View source for Kalaipuli S. Thanu

{{short description|Indian film producer and distributor (born 1958)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2020}}
{{Infobox person
| name                    = Kalaipuli S. Thanu
|image                    =
| caption                 =
| birth_name              = 
| birth_date              = {{Birth date and age|1958|01|15|df=y}}
| birth_place             =  [[Tamil Nadu]], India
| occupation              = [[Film producer]]<br>[[Film director]]
| years_active            = 1985–present 
| height                  = 
| spouse                  = Kala
| awards                  = 
| website                 = 
|image size               = 
}}

'''Kalaipuli S. Thanu''' is an Indian film producer and distributor, known for his films produced in [[Tamil cinema]]. He has produced several films through his two companies, V Creations and Kalaipuli Films International. Many of his films have been commercially successful, three of which are [[List of highest-grossing Indian films|among the top-ten highest grossing Tamil films]]. He has won two [[National Film Awards]] and one [[Filmfare Awards South]].

==Personal life==
His son Kalaprabhu is a director who made his directorial debut with ''[[Sakkarakatti]]'' (2008).

==Career==
S. Thanu began his career as a film financier and distributor, before becoming a producer and a partner at Kalaipuli Films with S. Thanu and Soori with ''[[Yaar?]]'' (1985), being their debut film as producers.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXWdCidPYwc|title=Interview with Kalaipuli G Sekaran - I took a movie for 600Rs - Nettv4u|last=Nettv4u Tamil|date=30 November 2015|access-date=8 December 2017|via=YouTube}}</ref> He initially was a publicity designer being responsible for christening Rajinikanth as "Superstar" and creating 35 feet cutout of him in a theatre.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/The-bigger-the-better/article14386233.ece|title=The bigger, the better|first=Sreedhar|last=Pillai|date=4 June 2016|access-date=8 December 2017|via=www.thehindu.com}}</ref> He started his own company V. Creations and went on to produce commercially successful films like ''[[Cooliekkaran]]'' (1987), ''[[Nallavan (1988 film)|Nallavan]]'' (1988), ''[[Vanna Vanna Pookkal]]'' (1992), ''[[Kizhakku Cheemayile]]'' (1993), ''[[Kandukondain Kandukondain]]'' (2000), ''[[Kaakha Kaakha]]'' (2003), ''[[Thuppakki]]'' (2012), ''[[Theri (film)|Theri]]'' (2016), ''[[Kabali (film)|Kabali]]'' (2016), ''[[Asuran (2019 film)|Asuran]]'' (2019) and ''[[Karnan (2021 film)|Karnan]]'' (2021).

== Filmography ==
=== Actor ===
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:100%"
|- style="text-align:center;"
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Year
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Film
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Role
|-
| 1994 || ''[[Magalir Mattum (1994 film)|Magalir Mattum]]'' || [[Cameo appearance]]
|-
|}

