ClayAcosta at 19:28, 7 February 2026

2026-02-07T19:28:20Z

New page

{{short description|Indian filmmaker}}
{{BLP sources|date=June 2010}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2020}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Gnana Rajasekaran
| image = GnanaRajasekaran.jpg
| image_size =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1953|01|23}}
| birth_place = [[Pallikonda]], [[North Arcot|North Arcot district]], [[Madras State]]<br/>(now in [[Vellore district]],<br/>[[Tamil Nadu]]), India
| resting_place =
| monuments =
| other_names =
| citizenship =
| education =
| alma_mater =
| occupation = [[Filmmaker]]
| years_active =
| organization =
| agent =
| known_for =
| style =
| height =
| children =
| parents =
| awards =
| signature =
| signature_alt =
| footnotes =
| notable works =
| spouse = Sakunthala Rajasekaran
| partner =
| relations =
| misc =
}}

'''Gnana Rajasekaran''' (born 23 January 1953) is an Indian [[filmmaker]], [[screenwriter]], [[playwright]] and Retired [[Indian Administrative Service|IAS]] Officer.<ref>{{Cite web | work=The Hindu | date=26 August 2006| title=The known and the unknown| author=R. Krishanmoorthy | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070219044354/http://www.hindu.com/mp/2006/08/26/stories/2006082600660400.htm | url=http://www.hindu.com/mp/2006/08/26/stories/2006082600660400.htm | archive-date=2007-02-19}}</ref> His directional debut was ''[[Mogamul]]'' (1994) won the [[Indira Gandhi Award for Best Debut Film of a Director]]. His other works include ''[[Bharathi (2000 film)|Bharathi]]'' (2000), ''[[Periyar (2007 film)|Periyar]]'' (2007) and [[Ramanujan (film)|''Ramanujan'']] (2014). As of 2014, Rajasekaran has won three [[National Film Awards]], three [[Tamil Nadu State Film Awards]]. His films have been screened at international film festivals including the [[International Film Festival of India]].<ref>{{Cite web | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19961222233122/http://www.webpage.com/hindu/950624/03/2325a.html | title=Fine example of his craft | url=http://www.webpage.com/hindu/950624/03/2325a.html | archive-date=1996-12-22}}</ref>

== Early life ==
Gnana Rajasekaran<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.rediff.com/news/2007/apr/30inter.htm | title='Periyar was against Brahminism, not Brahmins' | date=30 April 2007 | publisher=Rediff | accessdate=1 August 2020 }}</ref> was born in Pallikonda, [[Vellore district]], [[Tamil Nadu]], India, to Gnanaprakasam and Sharadambal, both teachers. He graduated with a BSc in [[Physics]] from Sacred Heart College, Tiruppatur; he gained a [[master's degree]] in physics from the [[Presidency College, Chennai]]. After he graduated, he worked as a technical officer with the Intelligence Bureau in [[Mumbai]] for four years, where many of his plays were staged. In 1983, he was appointed to the [[Indian Administrative Service]], and was allotted the Kerala Cadre. Rajasekaran married Sakunthala Chidambaram in 1985, and they have two daughters, [[Sindhu Rajasekaran]] and Nandita Rajasekaran.

== Career ==
Before his career as a film-maker, Rajasekaran published an allegorical [[novel]] titled ''Yanai Kuthirai Ottagam'', which was judged the best novel of the year by the Tirupur Tamil Sangam. He has written and directed several plays including a collection of three plays titled ''Vayiru'' (published in 1980) and the 1996 Hindi version of the play won an all India award for the best script.

