Manikandan, S.J. Surya, Sai Pallavi and Anirudh Ravichander among Kalaimamani Award Recipients
The Government of Tamil Nadu has announced the latest list of recipients of the Kalaimaamani Award, the state’s highest civilian honour, awarded to people in various categories. The 2021 recipients include actress Sai Pallavi, actor S.J. Surya, Director J. Lingusamy, Art Director M. Jayakumar and stunt director Super Subbarayan. The 2022 recipients – also announced […]
Musical Tribute to P.B. Srinivas on his 95th Birth Anniversary
P.B. Srinivas was a singer, lyricist and composer who worked in the Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Hindi film industries. He has sung more than 3000 songs. He was born on 22 September 1930. Inspired by his uncle, he sang on stage for the first time when he was 12. This slowly opened doors for […]
Remembering music composer G.K. Venkatesh on his 98th Birth Anniversary.
Music composer G.K. Venkatesh was born into a Telugu family on 21 September 1927. He began his career as an assistant to music composer S.M. Subbiah Naidu who was the Guru of M.S. Viswanathan. Venkatesh and Viswanathan stayed in the same lodge while MSV was composing for Genoa, and they became very close friends. When […]
Atlee turns 39 today.
Arun Kumar is better known by his screen name, Atlee. He was born on 21 September 1986 and began his film career as an assistant to Shankar in films like Enthiran and Nanban. He made his explosive directorial debut with the critically acclaimed box-office hit, Raja Rani with Arya, Jai, Nayanthara and Nazriya Nazim in […]
Dissecting the Tamil Film Industry
As reported on Sigaram on 17 August 2025, the Sigaram team has partnered with radio personalities Elvin Tagat and Kaalan Pillay to bring you frank, incisive and bold insights into the Tamil and Telugu film industries. Our aim is to reach a wider audience, so we are appealing to Sigaram readers to watch each of […]
Sulakshana – The Metamorphosis of yet another child actress
Sulakshana made her debut to acting as a child artist in the 1968 film, Thulabaram. Her second film 1970 film, KaaviyaThalaivi, the home production of actress Sowcar Janaki, was directed by K. Balachander. She made her adult debut to Tamil opposite K. Bhagyaraj in Thooral Ninnu Pochu and subsequently completed more than 450 films. She […]
Karthik – A Versatile and Talented Actor
Navarasa Nayagan Karthik, whose real name is Muralli Kathikeyan, is the son of yesteryear actor, R. Muthuraman, and made his acting debut in Bharathiraja’s 1981 romance drama Alaigal Oyvathillai. With a slow climb, Karthik soon saw himself working with the most acclaimed directors of the industry like Maniratnam, K. Balachander, Bharathiraja, Priyadharshan, Faasil, Vikraman, Sundhar […]
The multi-faceted Ramesh Aravind
Kannada actor-writer and director, Ramesh Aravind is no stranger to Tamil audiences. Introduced to films by K. Balachander in the Kannada remake of Sollathaan Ninaikiren, Ramesh Aravind made his Tamil debut in K Balachander’s Manadhil Urudhi Vendum a role for which he received critical acclaim. He became an audience favourite after his spirited role inVassanth’s […]
Meena: From child star to Tamil Cinema’s Number 1
Meena began her film career as a child artist in the 1982 film, Nenjangall. She enjoyed popularity as a child star, acting with Vijayakanth in Paarvaiyin Marupakkam, with Sivaji Ganesan in Sumangali and Theerpu and with Rajinikanth in Anbulla Rajinikanth. She made her adult debut in the Telugu film Vayugam with her first adult role […]
New horizons for Ravi Mohan
M Ravi is the son of film editor, Mohan. He made his adult debut under the direction of his elder brother, Raja in the 2003 film, Jayam. Ravi had earlier made his acting debut as a child artist in a 1993 Telugu film produced by his father. Jayam, which also marked the directorial debut of […]