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Revision as of 08:51, 28 April 2011 by Geocraze (talk | contribs)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)| Gautham Vasudev Menon | |
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 Gautham speaking at a college in Trichy | |
| Born | (1973-02-25) February 25, 1973 (age 51) Ottapalam, Kerala, India |
| Occupation(s) | Film director, writer, producer |
Gautham Vasudev Menon is an Indian film director and producer. Mainly working in Tamil cinema, he has also directed Hindi and Telugu films which are remakes of his Tamil films. Many of his films have been critically acclaimed, most notably his semi-autobiographical Vaaranam Aayiram (2008), romantic classic Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa (2010), his action-thrillers Kaakha Kaakha (2003) and Vettaiyaadu Vilaiyaadu (2006). Vaaranam Aayiram won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil.
Film career
Gautham Menon was an ad film maker, shooting various commercials after an apprenticeship under filmmaker Rajiv Menon. He worked as an assistant director for Minsaara Kanavu, in which he also appeared in a cameo role. He soon started his own ad agency "Photon Kathaas" which is now a film production company.pool
He made his directorial debut in 2001 with the Tamil romantic film Minnale with R. Madhavan, Abbas and Reema Sen playing the lead roles. Menon received the chance to remake the film in Bollywood, retaining Madhavan as in the lead role, while having Diya Mirza playing the female lead role. The remake was titled Rehna Hai Tere Dil Mein.
Menon returned to Tamil cinema in 2003 with the action thriller Kaakha Kaakha, starring Surya Sivakumar, Jyothika Saravanan and Jeevan. Menon got offers from various quarters to remake the film which he did in Telugu with Daggubati Venkatesh in the lead. After that, Menon made the investigative thriller film Vettaiyadu Villaiyadu starring Kamal Hassan. During the shooting, the unit faced a lot of problems due to the producer's suicide attempt. However, after release, the movie emerged as one of the top box office grossers of 2006. Menon played a cameo dancing at the back in the song, Manjal Veiyil. Menon's next project, Pachaikili Muthucharam, based on the movie/novel Derailed, with Sarath Kumar and Jyothika Saravanan, was released in 2007.
His next release, the critically acclaimed, Vaaranam Aayiram with Surya Sivakumar, Simran Bagga, Sameera Reddy and Divya Spandana got released in late 2008. It received 5 Filmfare Awards and the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil for 2008. In 2010, the Tamil romantic film Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa, starring Silambarasan Rajendar and Trisha Krishnan emerged a successful venture. It was filmed simultaneously with the Telugu version, titled Ye Maaya Chesave having Naga Chaitanya and debutante Samantha Ruth Prabhu as the leading actors. In the same year, Menon also conceived and directed the video for the song, Semmozhiyaana Thamizh Mozhiyaam, the theme song for the World Classical Tamil Conference 2010. Menon's latest release is the psychological thriller Nadunisi Naaygal, starring Sameera Reddy, which opened up to mixed reviews. The film was noted for not featuring any kind of film score.
Menon, notably, has appeared in cameo appearances in most of his own films. In all but two films Menon made "signature appearances", usually playing insignificant characters or just briefly appearing in the background. His first cameo appearance, however, was in Rajiv Menon's Minsaara Kanavu, during his apprenticeship under the film's director.
Filmography
As Director
| Year | Title | Language | Cameo | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Minnale | Tamil | Flower deliverer | |
| 2001 | Rehna Hai Tere Dil Mein | Hindi | IT lecturer | Remake of Minnale |
| 2003 | Kaakha Kaakha | Tamil | Senior police officer | |
| 2004 | Gharshana | Telugu | Remake of Kaakha Kaakha | |
| 2006 | Vettaiyadu Villaiyadu | Tamil | Dancer in the song "Manjal Veiyil" | |
| 2007 | Pachaikili Muthucharam | Tamil | Passenger in the song "Kadhal Konjam" | |
| 2008 | Vaaranam Aayiram | Tamil | The masked man | Winner, National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil Winner, Vijay Award for Favourite Director Nominated, Filmfare Best Tamil Director Award |
| 2010 | Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa | Tamil | As himself on the shooting spot | |
| Ye Maaya Chesave | Telugu | |||
| 2011 | Nadunisi Naaygal | Tamil |