Kuldeep Singh Deep at 08:23, 4 March 2026

2026-03-04T08:23:06Z

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{{Short description|Indian film director and screenwriter}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2024}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2024}}
{{Infobox person
| name = C. Prem Kumar
| image =
| caption =
| birth_name = Premkumar Chandran
| birth_date =
| birth_place = [[Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu]], India
| occupation =[[Film director]]<br />[[Screenwriter]]<br />[[Cinematographer]]
| spouse = Dhanalakshmi
| relatives =
| yearsactive = 2009–present
}}

'''Premkumar Chandran''' is an Indian film director, screenwriter and cinematographer who primarily works in [[Tamil cinema]]. He is widely known for his critically acclaimed directorial debut ''[['96 (film)|'96]]'' (2018) as well as ''[[Meiyazhagan]]''.

==Career==
Before making his mark in the film industry as a director, Prem Kumar was established as a cinematographer, working on several Tamil films including ''[[Naduvula Konjam Pakkatha Kaanom]]'' (2012), which was based on an incident in which he fell during a cricket match and lost his memory during his own wedding.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/2012/Nov/22/cant-recollect-my-wedding-c-prem-kumar-427226.html|title=Can't recollect my wedding: C Prem Kumar|first=Venkadesan|last=S|date=22 November 2012|website=The New Indian Express|access-date=9 October 2024|archive-date=10 October 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231010094400/https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/2012/nov/22/cant-recollect-my-wedding-c-prem-kumar-427226.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

Prem Kumar's first film as a director was the reunion film ''[['96 (film)|'96]]'', which was well received.<ref>{{cite web |last=Raman |first=Sruthi Ganapathy |title=Love without boundaries: Director Prem Kumar on crafting the offbeat romance '96' |url=https://scroll.in/reel/892338/love-without-boundaries-director-prem-kumar-on-crafting-the-offbeat-romance-96 |access-date=3 October 2021 |website=Scroll.in |date=5 September 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/96-will-appeal-to-the-90s-generation-says-director-c-prem-kumar/article25111207.ece|title={{'-}}'96' will appeal to the '90s generation, says director C Prem Kumar|first=Chitradeepa|last=Anantharam|date=3 October 2018|work=The Hindu|access-date=9 October 2024|archive-date=27 September 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240927115703/https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/96-will-appeal-to-the-90s-generation-says-director-c-prem-kumar/article25111207.ece|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://silverscreenindia.com/movies/features/interviews/there-are-many-like-ram-who-give-women-the-respect-they-deserve-sadly-they-are-ridiculed-for-their-sensitivity-c-prem-kumar-director-of-96/|title='There Are Many Like Ram Who Give Women The Respect They Deserve, Sadly They Are Ridiculed For Their Sensitivity': C Prem Kumar, Director Of 96′|date=17 October 2018|access-date=9 October 2024|archive-date=19 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210619131409/https://silverscreenindia.com/movies/features/interviews/there-are-many-like-ram-who-give-women-the-respect-they-deserve-sadly-they-are-ridiculed-for-their-sensitivity-c-prem-kumar-director-of-96/|url-status=live}}</ref> The film was noted for having a strong female lead character, which was lacking in most Tamil films.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/flix/we-dont-see-layers-women-characters-screen-often-96-director-prem-kumar-tnm-87384|title=We don't see layers to women characters on screen often: '96' director Prem Kumar to TNM|first=Sowmya|last=Rajendran|date=28 August 2018|website=The News Minute|access-date=9 October 2024|archive-date=9 October 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241009184216/https://www.thenewsminute.com/flix/we-dont-see-layers-women-characters-screen-often-96-director-prem-kumar-tnm-87384|url-status=live}}</ref> He subsequently directed ''[[Jaanu (2020 film)|Jaanu]]'' (2020), the Telugu remake of '''96''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/regional-cinema/story/96-director-prem-kumar-roped-in-for-karthis-next-film-to-commence-in-few-months-japan-2322019-2023-01-16|title=96 director Prem Kumar roped in for Karthi's next, film to commence in a few months|date=16 January 2023|website=India Today|access-date=9 October 2024|archive-date=17 January 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230117224349/https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/regional-cinema/story/96-director-prem-kumar-roped-in-for-karthis-next-film-to-commence-in-few-months-japan-2322019-2023-01-16|url-status=live}}</ref> His third film as a director was ''[[Meiyazhagan]]'', which was based on the [[bromance]] between its lead characters. ''Meiyazhagan'' also released to positive reviews.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ottplay.com/interview/with-meiyazhagan-wanted-to-showcase-love-affection-positively-c-prem-kumar/560c84628d275|title=With Meiyazhagan, I Wanted To Speak Positively About Love & Affection: Filmmaker C Prem Kumar|website=OTTPlay|access-date=9 October 2024|archive-date=9 October 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241009184335/https://www.ottplay.com/interview/with-meiyazhagan-wanted-to-showcase-love-affection-positively-c-prem-kumar/560c84628d275|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ottplay.com/features/c-prem-kumar-arvind-swami-karthi-meiyazhagan-tamil-movie-is-a-beauty-to-behold/1ba12a80d2318|title=C Prem Kumar's Meiyazhagan Is A Beauty To Behold|website=OTTPlay|access-date=9 October 2024|archive-date=9 October 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241009184219/https://www.ottplay.com/features/c-prem-kumar-arvind-swami-karthi-meiyazhagan-tamil-movie-is-a-beauty-to-behold/1ba12a80d2318|url-status=live}}</ref> In July 2025, [[Ishari K. Ganesh|Vels Film International]] officially announced that Prem Kumar's next movie with [[Vikram (actor)|Vikram]] and the film is touted to be [[action thriller film|action thriller]] film.<ref>{{Cite web|date=19 July 2025|title='Chiyaan 64' takes off; Untold story behind Vikram and Prem Kumar's surprise union, film to hit floor in August|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/chiyaan-64-takes-off-untold-story-behind-vikram-and-prem-kumars-surprise-union-film-to-hit-floor-in-august/articleshow/122779823.cms|website=[[The Times of India]]}}</ref>

