S. A. Chandrasekhar

Senapathy Albert Chandrasekaran (born 2 July 1945), better known as S. A. Chandrasekhar, is an Indian filmmaker and actor who primarily works in Tamil cinema along with some Telugu, Kannada and Hindi films. He made his directorial debut with Aval Oru Pachai Kuzhanthai (1978) and got his breakthrough with Sattam Oru Iruttarai (1981). He has directed over 70 movies in all south Indian languages and is known for directing films focusing on social issues. He is the father of the current Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, C. Joseph Vijay.

Infobox

Born

Senapathy Albert Chandrasekaran (1945-07-02) 2 July 1945 Thangachimadam, Madras Province, British Raj (now Thangachimadam, Tamil Nadu, India)

Occupations

Film director Film producer Screenwriter Actor

Years active

1978–present

Spouse

Shoba Chandrasekhar

Children

2 including Vijay

Relatives

Vikranth (nephew) S. N. Surendar (brother-in-law) Sankgeetha Vijay (daughter-in-law)

Tables

· Filmography › As a director

1978

Aval Oru Pachai Kuzhandhai

Role(s)

Tamil

1981

Sattam Oru Iruttarai

Nenjile Thunivirunthal

Chattaniki Kallu Levu

Role(s)

Telugu

Notes

Remake of Sattam Oru Iruttarai

Needhi Pizhaithadhu

Role(s)

Tamil

1982

Role(s)

Kannada

Notes

Remake of Sattam Oru Iruttarai

1983

Balidaanam

Role(s)

Telugu

Samsaram Enbathu Veenai

Role(s)

Tamil

Palletoori Monagadu

Role(s)

Telugu

Notes

Remake of Nenjile Thunivirunthal

Gedda Maga

Role(s)

Kannada

Notes

Remake of Moondru Mugam

Geluvu Nannade

Saatchi

Role(s)

Tamil

Hasida Hebbuli

Role(s)

Kannada

Notes

Remake of Nenjile Thunivirunthal

Simha Gharjane

Role(s)

Kannada

1984

Dopidi Dongalu

Role(s)

Telugu

Vetri

Role(s)

Tamil

Notes

Remakes of Kannada film Geluvu Nannade

Devanthakudu

Role(s)

Telugu

Veetuku Oru Kannagi

Role(s)

Tamil

Kudumbam

1985

Pudhu Yugam

Intiko Rudramma

Role(s)

Telugu

Naan Sigappu Manithan

Role(s)

Tamil

Balidaan

Role(s)

Hindi

Neethiyin Marupakkam

Role(s)

Tamil

1986

En Sabatham

Nilave Malare

Enakku Nane Needipathi

Vasantha Raagam

Sigappu Malargal

1987

Neethikku Thandanai

Sattam Oru Vilayaattu

Kudrat Ka Kanoon

Role(s)

Hindi

Notes

Remake of Neethikku Thandanai

1988

Sudhanthira Naattin Adimaigal

Role(s)

Tamil

1989

1990

Role(s)

Hindi

Notes

Remake of Sudhanthira Naattin Adimaigal

Seetha

Role(s)

Tamil

1992

Insaaf Ki Devi

Role(s)

Hindi

Mera Dil Tere Liye

Naalaiya Theerpu

Role(s)

Tamil

1993

Jeevan Ki Shatranj

Role(s)

Hindi

Notes

Remake of Rajanadai

Rajadurai

Role(s)

Tamil

Senthoorapandi

1994

Rasigan

1995

Deva

Vishnu

1996

1997

1999

2001

Dosth

2002

Mutham

Role(s)

Spoke poems in the song "Oru Murai Nee"

2005

Sukran

2006

2008

2011

2015

2019

2023

Role(s)

Also singer for song "Kanne Kanmaniye"

Year	Film	Language	Notes
Year	Film	Language	Notes	1978	Aval Oru Pachai Kuzhandhai	Tamil
1981	Sattam Oru Iruttarai
	Nenjile Thunivirunthal
	Chattaniki Kallu Levu	Telugu	Remake of Sattam Oru Iruttarai
	Needhi Pizhaithadhu	Tamil
1982	Idhayam Pesugirathu
	Pattanathu Rajakkal
	Om Shakti
	Nyaya Ellide	Kannada	Remake of Sattam Oru Iruttarai
1983	Balidaanam	Telugu
	Samsaram Enbathu Veenai	Tamil
	Palletoori Monagadu	Telugu	Remake of Nenjile Thunivirunthal
	Gedda Maga	Kannada	Remake of Moondru Mugam
	Geluvu Nannade	Kannada
	Saatchi	Tamil
	Hasida Hebbuli	Kannada	Remake of Nenjile Thunivirunthal
	Simha Gharjane	Kannada
1984	Dopidi Dongalu	Telugu
	Vetri	Tamil	Remakes of Kannada film Geluvu Nannade
	Devanthakudu	Telugu	Remakes of Kannada film Geluvu Nannade
	Veetuku Oru Kannagi	Tamil
	Kudumbam
1985	Pudhu Yugam
	Intiko Rudramma	Telugu
	Naan Sigappu Manithan	Tamil
	Balidaan	Hindi
	Neethiyin Marupakkam	Tamil
1986	En Sabatham
	Nilave Malare
	Enakku Nane Needipathi
	Vasantha Raagam
	Sigappu Malargal
1987	Neethikku Thandanai
	Sattam Oru Vilayaattu
	Kudrat Ka Kanoon	Hindi	Remake of Neethikku Thandanai
1988	Sudhanthira Naattin Adimaigal	Tamil
	Poovum Puyalum
	Ithu Engal Neethi
1989	Rajanadai
1990	Azaad Desh Ke Gulam	Hindi	Remake of Sudhanthira Naattin Adimaigal
1990	Seetha	Tamil
1992	Insaaf Ki Devi	Hindi
	Mera Dil Tere Liye	Hindi
	Naalaiya Theerpu	Tamil
1993	Jeevan Ki Shatranj	Hindi	Remake of Rajanadai
	Rajadurai	Tamil
	Senthoorapandi
1994	Rasigan
1995	Deva

