Manoj Kumar Bharathiraja (11 September 1976 – 25 March 2025) was an Indian actor and film director known for his contributions to Tamil cinema. Born in Kambam, Tamil Nadu, he was the son of the renowned director Bharathiraja and Chandraleela. Manoj pursued theatre arts at the University of South Florida before entering the film industry.
Career
Manoj began his film career as an assistant director, working with his father on various projects, including the delayed film Final Cut of Director (2016). He also assisted director Mani Ratnam on the film Bombay and later worked with S. Shankar on the magnum opus Enthiran (2010).
In 1999, Manoj made his acting debut in the Tamil film Taj Mahal, directed by his father. Although the film did not perform well at the box office, its soundtrack by A. R. Rahman received acclaim. Manoj went on to act in several notable films, including
- Samudhiram (2001)
- Kadal Pookkal (2001)
- Alli Arjuna (2002)
- Varushamellam Vasantham (2002)
- Eera Nilam (2003)
- Annakodi (2013)
- Baby (2015)
- Maanaadu (2021)
- Viruman (2022)
In 2023, Manoj ventured into directing with the film Margazhi Thingal.
Personal Life
On 19 November 2006, Manoj married Nandana, also known as Ashwathi, in a ceremony attended by notable personalities from the Tamil film industry. The couple had two daughters, Arshitha and Mathivathani.
Death
Manoj Bharathiraja passed away on 25 March 2025 in Chennai at the age of 48 due to a heart attack. He had recently undergone bypass surgery and was recuperating at home when he suffered the fatal cardiac arrest.
