Meenakshisundaram Ramasamy Viswanathan (1 July 1945 – 22 March 2020), best known by his stage name Visu, was an Indian screenwriter, film director, stage, film and television actor and talk-show host known for his work in Tamil theatre and film. Visu initially worked as an assistant to director K. Balachander until becoming a director himself. He later began acting, with his first notable film being Kudumbam Oru Kadambam (1981), directed by S. P. Muthuraman.
Career Visu started his career as a theatre artist, working with Y. G. Parthasarathy's troupe. He was writing scripts for stage dramas before getting into the film industry as an assistant to director K. Balachander. During his time with Balachander, he wrote screenplays for numerous films including Pattina Pravesam (1977), Avan Aval Adhu (1980), Thillu Mullu (1981) and Netrikkan (1981). Thillu Mullu and Netrikkan, which were both released in 1981, became box office hits for actor Rajinikanth. Visu made his debut as a character actor in the film Kudumbam Oru Kadambam (1981), for which he also wrote the screenplay. The film was directed by S. P. Muthuraman.
His first film as a director was Manal Kayiru (1982). Most of his films including Manal Kayiru, Dowry Kalyanam (1983), Samsaram Adhu Minsaram (1986), Thirumathi Oru Vegumathi (1987), Penmani Aval Kanmani (1988), Vedikkai En Vadikkai (1990) and Pattukottai Periyappa (1994) spoke about the issues of urban middle-class families. These films, which were released in the mid-80s, turned out to be crowd pullers, particularly with regard to the female audience. His other super hit was Chidambara Rahasiyam (1985), which is considered a cult-classic.
While he has directed a rage of actors on screen, he and his brother Kishmu used to star in many of his films apart from Manorama and his brother-in-law Kuriakose Ranga. His film Neenga Nalla Irukkanum won the National Film Award for Best Film on Other Social Issues in 1992. Based on prohibition, the film was the last onscreen appearance of then Tamil Nadu chief minister, J. Jayalalithaa.
He has also shared the screen with Rajinikanth in Nallavanukku Nallavan (1984), Mr. Bharath (1986), Mannan (1992), Uzhaippali (1993) and Arunachalam (1997).
During the ending phase of his career, he made movies which did not leave a lasting mark on the audience as Vaa Magale Vaa (1994), Meendum Savithri (1996) and Sigamani Ramamani (2001).
Actor and stage artiste S. Ve. Shekher, who worked in over 20 films with Visu, called him extremely disciplined and committed.
As an actor, he was last seen in Manal Kayiru 2 (2016), the sequel to one of his earliest directorial successes, Manal Kayiru.
He is known to have starred in over 60 films and directed around 25 films.
Visu later became known for hosting live debates on television, namely Arattai Arangam on Sun TV and Visuvin Makkal Arangam on Jaya TV.
Style
In most of the films Visu wrote or directed, all the characters were given equal importance. Often, the plot included a huge house where a joint family would reside and the character of Visu would solve their problems. Many of Visu's film titles contain rhyming words, such as Kudumbam Oru Kadambam, Samsaram Adhu Minsaram, Thirumathi Oru Vegumathi, Kavalan Avan Kovalan, Penmani Aval Kanmani, Varavu Nalla Uravu and Vedikkai En Vadikkai. His films focused on many family issues like dowry, need of remarriage for women, mother in law-daughter in law disputes and so on which were occurring that time. In most of his films there is a character named Uma, named after a school teacher who predicted his rise to fame after reading one of his scripts when he was a travel agent. During his last years before death, he wrote the script for a sequel to Samsaram Adhu Minsaram, which remains unfilmed.
Personal life In 2016, he joined and campaigned for BJP.
On 22 March 2020 at Chennai, Visu died of kidney failure at the age of 74.