== Filmography ==
=== As director ===
*''Note: all films are in Tamil, unless otherwise noted.''

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Film
! Notes
! {{Reference heading}}
|-
| 2018 || ''[['96 (film)|'96]]'' || ||
|-
| 2020 || ''[[Jaanu (2020 film)|Jaanu]]'' || Telugu film <br/>Won{{emdash}}[[Gollapudi Srinivas Award]] ||<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/entertainment/kollywood/170319/gollapudi-award-goes-to-prem-kumar-for-96.html|title=Gollapudi award goes to Prem Kumar for 96|date=16 March 2019|work=Deccan Chronicle|access-date=9 October 2024|archive-date=24 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220224115931/https://www.deccanchronicle.com/entertainment/kollywood/170319/gollapudi-award-goes-to-prem-kumar-for-96.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
| 2024 || ''[[Meiyazhagan]]'' || ||
|-
| TBA || ''Thriller with Fahadh Faasil'' ||||
|-
| TBD || ''[[Vikram (actor)|Chiyaan 64]]'' || ||<ref>{{Cite web|date=16 July 2025|title=Chiyaan 64: Vikram joins hands with Prem Kumar for his next|url=https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/news/2025/Jul/16/chiyaan-64-vikram-joins-hands-with-prem-kumar-for-his-next|website=[[Cinema Express]]}}</ref>
|-
| TBD || '''96 Part 2'' || Sequel of '96 ||
|}

=== As cinematographer ===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Film
! Notes
|-
| 2009 || ''[[Pasanga]]'' ||
|-
| 2011 || ''[[Varnam (2011 film)|Varnam]]'' ||
|-
| rowspan="2"|2012 || ''[[Sundarapandian]]'' ||
|-
| ''[[Naduvula Konjam Pakkatha Kaanom]]'' ||
|-
| 2014 || ''[[Rummy (2014 film)|Rummy]]'' ||
|-
| 2017 || ''[[Yeidhavan]]'' ||
|-
| 2020 || ''[[Oru Pakka Kathai]]'' ||
|}

=== Frequent collaborators ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;font-size:90%;"
|+ List of C. Prem Kumar frequent collaborators
|- style="vertical-align:bottom;"
! scope="col" | Film
! scope="col" | [[Govind Vasantha]]
! scope="col" | Mahendiran Jayaraju
! scope="col" | R. Govindaraj
! scope="col" | [[Varsha Bollamma]]
! scope="col" | [[Gouri G. Kishan]]
! scope="col" | [[Devadarshini]]
! scope="col" | [[Rajkumar (Tamil actor)|Rajkumar]]
! scope="col" | [[Chinmayi Sripada]]
|-
| ''[['96 (film)|'96]]'' (2018)|| {{tick}} || {{tick}} || {{tick}} || {{tick}} || {{tick}} || {{tick}} || {{tick}} || {{tick}}
|-
|''[[Jaanu (2020 film)|Jaanu]]'' (2020) || {{tick}} || {{tick}} || || {{tick}} || {{tick}} || || || {{tick}}
|-
| ''[[Meiyazhagan]]'' (2024) || {{tick}} || {{tick}} || {{tick}} || || || {{tick}} || {{tick}} ||
|-
| ''96 Part 2'' || {{tick}} || || || || || || || {{tick}}
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{IMDb title|4242320}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kumar, C. Prem}}
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Tamil film directors]]
[[Category:Tamil screenwriters]]
[[Category:Indian male screenwriters]]
[[Category:Indian cinematographers]]
{{Improve categories|date=October 2024}}

C. Prem Kumar - Revision history

Kuldeep Singh Deep at 08:23, 4 March 2026