Malayalam superstar Mohanlal paid a moving tribute to the legendary filmmaker and actor Bharathiraja following his demise. Mohanlal expressed that having the opportunity to share screen space with the veteran director in the film ‘Thudarum’ was an honour he would cherish forever. The actor took to social media to share a heartfelt note paying his respects.

"A director who found poetry in the soil, truth in silence, and soul in every frame. Sharing screen space with Bharathiraja Sir in Thudarum was an honour I will cherish forever. Rest in peace, Sir. Your legacy will continue to inspire generations, and your presence will be deeply missed," Mohanlal wrote.

In ‘Thudarum’, directed by Tharun Moorthy, Bharathiraja delivered a remarkable performance as Palani Swamy, an elderly stunt master. Despite battling severe health complications and memory loss at the time of filming, he brought the character to life beautifully. The legendary director's health had deteriorated following the untimely demise of his son Manoj.

Widely regarded as one of the most influential filmmakers in Tamil cinema, Bharathiraja was celebrated for redefining rural narratives and introducing a wave of fresh talent to the silver screen. His illustrious filmography includes cinematic masterpieces such as ‘16 Vayathinile’, ‘Kizhakke Pogum Rail’, ‘Sigappu Rojakkal’, ‘Nizhalgal’, ‘Alaigal Oivathillai’, ‘Muthal Mariyadhai’ and ‘Kizhakku Cheemayile’. His final directorial venture, ‘Meendum Oru Mariyadhai’, was released in 2020.