Bharathiraja health update: Ace filmmaker’s condition is ‘stable’, doctors say, ‘He is responding satisfactorily’

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The filmmaking legend was reportedly hospitalised on December 27 after experiencing respiratory issues. According to the Times of India, he had been staying with his daughter in Malaysia for treatment for the past few months and had recently returned to Chennai.

Bharathiraja has been going through an emotionally challenging phase in life since March 2025, after his son, actor-director Manoj Bharathiraja, passed away. The 48-year-old breathed his last after suffering a cardiac arrest.

Bharathiraja with his son, actor-director Manoj. (Credit: Facebook/@ManojBharathirajaofficial)

‘Bharathiraja unable to cope with loss of his son Manoj’

In a recent interview, Bharathiraja’s brother, Jayaraj Periyamayathevar, revealed that the ace filmmaker has been going through a difficult emotional phase following Manoj’s death. “Anna (elder brother) has been unwell for a few months now. He has not been able to cope with the loss of his son. He often looks at Manoj’s photos and breaks down. We even took him to Malaysia, hoping a change of place would console and heal him. But even there, his thoughts kept returning to his late son. Despite all the fame and money, he is unable to come to terms with this loss. He is slowly drifting away from his old memories,” he said.

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Renowned for helming highly acclaimed movies such as 16 Vayathinile (1977), Kizhakke Pogum Rail (1978), Sigappu Rojakkal (1978), Nizhalgal (1980), Alaigal Oivathillai (1981), Tik Tik Tik (1981), Oru Kaidhiyin Diary (1985), Mudhal Mariyathai (1985) and Kizhakku Cheemayile (1993), among others, Bharathiraja is often regarded as one of the most influential filmmakers in the history of Tamil cinema, having played a key role in ushering in a new wave in the 1970s.

He last donned the director’s hat in 2020 with Meendum Oru Mariyathai. Bharathiraja has also taken on acting roles over the past few years, with his most recent appearance being in director Tharun Moorthy’s Mohanlal-Shobana starrer Thudarum (2025).