June 2026

K Bhagyaraj with his mentor When people speak about Bharathiraja’s legacy, the conversation often begins with the actors he introduced and the heroines he transformed into stars. But perhaps, his greatest contribution to Tamil cinema lies behind the camera.For nearly five decades, Bharathiraja’s sets functioned as an informal film institute, producing a generation of assistant…

Shubhi Gupta (Special Arrangements) NEW DELHI: Imagine it is your first international chess tournament on your own. Your parents have burned a hole in their pockets to take you to the scenic country of Uzbekistan. There, you are supposed to play the toughest of opponents from across the globe. You reach the venue, and you…

K Bhagyaraj with his mentor When people speak about Bharathiraja’s legacy, the conversation often begins with the actors he introduced and the heroines he transformed into stars. But perhaps, his greatest contribution to Tamil cinema lies behind the camera.For nearly five decades, Bharathiraja’s sets functioned as an informal film institute, producing a generation of assistant…