5 min readMumbaiUpdated: Jun 28, 2026 02:45 PM IST
Veteran Tamil actor, filmmaker, and screenwriter K Bhagyaraj died on Saturday following a cardiac arrest. He was 73. Known as the “King of Screenplay”, Bhagyaraj acted in over 75 films, apart from directing about 25. Several of the films he penned and helmed were not only hits in the South, but also were adapted into Hindi, which became major hits as well.
Anil Kapoor recalls Bhagyaraj’s contributions to Bollywood
Anil Kapoor took to his X handle on Saturday to pen a long note on the demise of K Bhagyaraj. “Bhagyaraj sir was a creative genius whose contributions to Indian cinema go far beyond what many people know. He was the original creator behind stories that went on to become landmark Hindi films and career-defining milestones for so many of us,” wrote the actor.
“Woh Saat Din, adapted from his work, became one of the most important films of my career,” added Anil. Bapu’s 1983 romantic drama, which served as Anil Kapoor’s breakthrough, was a remake of Bhagyaraj’s 1981 Tamil film Andha 7 Naatkal, starring the director in the lead role. It was also adapted into Kannada and Telugu.
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Anil Kapoor in Woh Saat Din.
“Mohabbat, with its story, screenplay and dialogues by Bhagyaraj sir, not only gave us a memorable film but also helped launch the journey of Indra Kumar and Ashok Thakeria as producers through Maruti International,” wrote Anil Kapoor. A remake of Bhagyaraj’s 1982 Tamil romantic drama Thooral Ninnu Pochchu, which starred the director in the lead role, Mohabbat starred Anil and Vijayta Pandit. Helmed by Bapu, the Hindi remake was also written by Bhagyaraj.
Anil Kapoor in Mohabbat.
“Later, Beta, another adaptation of his brilliant writing, became a blockbuster and remains one of the defining films of its era. Boney (Kapoor, brother) and I had acquired the rights and passed them on to Indra Kumar and Ashok Thakeria during a difficult phase in their journey. The film went on to become a massive success, with all of us receiving tremendous recognition,” recalled Anil Kapoor. Indra Kumar’s 1992 film was a remake of Bhagyaraj’s Enga Chinna Rasa (1987), which was also adapted in Telugu and Kannada. Starring Anil, Madhuri Dixit, and Aruna Irani, Beta became the highest grossing Hindi film of that year.
Bhagyaraj’s script for Bharathiraja’s Oru Kaidhiyin Diary (1985), starring Kamal Haasan and Revathy, also became a big Hindi hit as his 1986 directorial Aakhree Raasta, starring Amitabh Bachchan and Sridevi. His 1983 Tamil superhit Mundhanai Mudichu, starring himself and Urvashi, was also remade in Hindi as K Raghavendra Rao’s 1985 romantic comedy Masterji, starring Rajesh Khanna and Sridevi.
“Another remarkable example of Bhagyaraj sir’s brilliance was Mujhse Shaadi Karogi. Directed by David Dhawan, produced by Sajid Nadiadwala, and starring Salman Khan, Akshay Kumar and Priyanka Chopra, the film’s story and screenplay were by Bhagyaraj sir and adapted into Hindi by Anees Bazmee. The film became a major success and marked another important milestone in Akshay Kumar’s career,” added Anil Kapoor, referring to the 2004 romantic comedy.
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“The seeds of all these successes were planted by Bhagyaraj sir. We adapted his stories for Hindi audiences, but the true creator was always him. His writing touched countless lives and careers, mine included. He helped shape the journeys of actors, filmmakers and producers across generations, often without receiving the recognition he truly deserved,” wrote Anil.
Anil Kapoor’s last meeting with Bhagyaraj
“Deeply saddened and shocked by the passing of K. Bhagyaraj sir. It feels especially unreal because I had the opportunity to meet him recently at Khushbu’s daughter’s wedding and spend some time with him,” Anil Kapoor further posted on X. Along with Anil, several prominent South celebrities met a hail and hearty Bhagyaraj at the star-studded Goa wedding of Shravan Sreenivasan and Avantika Sundar, the daughter of filmmaker Sundar C and actor Khushbhu Sundar. Khushbhu recently starred opposite Anil in Suresh Triveni’s Amazon Prime Video action thriller Subedaar.
“I will always remain grateful for what he contributed to my career and to Indian cinema as a whole. His legacy will live on through the stories he created and the countless people he inspired. My heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and loved ones. He will be deeply missed. Rest in peace, Bhagyaraj sir (folded hands emoji),” concluded Anil.
Anil Kapoor in Woh Saat Din.
Anil Kapoor in Mohabbat.
Madhuri Dixit and Anil Kapoor's Beta was inspired by the work of K Bhagyaraj.