son of an executive and a stern disciplinarian. Born on 11 June 1930, he did his schooling in ELM. Fabricius Higher Secondary School ,Purasawalkam. He went on to do his M.A in Pachaiyappa’s College.

Even at that time he used to write stories under the name – Miss Chandra. He also developed a taste for acting but fearful of hisfather’s reaction he secretly acted in plays for All India Radio. His classmate's father was R.Padmanabhan , a film director, gave him an opportunity as an Assistant Director for the MGR film “Kumari” in 1950. ACT made almost 65 films in his long career and wrote stories for 20 others.

Anbe Vaa

His classics include films he made for all the big stars of Tamil cinema. Anbe Vaa , loosely based on Come September was a classic film for MGR. The actor had so much of faith in the director that he accepted a story that went against the then accepted formula for an MGR film.

In 1967 he made his first film with Sivaji –

Thangai a film was a turning point in Sivaji’s career as it brought him into the “action” genre. ACT then made

En Thambi where he brought in sword fights for Sivaji. They went on to make more than 15 films including the classic

Deiva Magan where Sivaji dons a triple role. Babu , Engirintho Vandhaal being some of theothers. In 1976 he made the blockbuster hit

Bhadrakali . The heroine of the film Rani Chandra died in an aircrash and ACT had to complete the film including the climax using a look alike and adopting clever camera angles.His last rites will be held at Besant nagar electric crematorium at 4.30 p.m. today.

( Mohan Raman is an actor)