Bharathiraja Struggled To Act In Mohanlal's 'Thudarum' Amid Memory Loss, Lines Were Whispered To Him

South Indian film industry’s legendary filmmaker and actor, Bharathiraja, bid adieu to the world at the age of 84. The talented artist passed away at his residence in Chetpet on June 10, 2026. As per reports, Bharathiraja struggled with related health complications, and his son’s untimely death also took a toll on his emotional well-being.

Bharathiraja signed his final film, Thudarum, for Mohanlal

Bharathiraja last acted in Mohanlal starrer, Thudarum in 2025. He played the key role of stunt master, ‘Palani Swamy’. Bharathiraja did complete justice to his role and was hailed for his effortless acting despite his failing health. In the film, Bharathiraja played Mohanlal’s mentor and a father figure, whom he spoke to during times of need. Thudarum’s director, Tharun Moorthy, told OnManorama that Thudarum did not excite the veteran star, but sharing the screen with Mohanlal did.

Bharathiraja gave his final shots in Thudarum with great difficulty

When Thudarum was released, Bharathiraja was dealing with fragile health. He not only struggled with physical strain but also had memory loss and was on medications. Despite his failing health, Bharathiraja dubbed his own lines. But Bharathiraja found it very difficult to memorise his lines since he was losing his memory. Since Bharathiraja struggled to memorise and repeat the dialogues, the director, Tharun, himself would sit beside him in dubbing sessions and whisper lines into his ears.

Bharathiraja got very emotional after dubbing his lines in Thudarum

In the same interview, Tharun revealed how, after dubbing his lines, Bharathiraja asked Tharun to narrate the story to him again. When Tharun did the same, the veteran actor turned very emotional, realising the significance of his role and the relationship shown in the film between a master and his disciple. Speaking about the same, Tharun shared:

“He got very emotional and said he could personally connect with it. He told me the film conveys the idea that if you are a hero once, you will be a zero next, and if you are a zero, you will be a hero next. The ultimate goal is to be human.”

Bharathiraja’s health deteriorated after the untimely death of his son, Manoj

Bharathiraja’s son, Manoj Bharathiraja, passed away suddenly in March 2025. Manoj was just 48 when he suffered a cardiac arrest and breathed his last. According to the director, Bharathiraja's brother, Jayaraj Periyamayathevar, the death of his son greatly shook him, and he never recovered from the incident even after months had passed. Since he was unable to deal with the grief of losing his son, Bharathiraja’s health worsened. The Tamil filmmaker's brother also shared that Manoj's passing took a toll on his father's mental health. 

Who was Bharathiraja?

Bharathiraja was widely regarded as the most influential filmmaker in Tamil cinema. He was known for redefining rural narratives in his films and also introduced new faces to the silver screen. His illustrious filmography includes cinematic masterpieces such as 16 Vayathinile, Kizhakke Pogum Rail, Sigappu Rojakkal, Nizhalgal, Alaigal Oivathillai, Muthal Mariyadhai and Kizhakku Cheemayile. His final directorial venture, Meendum Oru Mariyadhai, was released in 2020.

We extend our heartfelt condolences to the Bharathiraja family.

Also Read: Eva Grover Reveals Aamir Khan Warned Her Not To Marry His Abusive Step Brother, 'Was Physically...'

AWESOME NEWS! Now you can download BollywoodShaadis app and never miss a story. Get App

AWESOME NEWS! Now you can download BollywoodShaadis app and never miss a story. Choose your device Android or IOS (Apple)