K. Rajeshwar

K. Rajeshwar is an Indian film director, who has worked in Tamil films. He was active primarily as a film maker and a writer in the 1990s collaborating in ventures which often included Pratap Pothan.

Career Rajeshwar grew up in Mumbai and became interested in films, as his father was also in the business. He later schooled in Tirunelveli, before moving to Chennai and enrolled in Loyola College, Chennai to study Economics. During his time at college, he was actively involved in writing scripts for skits and plays before his passion for cinema and writing, saw him join the Adyar Film Institute. Rajeshwar started his career as scriptwriter under the name Somasundareshwar. His first script was Aval Appadithan (1978), and was adapted by his college senior C. Rudhraiya from a short story to a feature-length film featuring Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan. Upon release, the film won critical acclaim and is widely considered as one of the finest Tamil films of all time. He also went on to write scripts for successful films including the romantic dramas Panneer Pushpangal (1981), Kadalora Kavithaigal (1986) and Solla Thudikuthu Manasu (1988). He changed his screen name to Rajeshwar, following the insistence of director Bharathiraja, who wanted to distinguish him from a different director called Somasundar during the period. Both the latter films were inspired by real-life characters and prompted Rajeshwar to head back to their respective villages and have an elongated recce, while writing the script. Rajeshwar announced a film titled Malligai Malare in 2007 with Namitha roped in to play five roles, though the film never took off. He returned in 2009 by directing Indira Vizha, featuring Srikanth, Namitha and Sruthi Marathe, though the film garnered poor reviews at release. Rajeshwar then co-wrote the story for the Hindi film Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani alongside Rajkumar Santoshi and in 2010, revealed that he was set to direct the Tamil remake of that film titled Dhideer Nagaril Oru Kadhal Gaana with his son Ranjan in the lead role. The film began production but eventually did not release. In 2015, he revealed that another one of his son's had taken over the project and it was in its pre-production stages.

Filmography As director Year Film Notes 1989 Nyaya Tharasu 3rd – Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Film 1990 Idhaya Thamarai 1992 Amaran 1996 Thuraimugam 2000 Athey Manithan 2003 Kovilpatti Veeralakshmi 2009 Indira Vizha

As writer Aval Appadithan (1978) Panneer Pushpangal (1981) Ezhavathu Manithan (1982) Meendum Oru Kaathal Kathai (1985) Kadalora Kavithaigal (1986) Thulasi (1987) Solla Thudikuthu Manasu (1988) Vetri Vizha (1989) Seevalaperi Pandi (1994) Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani (2009; Hindi)

As lyrics Thuraimugam (all songs)