Rajasekaran's debut film, ''[[Mogamul]]'' (1995), is based on the novel written by [[Thi. Janakiraman]]. The film won the [[Indira Gandhi Award for Best Debut Film of a Director]] at the [[42nd National Film Awards]] and the [[National Film Award Special Prize|Special Jury Award for Best film]] at the [[48th National Film Awards]]. He then went on to direct the [[Nassar (actor)|Nassar]]-starrer ''[[Mugam (1999 film)|Mugam]]'' (1999), with the film fetching poor reviews and faring badly at the box office. ''[[Bharathi (2000 film)|Bharathi]]'' (2000), is a biography of the Tamil poet [[Subramanya Bharathi]]. The film starred the Marathi actor [[Sayaji Shinde]] and [[Devayani]]. The film won four [[National Film Awards]] and six Tamil Nadu State Film Awards. ''[[Periyar (2007 film)|Periyar]]'' (2007), a biopic on [[E.V.Ramaswamy]], focused on the history of the [[Dravidian movement]], collating various incidents of the period.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/tamil/gallery/events/11200.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070114092426/http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/tamil/gallery/Events/11200.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=14 January 2007|title = Tamil Cinema News | Tamil Movie Reviews | Tamil Movie Trailers - IndiaGlitz Tamil}}</ref> The film starred [[Satyaraj]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.cinesouth.com/masala/hotnews/new/30122006-2.shtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070102030850/http://www.cinesouth.com/masala/hotnews/new/30122006-2.shtml|url-status=dead|archive-date=2 January 2007|title = டோடோவின் ரஃப் நோட்டு — Tamil Kavithai -- தமிழ் கவிதைகள் - நூற்று கணக்கில்!}}</ref> and [[Khushbu Sundar|Khushbu]], and won the [[Tamilnadu State Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil|Best Feature Film in Tamil]] at the [[48th National Film Awards]] and was screened in various international film festivals. ''[[Ramanujan (film)|Ramanujan]]'' (2014) is a biographical film based on the life of Indian mathematician [[Srinivasa Ramanujan]]. The film received mixed reviews from critics.

Rajasekaran has also directed various short films such as ''Oru Kan, Oru Parvai'' (1999, Tamil), ''Vivaram Onum Ariyam'' (Malayalam), ''Puthia Keralam'' (Malayalam) and ''Kanavu Nijamagum'' (Tamil, 2007).

Rajasekaran is the dean of SRM Sivaji Ganesan Film Institute, Chennai. He has held high positions in various public sector entities. He such as Secretary to Government for the 'Energy and Labour Departments' - Government of Kerala and Chairman for 'Kerala State Electricity Board'.

He also serves as a director on the board of BGR Energy Systems Ltd.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bgrcorp.com/board_of_directors.php|title=BGR Energy Systems Limited|website=www.bgrcorp.com}}</ref>

== Filmography ==
{| class="wikitable"
! Year !! Film !! Notes
|-
| 1995 || ''[[Mogamul]]'' || [[Indira Gandhi Award for Best Debut Film of a Director]]
|-
| 1999 || ''[[Mugam (1999 film)|Mugam]]'' ||
|-
| 2000 || ''[[Bharathi (2000 film)|Bharathi]]'' || [[National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil]]<br/>[[Tamil Nadu State Film Award Special Prize]]
|-
| 2007 || ''[[Periyar (2007 film)|Periyar]]''|| [[National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil]]<br/>[[Tamil Nadu State Film Award Special Prize]]
|-
| 2014 || ''[[Ramanujan (film)|Ramanujan]]'' || [[Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Film]]
|-
| 2021 || ''[[Ainthu Unarvugal]]'' ||
|}

== References ==
<references/>

== External links ==
*Gnana Rajasekaran's Interview [http://www.rediff.com/news/2007/apr/30inter.htm "rediff news"]
* Periyar Audio Launch [https://web.archive.org/web/20070114092426/http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/tamil/gallery/Events/11200.html "indiaglitz"]
* Sathyaraj Gets Periyar Award [https://web.archive.org/web/20070102030850/http://www.cinesouth.com/masala/hotnews/new/30122006-2.shtml " cinesouth"]
* Periyar premiere in Malaysia [https://web.archive.org/web/20070502060624/http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/tamil/article/30835.html "indiaglitz"]
* Periyar in International Film Festival [https://web.archive.org/web/20100509223512/http://chennai365.com/news/periyar-and-ammuvagiya-naan-at-the-international-film-festival/ "chennai365"]

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rajasekaran, Gnana}}
[[Category:1953 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Vellore district]]
[[Category:Tamil Nadu State Film Awards winners]]
[[Category:Director whose film won the Best Debut Feature Film National Film Award]]

Gnana Rajasekaran - Revision history

ClayAcosta at 19:28, 7 February 2026