Former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.G. Ramachandran presenting an award to film director Durai.
| Photo Credit: The Hindu Archives
Tamil film director Durai, whose film Pasi, depicting the life of individuals on the fringes of society, together with rag pickers and rickshaw pullers, received the national award, died on the age of 84 on Monday. Late actor Shoba, who performed the lead position within the film launched in 1979, had received the Best Actress Award.
“He worked as a sound engineer for the film Pennin Perumai starring Sivaji Ganesan, Gemini Ganesan, Savithiri, and others. Subsequently, he directed films,” mentioned actor Rajesh, who acted in three movies Mayil, Thanimaram, and Veli that Durai directed.
Durai
According to Rajesh, Durai introduced into movies the incidents that had a deep affect on him. “Before making a film, he would collect details in the manner that directors of Hollywood filmmakers do. Mayil is about road workers, and it is my understanding that he had studied the life of road workers before making the film,” Rajesh mentioned.
Durai, who was very lively within the 1970s and 1980s, received the State Film Award for Best Director for the film Oru Veedu Oru Ulagam in 1978. Actor Rajinikanth was the hero of his film Sathurangam (1978).
“Veli is a film about a husband who doubts his wife’s character. It failed to cut ice with the audience because a Tamil hero was not expected to play that role,” Rajesh mentioned. Durai’s film Thunai had Sivaji Ganesan within the lead position as an advocate. Kilinjalkal, starring Mohan and Poornima Jayaraman, was one other film by Durai, whose music was composed by T. Rajendar.