CHENNAI: 'Kudisai' (The Hut) fame film director and writer Jayabharathi, hailed as a pioneer of alternate genre cinema, died here due to age-related ailments on Friday, a source close to him said.
He was 77. Jayabharathi was admitted to a hospital here after his health deteriorated and he breathed his last early on Friday, the source said.
"He was a person who lived only for alternate cinema. When he gets Rs 10,000 he would think of making an alternate cinema," Tamil film comedian and former legislator S Ve Shekher, who gave the sound effects for Jayabharathi’s maiden film 'Kudisai', said.
"He lived for alternate cinemas all his life. He was greatly influenced by international films. We can say Jayabharathi is a pioneer of alternate genre cinemas," Shekhar told PTI.
Jayabharathi's film 'Nanba Nanba', which had Shekher's brother in the lead role, won the national award.
His film 'Kudisai', which shot him to fame, was produced and released through crowdfunding in 1979. He last directed the film 'Puthiran' in 2010.
It is said the director-writer lived in poverty during his last phase of life. He had worked as a journalist before entering the film industry.
Shekhar has appealed to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin to confer state honours on Jayabharathi.