Remembering the Legendary Panju Arunachallam

Panju Arunachallam was born on 18 June 1941. He apprenticed under his uncle, the famous poet and lyricist, Kannadasan.

In 1962, he penned his first lyric – Manamagalle Marumagalla from the S.S. Rajendran-Vijayakumarie starrer Sarada which marked the directorial debut of K.S. Gopalakrishnan.

He produced his first film ­– the Sivaji Ganesan-Savitri Ganesan starrer, Ratha Thilagam, but the failure of this film at the box-office saw him wait fourteen years before writing, producing and directing his next film, the Jaishankar-Sri Vidya starrer Avar Enakke Sontham.

In 1976 he introduced Illaiyaraja to the screen in the Sivakumar-Sujatha starrer, Annakilli and thus began a long and successful relationship with Illaiyaraja, also going on to introduce Illaiyaraja’s sons – Karthik Raja and Yuvanshanakar Raja to film music.

After co-producing the Sivaji Ganesan-Sridevi starrer, Kavarimaan in 1979, he lwent solo again and produced some of the best loved films of the 1980s. This included Kayaana Raman, Aarilirunthu Arupathuvarai, Kazhugu, Ellam Inba Mayam, Engeyo Keta Kural, Guru Sishyan, Michael Madanakamarajan, Alexander, Poovellaam Kettupaar and Rishi.

Panju Arunachallam also made his mark as a scriptwriter, penning memorable movies for some of Tamil cinema’s most loved actors. His scripts included Sivaji Ganesan’s Vazhkai, Kavarimaan, Vetrikku Oruvan and Avanthaan Manithan,  Rajinikanth’s Veera, Dharmadurai, Mapillai, Adhisaya Pirravi, Rajadhi Raja, Dharmathin Thalaivan, Guru, Sishyan, Adutha Vaarisu, Paayum Puli, Engeyo Keta Kural, Pokkiri Raja, Kazhugu, Murattu Kaallai, Priya, Bhuvana oru Kelvikuri andKamalhaasan’s Singaravelan, Aboorva Sagodharargall, Uyarndha Ullam, Thoongathe Thambi Thoongathe, Salangai Oli, Sakalakala Vallavan, Ellaam Inba Mayam, Kadal Meengal, Ullaasa Paravaigal, Kalyanaraman, Japanil Kalyanaraman,

Panju Arunachallam’s son Subbu Panchi is an actor and voice artist.

Panju Arunachallam passed away on 09 August 2016 at the age of 75.