ReaganRiordan at 00:14, 6 May 2026

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{{Short description|Indian writer (1933–2021)}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2021}}
{{Infobox person
| birth_date = 1933
| birth_place = [[Thirukkuvalai]], [[Madras Presidency]], [[British India]]
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2021|06|08|1933||}}
| death_place = [[Chennai]], [[Tamil Nadu]], India
| other_names = Swarnam, Swornam
| occupation = Writer, director, journalist
}}

'''K. Sornam''' (1933 – 8 June 2021) was an Indian journalist, screenwriter and director who worked in [[Tamil cinema]]. He was active in the second half of the 1900s, and shared close associations with chief ministers of Tamil Nadu [[M. Karunanidhi|Karunanidhi]] and [[M. G. Ramachandran]].

== Film career ==
Born in [[Thirukkuvalai]], Sornam worked as a literary writer with his relative, [[M. Karunanidhi|Karunanidhi]]. He had a key role in the operations of the [[Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam]]'s political newspaper, ''[[Murasoli (India)|Murasoli]]''. While at ''Murasoli'', Sornam brought out the supplement ''Pudhayal'', and also worked on archiving Karunanidhi's writings. In the 1960s, he worked on the theatrical play ''Vidai Kodu Thaaye'' (Bid Me Farewell Mother), a revolutionary play written to highlight the need for social reforms. For his script, he was presented with an award by [[C. N. Annadurai]].<ref name="toi">{{Cite news |last=Govardan |first=D |date=9 June 2021 |title='Voice' of megastars of Tamil Nadu politics, K Sornam, falls silent |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/voice-of-megastars-of-tamil-nadu-politics-k-sornam-falls-silent/articleshow/83356984.cms |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210611000001/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/voice-of-megastars-of-tamil-nadu-politics-k-sornam-falls-silent/articleshow/83356984.cms |archive-date=11 June 2021 |access-date=10 June 2021 |website=[[The Times of India]]}}</ref>

Sornam went on to enrol in film institute in Chennai, besides becoming the secretary of Tamil Eyal Isai Nadaga Manram, a theatre organisation. Sornam wrote the dialogues for 3 movies starring [[M. G. Ramachandran|MGR]], including ''[[Nam Naadu (1969 film)|Nam Naadu]]'' (1969), ''[[Adimai Penn]]'' (1969) and ''[[Ulagam Sutrum Valiban]]'' (1973).<ref>{{Cite news |last=Guy |first=Randor |author-link=Randor Guy |date=30 April 2016 |title=Ulagam Sutrum Vaaliban (1973) |url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/ulagamsutrum-vaaliban1973/article8541302.ece |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250818151455/https://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/ulagamsutrum-vaaliban1973/article8541302.ece |archive-date=18 August 2025 |access-date=10 June 2021 |work=[[The Hindu]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Guy |first=Randor |author-link=Randor Guy |date=21 September 2013 |title=Aadavantha Deivam (1960) |url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/cinema-columns/aadavantha-deivam-1960/article5153599.ece |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130925235340/http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/cinema-columns/aadavantha-deivam-1960/article5153599.ece |archive-date=25 September 2013 |access-date=10 June 2021 |work=[[The Hindu]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Sri Kantha |first=Sachi |author-link=Sachi Sri Kantha |date=March 17, 2020 |title=MGR Remembered – Part 55 {{!}} Ulagam Suttru Vaaliban [The Globe Trotting Youth] |url=https://sangam.org/mgr-remembered-part-55/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210610235118/https://sangam.org/mgr-remembered-part-55/ |archive-date=10 June 2021 |access-date=10 June 2021 |website=[[Ilankai Tamil Sangam]]}}</ref> He also directed films with actors such as [[Sivakumar]] and [[Kamal Haasan]] in ''[[Thangathile Vairam]]'' (1975), [[R. Muthuraman]]'s ''[[Seer Varisai]]'' (1976), and [[Jaishankar (actor)|Jaishankar]]'s ''[[Aasai Manaivi]]'' (1977).

In 1987, he directed the film ''[[Ore Raththam]]'' featuring [[Karthik (actor)|Karthik]] in the lead role. The film has since garnered attention for marking the acting debut of politician [[M. K. Stalin]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Shekar |first=Anjana |date=26 March 2021 |title=MK Stalin's brief stint with acting: Two films and a TV serial |url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/mk-stalins-brief-stint-acting-two-films-and-tv-serial-145993 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210610235058/https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/mk-stalins-brief-stint-acting-two-films-and-tv-serial-145993 |archive-date=10 June 2021 |access-date=10 June 2021 |website=[[The News Minute]]}}</ref> In the 1990s, Sornam was later the editor-in-charge for the magazine ''Ilaya Suriyan'', that had been created by M. K. Stalin, and regularly served as the political party's voice.<ref name="toi" /><ref>{{Cite news |last1=Katyal |first1=Sugita |last2=Swamy |first2=Prakash M. |date=April 30, 1993 |title=DMK fails to exploit Congress(I)-AIADMK divorce due to rampant infighting within party |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/special-report/story/19930430-dmk-fails-to-exploit-congressi-aiadmk-divorce-due-to-rampant-infighting-within-party-811012-1993-04-30 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210415152726/https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/special-report/story/19930430-dmk-fails-to-exploit-congressi-aiadmk-divorce-due-to-rampant-infighting-within-party-811012-1993-04-30 |archive-date=15 April 2021 |access-date=10 June 2021 |work=[[India Today]]}}</ref>

== Death ==
Sornam died on 8 June 2021, aged 88, due to age-related ailments.<ref name="toi" />

== Partial filmography ==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! rowspan="2" style="width:35px;"| Year
! rowspan="2" style="width:250px;"| Film
! colspan="2" style="width:195px;"| Credited as
! rowspan="2" style="text-align:center; width:250px;" class="unsortable"| Notes
|-
! style="width:65px;" | Director
! width=65 | Writer
|-
| 1960 || ''[[Aada Vandha Deivam]]'' || style="text-align:center;"| {{n}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} ||
|-
| 1969 || ''[[Nam Naadu (1969 film)|Nam Naadu]]'' || style="text-align:center;"| {{n}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} ||
|-
| 1969 || ''[[Adimai Penn]]'' || style="text-align:center;"| {{n}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} ||
|-
| 1971 || ''[[Kumari Kottam]]'' || style="text-align:center;"| {{n}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || screenplay credits
|-
| 1973 || ''[[Ulagam Sutrum Valiban]]'' || style="text-align:center;"| {{n}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} ||
|-
| 1975 || ''[[Thangathile Vairam]]'' || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} ||
|-
| 1976 || ''Nee Oru Maharani'' || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} ||
|-
| 1977 || ''[[Aasai Manaivi]]'' || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} ||
|-
| 1978 || ''Ganga Yamuna Kaveri'' || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} ||
|-
| 1978 || ''[[Seervarisai]]'' || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} ||
|-
| 1978 || ''[[Mela Thalangal]]'' || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} ||
|-
| 1979 || ''Naan Oru Kai Paarkiren'' || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} ||
|-
| 1987 || ''[[Ore Raththam]]'' || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{n}} ||
|}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{IMDb name|10509301|name=Sornam, K.}}

{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sornam, K.}}
[[Category:1933 births]]
[[Category:2021 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian dramatists and playwrights]]
[[Category:Film directors from Chennai]]
[[Category:Place of birth missing]]
[[Category:Screenwriters from Chennai]]
[[Category:Tamil screenwriters]]

K. Sornam - Revision history

ReaganRiordan at 00:14, 6 May 2026