Rajasekhar
Rajasekhar is an Indian director, best known for Tamil cinema. Rajasekhar began their career in 1980. With over 60 credits to their name, Rajasekhar remains one of the most prolific and celebrated talents in the industry. Spanning 40+ years, Rajasekhar's career remains one of the longest and most celebrated in Tamil cinema.
Biography
Rajasekhar (born Subramanian, in Nattarasankottai, Ramanathapuram district) was a Tamil film director who worked primarily in Tamil cinema during the 1980s, known for commercially successful mass entertainers featuring the era's biggest stars. He directed five films with Rajinikanth — Thambikku Entha Ooru (1984), Padikkadavan (1985), Maaveeran (1986), Mappillai (1989), and Dharma Durai (1991) — and two with Kamal Haasan — Kaakki Sattai (1985) and Vikram (1986) — all of which were box office hits. His directorial style favored high-energy action-comedy entertainers; Kaakki Sattai, featuring Kamal Haasan in a police role with an Ilaiyaraaja soundtrack including 'Kanmaniye Pesu,' became one of the landmark Tamil films of 1985. He died on 24 April 1991 in a car accident, leaving behind a defining body of work from Tamil cinema's golden commercial era of the 1980s.
Career Milestones
Film debut
View film →Highest rated: Nizhalgal (8.5)
View film →Rajasekhar by the Numbers
If you watched every Rajasekhar film back-to-back, you'd be at it for roughly 3 days and 23h. Most-paired with Ilayaraja — 12 films together.
Filmography
See all 60 credits →
Collaboration Network
The Constellation
Top 10 most-paired collaborators. Bubble size and line thickness reflect how many films they share with Rajasekhar.
Career Analytics
Language Distribution
Films by Decade
Top Co-Actors
See all →Rajasekhar has worked most frequently with Rajinikanth (6 films), Ambika (5 films), Sathyaraj (4 films), Jaishankar (4 films), and Nizhalgal Ravi (3 films).
Legacy & Influence
Rajasekhar is a prominent actor in Telugu cinema, primarily known for his intense and action-oriented roles that defined a significant era in the industry. His career trajectory began in the 1980s, and he rose to major stardom in the late 1980s and 1990s, becoming one of the leading heroes of his time. He is particularly celebrated for his powerful screen presence and for portraying rugged, often rebellious characters that resonated strongly with mass audiences. Films like 'Ankusam' (1990) and 'Maa Nanna Chiranjeevi' (1990) are iconic in his filmography, establishing him as a bankable star capable of carrying high-voltage action dramas. His contribution lies in solidifying a specific archetype of the angry young man and action hero in Telugu cinema, which influenced the genre's narrative style and presentation for years. While his career saw fluctuations, his commitment to his craft and his ability to command the screen in protagonist and character roles have earned him a lasting place in the industry's history. He continues to act, showcasing versatility in later phases of his career.