
Madha Yaanai Koottam director Vikram Sugumaran dies of cardiac arrest at 47!
Having begun his career working as an assistant to Balu Mahendra, Vikram was also the co-writer of Vetri Maaran's Aadukalam. He is survived by his wife and children.
Filmmaker
Vikram Sugumaran
, whose directorial works include the rural drama Madha Yaanai Koottam (2013) and Raavana Kottam (2023), passed away due to cardiac arrest on Monday. He was 47. The director had reportedly experienced severe chest pain as he was returning from Madurai to Chennai after narrating a story to a producer.
He was immediately taken to the hospital but could not be saved. Having begun his career working as an assistant to Balu Mahendra, Vikram was also the co-writer of Vetri Maaran's Aadukalam. He is survived by his wife and children.
More than a director, Vikram was a brother to me; I learnt a lot from him: Shanthnu Bhagyaraj
More than a director, Vikram was a brother to me, and I learnt so much from him. He always told me to do films that were rooted, as only then would people accept me as one of their own.
When he designed Raavana Kottam for me, he took me to the deep south of Tamil Nadu, made me stay there and introduced me to the culture of that area. The way he filmed his script and penned dialogues was a learning experience for aspiring directors like me.
Vikram was a lonely person and didn't share a lot and kept things to himself. But I've personally seen how casually and happily he could speak. I used to tell him to not take everything to heart and let this side of him out.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Pistol de sudură laser multifuncțional
siginificant
Află mai multe
Undo
I feel bad he was struggling alone and not talking to anyone in his last few days. I wish he had called people like me and spoken. His death has been a shock. There was more to him than what the world has seen. I feel bad he left us before making the cinema that he wanted to.
He'd narrate a script so beautifully, you'll be able to visualise the film: Viji Chandrasekhar
Vikram was so hard-working. He approached me for Madha Yaanai Koottam after seeing the poster of my film Aarohanam; he didn't know who I was back then, but he immediately said, 'She is my Sevanamma' (her character in Madha Yaanai Koottam). When he narrated a script, he would explain things so beautifully that you would be able to visualise the film even before he actually made it. He called me excitedly a few weeks ago and said that he wanted to discuss a script with me.
I asked him why he was taking long breaks between films, and he said that he was structuring a script.
Check out our list of the
latest Hindi
,
English
,
Tamil
,
Telugu
,
Malayalam
, and
Kannada movies
. Don't miss our picks for the
best Hindi movies
,
best Tamil movies,
and
best Telugu films
.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Time of India
24 minutes ago
- Time of India
Sandalwood Shots: Devasasya in 5 languages
Ananthkumar Hegde The teaser of multilingual movie Devasasya was unveiled by actor-cum-writer Naveen Krishna at a function held at MMB Legacy on Monday. Devasasya is about a rare plant and the incidents in a forest. Most of the cast and crew of the movie are from North Karnataka. The movie is being made in Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and bankrolling the movie under the Ananta Films banner. Karthik Bhat is the said he was a private company employee before this. 'I have also worked as a writer for a few tele serials and Kannada movies. Devasasya is about a Siddi community that lives in a forest near Sirsi. The producer evinced a keen interest to bankroll this movie when I narrated the script to him. I have worked for two years on the script. I thank the producer for his support,'' said director said the movie is set in 1995. 'We could not find a location suitable to the script. So, we put up a set for this movie. Karan has worked as art director for this movie shot in 45 days,'' the director said. Selvin plays the lead. 'I used to work as a tractor driver before I got this role,'' said Selvin.


