Pandiraaj
Biography
Pandiraj (born June 7, 1976, in Virachilai, Pudukkottai, Tamil Nadu, India) is an Indian film director, screenwriter, producer, and distributor who primarily works in Tamil cinema. He began his career as an office assistant to filmmaker K. Bhagyaraj and later worked as an assistant director to Cheran, Thangar Bachan, and Chimbu Deven. During his early years, he also wrote short stories for the Tamil magazine Bhagya.
He made his directorial and screenwriting debut with the children's drama Pasanga (2009), which received critical acclaim and won two National Film Awards, including Best Feature Film in Tamil and Best Screenplay (Dialogue). He subsequently directed Vamsam (2010), Marina (2012), and the comedy Kedi Billa Killadi Ranga (2013).
In 2012, he established his production company, Pasanga Productions, through which he produced several Tamil films. His other notable directorial projects include Pasanga 2 (2015), Kathakali (2016), Idhu Namma Aalu (2016), Kadaikutty Singam (2018), Namma Veettu Pillai (2019), and Etharkkum Thunindhavan (2022). His films frequently explore family relationships, rural communities, childhood, and social issues.
Awards and Recognition
National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil for Pasanga.
National Film Award for Best Screenplay (Dialogue) for Pasanga.
Multiple Tamil Nadu State Film Awards.
SIIMA Award for Best Director for Kadaikutty Singam.