· Filmography › As a producer

1984

Veetuku Oru Kannagi

1999

Nenjinile

2005

Sukran

2006

Aathi

2010

Veluthu Kattu

2011

Sattapadi Kutram

2016

Nayyapudai

Role(s)

Also assistant director

2018

Traffic Ramasamy

Year	Title	Notes
1984	Veetuku Oru Kannagi
1999	Nenjinile
2005	Sukran
2006	Aathi
2010	Veluthu Kattu
2011	Sattapadi Kutram
2016	Nayyapudai	Also assistant director
2018	Traffic Ramasamy

· Filmography › As a screenwriter

1992

Innisai Mazhai

Role(s)

Uncredited

2002

Thamizhan

2025

Kooran

Role(s)

Also dialogue writer

Year	Film	Notes
Year	Film	Notes	1992	Innisai Mazhai	Uncredited
2002	Thamizhan
2025	Kooran	Also dialogue writer

· Filmography › As an actor

1977

Olimayamana Ethirkalam

1981

Sattam Oru Iruttarai

Role(s)

Hitchhiker

1984

Kudumbam

Role(s)

Sekhar

1985

Pudhu Yugam

Naan Sigappu Manithan

Role(s)

Hospital Ward Boy

1986

Enakku Nane Needipathi

Role(s)

Advocate Chandrasekhar

Vasantha Raagam

Role(s)

Chandrasekhar

1987

Sattam Oru Vilayaattu

Role(s)

Peter

1992

Innisai Mazhai

Role(s)

Police officer

1993

Senthoorapandi

Notes

Guest appearance in song "Aadada Aadada"

1994

Rasigan

Notes

Guest appearance in song "Thambi Konjam"

1995

Deva

Role(s)

Marimuthu

1998

Priyamudan

Role(s)

CBI officer Gopal

2005

Sukran

Role(s)

Himself

Notes

Guest appearance

2015

Touring Talkies

Role(s)

Anthony

Notes

Anthology film; segment Love @ 75

2016

Nayyapudai

Role(s)

Vellaichamy

Kodi

Role(s)

Thalaivar

2018

Traffic Ramasamy

Role(s)

Traffic Ramasamy

Aaruthra

Role(s)

Shiva's father

2019

Capmaari

Role(s)

Police Inspector

2021

Maanaadu

Role(s)

Arivazhagan

2023

Tamil Kudimagan

Role(s)

Chinnasamy's advocate

Naan Kadavul Illai

Karumegangal Kalaigindrana

2025

Kooran

Role(s)

Dharmaraj

Year	Film	Role	Notes
1977	Olimayamana Ethirkalam
1981	Sattam Oru Iruttarai	Hitchhiker
1984	Kudumbam	Sekhar
1985	Pudhu Yugam
1985	Naan Sigappu Manithan	Hospital Ward Boy
1986	Enakku Nane Needipathi	Advocate Chandrasekhar
1986	Vasantha Raagam	Chandrasekhar
1987	Sattam Oru Vilayaattu	Peter
1992	Innisai Mazhai	Police officer
1993	Senthoorapandi		Guest appearance in song "Aadada Aadada"
1994	Rasigan		Guest appearance in song "Thambi Konjam"
1995	Deva	Marimuthu
1998	Priyamudan	CBI officer Gopal
2005	Sukran	Himself	Guest appearance
2015	Touring Talkies	Anthony	Anthology film; segment Love @ 75
2016	Nayyapudai	Vellaichamy
2016	Kodi	Thalaivar
2018	Traffic Ramasamy	Traffic Ramasamy
2018	Aaruthra	Shiva's father
2019	Capmaari	Police Inspector
2021	Maanaadu	Arivazhagan
2023	Tamil Kudimagan	Chinnasamy's advocate
	Naan Kadavul Illai
	Karumegangal Kalaigindrana
2025	Kooran	Dharmaraj

· Television

Year	Title	Channel	Role	Language
2023–2024	Kizhakku Vaasal	Star Vijay	Swamiappan	Tamil