Veteran director J Mahendran, who has given Tamil cinema several important films including Aadu Puli Attam (story, dialogues) Mullum Malarum (debut as director), Uthiripookkal and Nenjathai Killadhe passed away early on Tuesday morning, following a brief hospitalization. His son John Mahendran confirmed his passing on social media. Last week, he was hospitalized after a brief illness. His son and filmmaker John Mahendran shared the news on Twitter. He wrote, “Director Mahendran passed away this morning.” Public homage for the director will be held from 10.00 am at his residence in Chennai and his last rites will be performed at 5.00 pm on Tuesday.

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The legendary director's sojourn as an actor in films like Theri, Nimir and Petta was received warmly. He was recently seen in the Atharvaa-starrer Boomerang. His other notable stories include the female-centric Panakkara Pillai starring Jayalalithaa in the lead and Sivaji’s acclaimed Thanga Pathakkam. Mahendran made his directorial debut with Mullum Malarum, a critically acclaimed drama starring Rajinikanth, Sarath Babu, Fatafat Jayalaxmi and Shoba, in 1978. The film was a turning point in Rajinikanth’s career, and the director is credited with molding the Superstar as we know him today. “I would not have made the film if Rajinikanth had not been in it. I had a producer who never turned up on the sets; but I had Rajinikanth, Ilaiyaraaja for the background score and Balu Mahendra for the camera. Naturally, the film was a success," he once said in an interview.

The director had been critically ill for the past few days and was undergoing treatment at Apollo Hospital in Chennai but was taken home on Monday night. The director was 79. Mahendran’s remains will be laid at his home from 10 a.m. where the public can pay their respects. The funeral is set to be held at 5 pm.

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