=== Production ===
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:100%"
|- style="text-align:center;"
! style="text-align:center; background:#b0c4de;"| No
! style="text-align:center; background:#b0c4de;"| Year
! style="text-align:center; background:#b0c4de;"| Film
! style="text-align:center; background:#b0c4de;"| Cast
! style="text-align:center; background:#b0c4de;"| Director(s)
! style="text-align:center; background:#b0c4de;"| Notes
! style="text-align:center; background:#b0c4de;" | {{Tooltip|Ref.|References}}
|-
| 1 || 1985 || ''[[Yaar?]]'' || [[Arjun Sarja|Arjun]], [[Nalini (actress)|Nalini]], [[Jaishankar]], [[J. V. Somayajulu]] || Sakthi-[[Yaar Kannan|Kannan]] || ||<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.moviebuff.com/yaar|title=Yaar (1985).|website=MovieBuff|access-date=2019-11-03}}</ref>
|-
| 2 || 1987 || ''[[Cooliekkaran]]'' || [[Vijayakanth]], [[Rupini (actress)|Rupini]] || [[Rajasekhar (director)|Rajasekhar]] || ||<ref>https://www.tamilmdb.com/movie/2686/1987-cooliekkaran</ref>
|-
| 3 || 1988 || ''[[Nallavan (1988 film)|Nallavan]]'' || Vijayakanth, [[Raadhika]] || [[S. P. Muthuraman]] || ||<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.moviebuff.com/nallavan-1988-tamil|title=Nallavan (1988).|website=MovieBuff|access-date=2019-11-03}}</ref>
|-
| 4 || 1990 || ''[[Pudhu Padagan]]'' || Vijayakanth, [[R. Sarathkumar]], [[Amala Akkineni]] || [[S. Thanu]] || Director and Composer ||<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.moviebuff.com/puthuppadagan|title=Puthuppadagan (1990).|website=MovieBuff|access-date=2019-11-03}}</ref>
|-
| 5 || 1991 || ''[[Thaiyalkaran]]'' || [[R. Parthiepan]], [[Aishwarya (actress)|Aishwarya]], [[Saikumar Pudipeddi]], [[Sreeja]], [[Charmila]] || S. P. Muthuraman || ||<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.moviebuff.com/thaiyalkaran|title=Thaiyalkaran (1991).|website=MovieBuff|access-date=2019-11-03}}</ref>
|-
| 6 || 1992 || ''[[Vanna Vanna Pookkal]]'' || [[Prashanth (actor)|Prashanth]], [[Mounika (actress)|Mounika]], [[Vinodhini]] || [[Balu Mahendra]] || ||<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.moviebuff.com/vanna-vanna-pookkal|title=Vanna Vanna Pookkal (1992).|website=MovieBuff|access-date=2019-11-03}}</ref>
|-
| 7 || 1993 || ''[[Kizhakku Cheemayile]]'' || [[Vijayakumar (Tamil actor)|Vijayakumar]], Raadhika || [[Bharathiraja]] || ||<ref>https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0155809/awards</ref>
|-
| 8 || 1997 || ''[[V. I. P. (1997 film)|V. I. P.]]'' || [[Prabhu Deva]], [[Abbas (actor)|Abbas]], [[Simran (actress)|Simran]], [[Rambha (actress)|Rambha]] || [[Sabapathy Dekshinamurthy]] || ||<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.moviebuff.com/v-i-p-1997-tamil|title=V.I.P (1997).|website=MovieBuff|access-date=2019-11-03}}</ref>
|-
| 9 || 1999 || ''[[Mannavaru Chinnavaru]]'' || [[Sivaji Ganesan]], Arjun, [[Soundarya]], [[Maheswari]] || [[P. N. Ramachandra Rao]] || ||<ref>https://www.tamilmdb.com/movie/3826/1999-mannavaru-chinnavaru</ref>
|-
| 10 || 1999 || ''[[Mugam (1999 film)|Mugam]]'' || [[Nassar (actor)|Nassar]], [[Roja (actress)|Roja]], [[Manivannan]] || [[Gnana Rajasekaran]] || ||<ref>https://www.filmiclub.com/movie/mugam-1999-tamil-movie</ref>
|-
| 11 || 2000 || ''[[Kandukondain Kandukondain]]'' || [[Mammootty]], [[Ajith Kumar]], [[Tabu (actress)|Tabu]], [[Aishwarya Rai]], Abbas || [[Rajiv Menon]] || ||<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.moviebuff.com/kandukondain-kandukondain|title=Kandukondain Kandukondain (2000).|website=MovieBuff|access-date=2019-11-03}}</ref>
|-
| 12 || 2001 || ''[[Aalavandhan]]'' || [[Kamal Haasan]], [[Raveena Tandon]], [[Manisha Koirala]] || [[Suresh Krissna]] || ||<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.moviebuff.com/aalavandaan|title=Aalavandaan (2001).|website=MovieBuff|access-date=2019-11-03}}</ref>
|-
| 13 || 2003 || ''[[Punnagai Poove]]'' || [[Nandha (actor)|Nandha]], [[Rekha Vedavyas]], [[Kaveri (actress)|Kaveri]] || Sabapathy Dekshinamurthy || ||<ref>https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1612570/fullcredits/?ref_=tt_ov_st_sm</ref>
|-
| 14 || 2003 || ''[[Kaakha Kaakha]]'' || [[Suriya]], [[Jyothika]] || [[Gautham Vasudev Menon]] || ||<ref>https://www.fantastikindia.fr/site/Kaakha-kaakha-The-police</ref>
|-
| 15 || 2005 || ''[[Maayavi]]'' || Suriya, Jyothika || [[Singampuli]] || ||<ref>https://www.tamilmdb.com/movie/4305/2005-maayavi</ref>
|-
| 16 || 2005 || ''[[Sachein]]'' || [[Vijay (actor)|Vijay]], [[Genelia D'Souza]], [[Bipasha Basu]] || [[John Mahendran]] || ||<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.moviebuff.com/sachein|title=Sachein (2005).|website=MovieBuff|access-date=2019-11-03}}</ref>
|-
| 17 || 2005 || ''[[Thotti Jaya]]'' || [[Silambarasan]], [[Gopika]] || [[V. Z. Durai]] || ||<ref>https://www.nowrunning.com/movie/2417/tamil/thotti-jaya/index.htm</ref>
|-
| 18 || 2006 || ''[[Chennai Kadhal]]'' || [[Bharath (actor)|Bharath]], Genelia D'Souza || [[Vikraman]] || ||<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.moviebuff.com/chennai-kadhal|title=Chennai Kadhal (2006).|website=MovieBuff|access-date=2019-11-03}}</ref>
|-
| 19 || 2007 || ''[[Thirumagan]]'' || [[S. J. Suryah]], [[Meera Jasmine]], [[Malavika (Tamil actress)|Malavika]], [[Lakshana (actress)|Lakshana]], Preethi Varma || M. Rathnakumar || ||<ref>https://www.nowrunning.com/movie/3331/tamil/thirumagan/index.htm</ref>
