SASIKUMAR, INDEPENDENT ACTOR,DIRECTOR BORN 1974 SEPTEMBER 28

SASIKUMAR, INDEPENDENT ACTOR,DIRECTOR BORN 1974 SEPTEMBER 28

M. Sasikumar (born 28 September 1974) is an Indian film director, actor and producer. He is best known in the Tamil film industry for his debut film Subramaniapuram (2008). The low-budget film received attention for its original script, direction, screenplay, editing and accurate sets and costumes resurrecting Madurai from the 1980s.

Early life[edit source]

Sasikumar studied at St. Peters School Kodaikanal and then went on to study business administration in Vellaichamy Nadar College, Madurai. He began working in films through his uncle Kandasaamy when he was 20, who produced Sethu (1999). Sasikumar worked as an assistant director for the film, where he made the acquaintance of Ameer, who also assisting and went on to make a name for himself. He assisted director Ameer in Mounam Pesiyadhe (2002) and Raam (2005). It was during the initial phases of Ameer's Paruthiveeran (2007) that he began his groundwork for Subramaniapuram and left the production to focus on his film.[3]
Sasikumar is married and has a son and a daughter. He revealed in an interview that he wants his family to not be in the spotlight because it would invade their privacy.

Career[edit source]

He directed, acted and produced the film Subramaniapuram in 2008, his debut directorial venture. Subramaniapuram centres on a set of vagabond youths in Madurai during the 1980s and their lives that gets entangled in politics and crime, eventually leading to tragedy. Subramaniapuram, shot in 85 days, received critical acclaim and became a box-office grosser.

Acting[edit source]

Sasikumar acted in Subramaniapuram as Parama and in Naadodigal (2009) as Karuna, directed by Samuthirakani. He also acted in a Malayalam film,Masters (2012) as Milan Paul alongside Prithviraj.

In 2013, Sasikumar began work on Bala's Tharai Thappattai and portrayed Sannasi, a nadaswaram player who heads a Karagattam troupe. To look the part, he had to train for a month with folk singers and dancers brought in by Bala, while he also grew long hair for the role. The film's production progressed over two years, while the team were forced to have a three-month break in 2015 after Sasikumar had dislocated his hand while shooting for the film's climax.[4]
Production[edit source]

After the success of Subramaniapuram, Sasikumar produced Pasanga (2009), directed by debutant Pandiraj, and the self-directed Easan (2010). His most recent production ventures include Poraali (2011) and Sundarapandian (2012). His Production movie is Thalaimuraigal directed by Balu Mahendra who acts along with Sasikumar for the 1st time in his career and won the National Award (India) in April 2014.