Filmography As director Year Title Language Notes 1982Kanmani Poonga Tamil Manal Kayiru 1983Dowry Kalyanam 1984Puyal Kadantha BoomiRajathanthiram Vaai Sollil Veeranadi Naanayam Illatha Naanayam also writer 1985Pudhiya Sagaptham Aval Sumangalithan Ketti Melam Chidambara Rahasiyam 1986Samsaram Adhu MinsaramNational Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment 1987Thirumathi Oru Vegumathi Kavalan Avan Kovalan Srimathi Oka Bahumathi Telugu Remake of Thirumathi Oru Vegumathi 1988Penmani Aval Kanmani Tamil Aadade Aadharam Telugu Remake of Penmani Aval Kanmani;Nandi Award for Second Best Story Writer Illu Illalu Pillalu Remake of Veedu Manaivi Makkal 1989Sakalakala Sammandhi Tamil 1990Varavu Nalla Uravu Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Story Writer Vedikkai En Vadikkai 1992Urimai Oonjaladugiradhu Neenga Nalla Irukkanum National Film Award for Best Film on Other Social Issues 1994Pattukottai Periyappa Vaa Magale Vaa 1996Meendum Savithri Neti Savithri Telugu 2001Sigamani Ramamani Tamil
As writer Year TitleCredited as Notes Writer1977Pattina Pravesam 1978Sadhurangam 1980Avan Aval Adhu Mazhalai Pattalam 1981Thillu Mullu Netrikkan Keezh Vaanam Sivakkum Kudumbam Oru Kadambam 1982Simla Special Pudukavithai 1984Nallavanukku Nallavan 1986Mr. Bharath
As an actor Year Title Role Notes1981Thillu Mullu One of the interview candidates Also dubbing artist Kudumbam Oru Kadambam Srinivasa Raghavan 1982Kanmani Poonga Ramkumar Manal Kayiru Uthramerur Narathar Naidu 1983Oru Kai Paappom Kai Adi KamalakannanDowry Kalyanam Ganesan 1984Nallavanukku Nallavan Gangadharan Special appearancePuyal Kadantha Boomi Nammaalu allies Namachivaayan Rajathanthiram Bhairavan Vaai Sollil Veeranadi Vengapuli Varadhachari Naanayam Illatha Naanayam Veerapandithevar "Veerapandi" Oorukku Upadesam Sankaran 1985Pudhiya Sagaptham Ramadasaradan Aval Sumangalithan Watchman Aarumugam Ketti Melam Chinna Paiyan Chidambara Rahasiyam Beemarao 1986Mr. Bharath Kumaresa Gounder Dharma Pathini "Vicks" Vardarajan Special appearanceSamsaram Adhu Minsaram Ammaiyappa Mudaliyar Oomai Vizhigal Rathnasabapathy Mella Thirandhathu Kadhavu Thulasi's father Thaaiku Oru Thaalaattu Ponnambalam Anandha Kanneer Paapa Panchu 1987Thirumathi Oru Vegumathi Naagarkoil Naadhamuni Kavalan Avan Kovalan Chakravarthi's father-in-law Kathai Kathaiyam Karanamam Srimathi Oka Bahumathi Bhadrachalam Rudraiah Telugu film 1988Veedu Manaivi Makkal Subbaiah Pillai Penmani Aval Kanmani Radio Mama Aadade Aadharam Telugu filmMappillai Sir Vakkil Varadharajan Illu Illalu Pillalu Telugu film 1989Sakalakala Sammandhi Mayavaram Malayappan 1990Varavu Nalla Uravu Appa Ambalavanar Vedikkai En Vadikkai Kaavisattai Kandasamy 1992Urimai Oonjaladugiradhu Kasturi's father Neenga Nalla Irukkanum Mannan Viswanathan 1993Uzhaippali Barrister Sinna Mapplai Marriage Broker 1994Pattukottai Periyappa Pattukottai Periyappa Aranmanai Kaavalan Santhanam Vaa Magale Vaa Viswanathan Vanaja Girija Ramanathan Vaanga Partner Vaanga Ganapathi 1995Mayabazar Vishwanathan God Father Viswanatham Telugu film 1996Meendum Savithri Narayana Moorthy Irattai Roja Anchor Guest appearance 1997Nesam Himself Aravindhan Adimai Changili Vasuki Ramasamy Arunachalam Adv. Rangachari Sishya Aadhimoolam Vaimaye Vellum Iyer, a temple Priest 1998Bhagavath Singh 1999Mannavaru Chinnavaru Shanmugasundaram Anbulla Kadhalukku Chandrasekhar 2000Kakkai Siraginilae Judge Vaanavil Himself 2001Sigamani Ramamani Sundaramoorthy Krishna Krishna Advocate Viswanathan Guest appearanceMiddle Class Madhavan AdvocateVadagupatti Maapillai Gomathi ShankarLooty Dr. Kuzhanthavelu Vedham Guest appearance2003Thithikudhe Himself 2004Maha Nadigan 2005Ji Raghavan 2007Cheena Thaana 001 Governor Guest appearance 2008Ellam Avan Seyal 2009Innoruvan Judge Kannukulle 2013Alex Pandian Chief MinisterOruvar Meethu Iruvar Sainthu Judge 2014 Nenjirukkumvarai Ninaivirukkum Guest appearance 2016Manal Kayiru 2 Uthramerur Narathar Naidu
Television Arattai Arangam - Sun TV Makkal Arangam - Jaya TV Naalavathu Mudichu - Jaya TV
Plays/novels As writer Year Title Notes 1977Pattina Pravesam playsBharatha Matharkku JaiKudumbam Oru Kadambam Modi Masthan Dowry Kalyana Vaibhogame Aval Sumangalithan Uravukku Kai Koduppom Meendum Savithri novel
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