|-
| 20 || 2008 || ''[[Sakkarakatti]]'' || [[Shanthnoo Bhagyaraj]], [[Ishita Sharma]], [[Vedhika]] || Kala Prabhu || ||<ref>http://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movie-news-1/sep-08-01/sakkarakatti-02-09-08.html</ref>
|-
| 21 || 2009 || ''[[Kanthaswamy]]'' || [[Vikram (actor)|Vikram]], [[Prabhu (actor)|Prabhu]], [[Krishna (Telugu actor)|Krishna]], [[Shriya Saran]] || [[Susi Ganesan]] || ||<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.moviebuff.com/kanthasamy|title=Kanthasamy (2009).|website=MovieBuff|access-date=2019-11-03}}</ref>
|-
| 22 || 2012 || ''[[Thuppakki]]'' || Vijay, [[Kajal Aggarwal]], [[Vidyut Jammwal]] || [[AR Murugadoss]] || ||<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.moviebuff.com/thuppakki|title=Thuppakki (2012).|website=MovieBuff|access-date=2019-11-03}}</ref>
|-
| 23 || 2014 || ''[[Arima Nambi]]'' || [[Vikram Prabhu]], [[Priya Anand]], [[J. D. Chakravarthy]] || [[Anand Shankar]] || ||<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.moviebuff.com/arima-nambi|title=Arima Nambi (2014).|website=MovieBuff|access-date=2019-11-03}}</ref>
|-
| 24 || 2016 || ''[[Kanithan]]'' || [[Atharvaa]], [[Catherine Tresa]], [[Tarun Arora]] || T. N. Santosh || ||<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.moviebuff.com/kanithan|title=Kanithan (2016).|website=MovieBuff|access-date=2019-11-03}}</ref>
|-
| 25 || 2016 || ''[[Theri (film)|Theri]]'' || Vijay, [[Samantha Ruth Prabhu]], [[Amy Jackson]] || [[Atlee Kumar]] || ||<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.moviebuff.com/theri|title=Theri (2016).|website=MovieBuff|access-date=2019-11-03}}</ref>
|-
| 26 || 2016 || ''[[Kabali (film)|Kabali]]'' || [[Rajinikanth]], [[Winston Chao]], [[Radhika Apte]], [[Dhanshika|Sai Dhanshika]] || [[Pa. Ranjith]] || 
|<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.moviebuff.com/kabali|title=Kabali (2016).|website=MovieBuff|access-date=2019-11-03}}</ref>
|-
| 27 || 2017 || ''[[Velaiilla Pattadhari 2]]'' || [[Dhanush]], [[Kajol]], [[Amala Paul]], [[Vivek (actor)|Vivek]], [[Hrishikesh (actor)|Hrishikesh]], [[Samuthirakani]] || [[Soundarya Rajinikanth]] || ||<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.moviebuff.com/vellai-illa-pattathari-2|title=Vellai Illa Pattathari 2 (2017).|website=MovieBuff|access-date=2019-11-03}}</ref>
|-
| 28 || 2017 || ''[[Indrajith (2017 film)|Indrajith]]'' || [[Gautham Karthik]], [[Ashrita Shetty]], [[Sonarika Bhadoria]] || Kala Prabhu || ||<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.moviebuff.com/indrajith|title=Indrajith (2017).|website=MovieBuff|access-date=2019-11-03}}</ref>
|-
| 29 || 2018 || ''[[Sketch (2018 film)|Sketch]]'' || Vikram, [[Tamannaah Bhatia]] || Vijay Chandar || ||<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.moviebuff.com/sketch-2018-tamil|title=Sketch (2018).|website=MovieBuff|access-date=2019-11-03}}</ref>
|-
| 30 || 2018 || ''[[60 Vayadu Maaniram]]'' || [[Prakash Raj]], Vikram Prabhu, Samuthirakani, [[Indhuja Ravichandran]] || [[Radha Mohan]] || ||<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.moviebuff.com/60-vayathu-maaniram|title=60 Vayathu Maaniram (2018).|website=MovieBuff|access-date=2019-11-03}}</ref>
|-
| 31 || 2018 || ''[[Thuppakki Munai]]'' || Vikram Prabhu, [[Hansika Motwani]] || Dinesh Selvaraj || ||<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.moviebuff.com/thuppakki-munai|title=Thuppakki Munai (2018).|website=MovieBuff|access-date=2019-11-03}}</ref>
|-
| 32 || 2019 || ''[[Hippi (film)|Hippi]]'' || Kartikeya, [[Digangana Suryavanshi]], J. D. Chakravarthy || [[Krishna (director)|Krishna]] || Telugu Movie ||<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.moviebuff.com/hippi|title=Hippi (2019).|website=MovieBuff|access-date=2019-11-03}}</ref>
|-
| 33 || 2019 || ''[[Asuran (2019 film)|Asuran]]'' || Dhanush, [[Manju Warrier]] || [[Vetrimaaran]] || ||<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.moviebuff.com/asuran-2019-tamil|title=Asuran (2019).|website=MovieBuff|access-date=2019-11-03}}</ref>
|-
| 34 || 2021 ||''[[Karnan (2021 film)|Karnan]]''|| Dhanush, [[Rajisha Vijayan]]||[[Mari Selvaraj]]||  ||<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/regional-cinema/story/dhanush-s-film-with-mari-selvaraj-is-titled-karnan-sivaji-ganesan-s-fans-are-not-happy-1635217-2020-01-09|title=Dhanush's film with Mari Selvaraj is titled Karnan. Sivaji Ganesan's fans are not happy|date=9 January 2020|access-date=17 August 2020}}</ref>
|-
|35 || 2021 || ''[[Naarappa]]'' || [[Venkatesh (actor)|Venkatesh]], [[Priyamani]], [[Prakash Raj]], [[Murali Sharma]], [[Sampath Raj]] || [[Srikanth Addala]] || Telugu Movie
|<ref>{{Cite news|last=Desk|first=The Hindu Net|url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/telugu-remake-of-asuran-titled-naarappa-starring-venkatesh/article30622904.ece|title=Telugu remake of 'Asuran' titled 'Naarappa' starring Venkatesh|date=2020-01-22|work=The Hindu|access-date=2020-04-15|language=en-IN|issn=0971-751X}}</ref>
|-
|36
|2022
|Naane Varuven
|[[Dhanush]]
|[[Selvaraghavan]]
|
|[https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/tamil/dhanush-to-begin-shoot-for-selvaraghavans-naane-varuven-in-august-7373229/]
|-
|}