Hindustan Times
39 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Tourist Family marks the arrival of a major new voice in Abishan Jeevinth
Every film is political, there is no way a film exists without a political stand. Every film in its own way is making a political statement. In that regard, Tourist Family, the directorial debut of Abishan Jeevinth, is almost too good to be true. It wears its politics with such a light weight of touch that it is impossible not to be swept away in its world filled with people who choose kindness over cynicism, patience over prejudice. That a film like Tourist Family exists, and has managed to resonate so well with audiences in its theatrical run, is quite remarkable. (Also read: Tourist Family movie review: A feel-good entertainer elevated by a stellar Sasikumar and Simran) From here on, the film invests in showing how the members of this colony react to this new additional family. Dharmadas is repeatedly reminded of his strong Eelam (Sri Lankan) Tamil dialect, which is more than enough to give away their secret that they have fled another country without documents. There is no way they can pass themselves as Malayalis. But Dharmadas is a radiant do-gooder, an inexplicably kind-hearted man whose world-view is not tainted with cynicism and despair. He barely gets angry, and along with his family, starts to interact more with the local community steadily. Vasanthi befriends the old couple, Nithu gets along with the house owner's daughter Kural (Yogalakshmi), and Mulli is ever-ready to diffuse a situation with his hilarious antics. Language and cultural identity are deeply intertwined in India. The nexus in which the politics of the state enters the politics of everyday living is almost inescapable, especially in today's day and age. What we say, what we don't say- and the people we choose to avoid are all connected in our everyday politics. Tourist Family confronts this socio-political conformity with a degree of lightness and resolve. Abishan Jeevinth's film is radical in its kindness, where Dharmadas and his kin effectively win over the local community with their humanity and empathy. This is a film that could have been a gritty and relentless in its approach in the hand of someone like Ameer or Vetrimaaran, but in Jeevinth's vision, Kesava Nagar colony is a microcosmic utopian land of sorts. Its inhabitants dare to believe in the kindness of others. In fact, there is no 'othering' of the new family after a point. Dharmadas reveals the truth about his family and the others accept them as their own. The precedence of compassion over rage is so refreshing. This is a film that consciously breaks free from the dominated stereotype of a culture that is rooted in the politics of difference. It works because the Jeevinth never hammers this idea into the film. The conviction that there is an inherent kindness which exists in people is depicted with incredible depth and compassion. Yes, there are scenes which tend to overstay its emotional beats in the second half and become a tad too naive. But even in its moralistic tendencies, there is no denying that Tourist Family is one of the most important films of the year. This is the kind of film that we need and deserve. In Abhishan Jeevinth's perceptive vision, kindness is no less than a superpower. The film marks the arrival of a major cinematic voice in Jeevinth, one rooted in hope and optimism. The whole neighbourhood turns into one beautiful family in its own. I have an inkling Jeevinth is here to stay, and has more stories to share. I also have an inkling that a community like Kesava Nagar Colony can not only exist, but also prosper. Tourist Family is available to watch on JioHotstar.


Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
‘Bhool Chuk Maaf' Box Office collection day 13: Rajkummar Rao and Wamiqa Gabbi's time-loop drama crosses Rs 65 crore mark
Rajkummar Rao and Wamiqa Gabbi 's latest film 'Bhool Chuk Maaf' is on a winning streak. After a delayed start at the cinemas, the film has now touched the Rs 65 crore mark in just 13 days. The time-travel love story has clearly struck a chord with the audience and is showing strong performance at the box office, despite facing competition from Hollywood releases. Day 13 collection According to early estimates shared by Sacnilk, 'Bhool Chuk Maaf' earned around Rs 1.75 crore on its 13th day. This brings the film's total India net collection to Rs 65.10 crore. Occupancy on day 13 Even after nearly two weeks, 'Bhool Chuk Maaf' continues to attract viewers to cinemas. On Day 13, Wednesday, 4 June 2025, the film saw an overall Hindi occupancy of 8.07%. Morning shows had a 5.34% turnout, while afternoon shows rose to 9.56%. Interestingly, evening shows recorded 0% occupancy, but numbers bounced back during night screenings, which reached 9.30%. Here's a full breakdown of the film's daily earnings so far: Week 1 Collections: Day 1 [Friday]: Rs 7 crore Day 2 [Saturday]: Rs 9.5 crore Day 3 [Sunday]: Rs 11.5 crore Day 4 [Monday]: Rs 4.5 crore Day 5 [Tuesday]: Rs 4.75 crore Day 6 [Wednesday]: Rs 3.5 crore Day 7 [Thursday]: Rs 3.35 crore Total Week 1: Rs 44.1 crore Week 2 Collections: Day 8 [Friday]: Rs 3.25 crore Day 9 [Saturday]: Rs 5.25 crore Day 10 [Sunday]: Rs 6.35 crore Day 11 [Monday]: Rs 2.2 crore Day 12 [Tuesday]: Rs 2.2 crore Day 13 [Wednesday]: Rs 1.75 crore (early estimate) Total Till Now: Rs 65.10 crore What is 'Bhool Chuk Maaf' about? Set in the spiritual city of Banaras, 'Bhool Chuk Maaf' tells the story of Ranjan, played by Rajkummar Rao. He's madly in love with Titli, portrayed by Wamiqa Gabbi, and wants to marry her. But to win her hand, he must first land a government job. Just when it seems like Ranjan has managed everything, things take a strange turn. He breaks a promise he made to Lord Shiva—and ends up stuck in a time loop. Ranjan starts reliving the same day over and over again. The story that follows is both heartwarming and funny, as Ranjan tries to fix his mistakes, seek forgiveness, and make the right choices to break the cycle. B-Town Shines at Bhool Chuk Maaf Check out our list of the latest Hindi , English , Tamil , Telugu , Malayalam , and Kannada movies . Don't miss our picks for the best Hindi movies , best Tamil movies, and best Telugu films .