M. Rajesh

M. Rajesh is an Indian film director and screenwriter, working primarily in the Tamil film industry. Known for making romantic comedy films, he made his directorial debut with Siva Manasula Sakthi in 2009 and followed it up with Boss Engira Bhaskaran and Oru Kal Oru Kannadi (2012); all three films emerged very successful at the box office. This was followed by a career setback, as his subsequent films were poorly received and became box office failures.

Early life Rajesh was born in Nagercoil. After studying engineering at National Engineering College in Kovilpatti, he worked as an IT professional in Mumbai for six months before deciding to pursue a career in film. The film became a commercial success, as did his next two directorial ventures, Boss Engira Bhaskaran (2010) and Oru Kal Oru Kannadi (2012). All three films were described by Sify as having reinvented "the trend of light-hearted comedy entertainers without big storylines".

However, his subsequent directorial ventures All in All Azhagu Raja (2013), Vasuvum Saravananum Onna Padichavanga (2015), By the time of Vasuvum Saravananum Onna Padichavangas release, he was described by Sify as having lost his "Midas touch", and the website said he "should work on something out of the box to taste the much needed success". In 2022, Rajesh directed "Mirrage", an episode of the anthology thriller series Victim, deviating from his usual comedy films. He later directed all episodes of the 2023 series MY3. He returned to film with Brother, released in 2024. His forthcoming directorial is Jolliya Iruntha Oruthan.

Criticism Rajesh's films have been heavily criticised for seemingly glorifying stalking, drinking and degrading women. Ashutosh Mohan wrote for Film Companion that Rajesh's initial films appeared harmless: "Why shouldn't wastrels get the good girls? It stopped being funny from All in All Azhaguraja, when it became clear that misogyny, more than comedy, was really Rajesh's thing". Mohan felt the lead characters in Rajesh's films are "paragons of unproductivity" and excel in stalking, "which somehow seems to help them get girls who are otherwise sensible and independent" and lamented that these characterestics may have influenced the lead characters in films not directed by Rajesh, such as Varuthapadatha Valibar Sangam (2013), Idhu Kathirvelan Kadhal (2014) and Nannbenda (2015). Though Rajesh initially said Mr. Local would not feature any drinking or smoking scene, the film received criticism because of its toxic treatment of the female lead character, body shaming, shaming of transgender people and glorifying other activities not considered socially proper.

Personal life Rajesh is married to Shakthi, whom he met while working as an assistant under Chandrashekhar.

Filmography As a film director and writer Year Film 2009 Siva Manasula Sakthi 2010 Boss Engira Bhaskaran 2012 Oru Kal Oru Kannadi 2013 All in All Azhagu Raja 2015 Vasuvum Saravananum Onna Padichavanga 2016 Kadavul Irukaan Kumaru 2019 Mr. Local 2021 Vanakkam Da Mappilei 2024 Brother 2026

As a dialogue writer Year Film 2013 Varuthapadatha Valibar Sangam

Television

Frequent collaborators Collaborator Santhanam Arya (cameo) (cameo) Jiiva (cameo) (cameo)M. S. Bhaskar Mahanadi Shankar Vivek Harshan Sakthi Saravanan Yuvan Shankar Raja