=== Distribution ===
* 2021 - ''[[Marakkar: Arabikadalinte Simham|Maraikkayar: Arabikadalin Singam]]'' (Tamil dubbed)
* 2019 - ''[[Kurukshetra (2019 film)|Kurukshetra]]'' (Tamil dubbed)
* 2019 - ''[[Lucifer (film)|Lucifer]]'' (Tamil dubbed)
* 2018 - ''[[Velaiilla Pattadhari 2]]'' 
* 2016 - ''[[Parandhu Sella Vaa]]''
* 2016 - ''[[Meendum Oru Kadhal Kadhai]]''
* 2015 - ''[[Vellaiya Irukiravan Poi Solla Maatan]]''
* 2015 - ''[[Thakka Thakka]]''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movies-cinema-news-15/vijays-producer-to-release-vikranths-thaakka-thaakka.html|title=Producer Kalaipuli Thanu will release Vikranth's next film Thaakka Thaakka|date=13 June 2015|website=behindwoods.com|access-date=8 December 2017}}</ref>
* 2014 - ''[[Yennamo Yedho]]''
* 2014 - ''[[Ner Ethir]]''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sify.com/movies/thanu-procures-world-distribution-rights-of-ner-ethir-news-tamil-obnmfpgicjb.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140116064104/http://www.sify.com/movies/thanu-procures-world-distribution-rights-of-ner-ethir-news-tamil-obnmfpgicjb.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=16 January 2014|title=Thanu procures world distribution rights of 'Ner Ethir'|website=sify.com|access-date=8 December 2017}}</ref>
* 2012 - ''[[Urumi]]''
* 2011 - ''[[Maaveeran]]''
* 2011 - ''[[Pathinaaru]]''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sify.com/movies/kalaipuli-thanu-to-release-pathinaru-news-tamil-lbwnhljbfij.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110125084456/http://www.sify.com/movies/kalaipuli-thanu-to-release-pathinaru-news-tamil-lbwnhljbfij.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=25 January 2011|title=Kalaipuli Thanu to release Pathinaru!|website=sify.com|access-date=8 December 2017}}</ref>
* 2010 - ''[[Thottupaar]]''
* 2010 - ''[[Milaga]]''
* 1996 - ''[[Kalapani (1996 film)|Siraichaalai]]'' (Tamil dubbed)
*1996 - ''[[Yuvathurki|Delhi Diary]]'' (Tamil dubbed)

== Awards and honours ==

;[[National Film Awards]]
* Won, [[National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil|Best Feature Film in Tamil]] for ''[[Vanna Vanna Pookkal]]'' (1992)
* Won, [[National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil|Best Feature Film in Tamil]] for ''[[Asuran (2019 film)|Asuran]]'' (2019)

;[[Cinema Express Awards]]
* Won, [[Cinema Express Award for Best Film – Tamil|Best Film]] for ''[[Kizhakku Cheemayile]]'' (1993) 
* Won, [[Cinema Express Award for Best Film – Tamil|Best Film]] for  ''[[Kandukondain Kandukondain]]'' (2000)

;[[Filmfare Awards South]]
* Won, [[Filmfare Award for Best Film – Tamil|Best Film]] for ''[[Kandukondain Kandukondain]]'' (2000) 
* Nominated, [[Filmfare Award for Best Film – Tamil|Best Film]] for  ''[[Kaakha Kaakha]]'' (2003)
* Nominated, [[Filmfare Award for Best Film – Tamil|Best Film]] for ''[[Thuppakki]]'' (2012)  
* Nominated, [[Filmfare Award for Best Film – Tamil|Best Film]] for ''[[Theri (film)|Theri]]'' (2016)
* Nominated, [[Filmfare Award for Best Film – Tamil|Best Film]] for ''[[Kabali (film)|Kabali]]'' (2016)

;[[South Indian International Movie Awards]]
* Nominated, [[2nd South Indian International Movie Awards|Best Film]] for ''[[Thuppakki]]'' (2012)

;[[Vijay Awards]]
* Won, [[7th Vijay Awards|Favourite Film]] for ''[[Thuppakki]]'' (2012)

;[[Edison Awards (India)|Edison Awards]]
* Won, [[Edison Awards (India)|Best Film]] for ''[[Kabali (film)|Kabali]]'' (2016)

;[[Ananda Vikatan Cinema Awards]]
* Won, [[Ananda Vikatan Cinema Awards|Most Popular Movie]] for ''[[Kabali (film)|Kabali]]'' (2016)

;[[IIFA Utsavam]]
*Nominated, [[IIFA Utsavam|Best Film]] for ''[[Kabali (film)|Kabali]]'' (2016)

;[[Norway Tamil Film Festival Awards]]
* Won, [[Norway Tamil Film Festival Awards|Best Film]] for ''[[Asuran (2019 film)|Asuran]]'' (2019)

==References==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{IMDb name|0857054}}
* {{YouTube|channel=UClqoU3DHuKFsYCCLXUNUE1g|title=S. Thanu}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Thanu, S.}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Tamil film producers]]
[[Category:Indian film distributors]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]