Samwaterman2016 at 21:56, 3 May 2026

2026-05-03T21:56:01Z

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{{Short description|Indian cinematographer, writer and director}}
{{about||the Indian politician|M. Manikandan (politician)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2020}}
{{Infobox person
|name = M. Manikandan
|image = M Manikandan in February 2018.jpg
|caption = Manikandan in 2018
|years_active = 2010–present
|spouse =
|birth_date =
|birth_place = [[Usilampatti]], [[Madurai district|Madurai]], [[Tamil Nadu]], India
|occupation = {{hlist |[[Cinematographer]] | screenwriter|film director}}
}}

'''M. Manikandan''' is an Indian film [[Film director|director]], [[Screenwriter|writer]], [[Film producer|producer]], and [[cinematographer]] who works in [[Tamil cinema]]. He began his career as an assistant cinematographer in Tamil films. He made his directorial debut with the short film ''Wind'' (2010) and got his breakthrough in feature films like ''[[Kaaka Muttai]]'' (2015), which won the [[National Film Award for Best Children's Film]]. In 2022, he produced the film [[Kadaisi Vivasaayi|''Kadaisi Vivasayi'']], for which he received the [[National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil]].

==Biography==
Manikandan was born into a family of police officers in [[Usilampatti]], [[Madurai district|Madurai District]], [[Tamil Nadu]].<ref name="Akila2">{{cite news |last1=Kannadasan |first1=Akila |date=26 May 2015 |title=It's sure to make viewers crow with joy |url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/its-sure-to-make-viewers-crow-with-joy/article7247910.ece |accessdate=4 September 2016 |work=[[The Hindu]]}}</ref> Due to his father's frequent transfers, Manikandan's family frequently moved. After completing his schooling, he did his diploma in [[Automotive engineering|automobile engineering]].<ref name="IFFLA2">{{cite web |title=The Crow's Egg |url=http://www.indianfilmfestival.org/the-crows-egg/ |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20161014025553/http://www.indianfilmfestival.org/the-crows-egg/ |archivedate=14 October 2016 |accessdate=4 September 2016 |publisher=Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles}}</ref> He developed an interest in photography and started his career as a [[Wedding photography|wedding photographer]].<ref name="IT2">{{cite web |last1=Singh |first1=Suhani |date=2 June 2015 |title=M Manikandan talks about his national award winning film Kaakka Muttai |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/regional-cinema/story/kaakka-muttai-m-manikandan-tamil-film-national-awards-best-childrens-film-best-child-actors-255192-2015-06-02 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160916093040/http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/kaakka-muttai-m-manikandan-tamil-film-national-awards-best-childrens-film-best-child-actors/1/441685.html |archive-date=16 September 2016 |access-date=4 September 2016 |website=[[India Today]]}}</ref> During this time, he also designed [[Identity document|identification cards]] for schools and colleges to save money for a digital photography course at the Mindscreen Film Institute, a film school managed by director and cinematographer [[Rajiv Menon]].<ref name="Akila2" />

In the mid-2000s, he started his film career as an assistant cinematographer in Tamil films. During this time, he co-wrote several scripts for short films. He got his major break with the short film ''Wind'' (2010), his directorial debut. The film brought him critical acclaim and was screened in several film festivals.<ref name="IFFLA2" /> The film caught the attention of Tamil film director [[Vetrimaaran]], who helped him produce ''[[Kaaka Muttai]]'' (2015), his feature film debut. The film revolves around two slum-dwelling kids whose solitary desire in life is to taste a [[pizza]].<ref name="Akila2" /> The film premiered at the [[2014 Toronto International Film Festival]] and was released theatrically in June 2015. At the [[62nd National Film Awards]], it won two honours – [[National Film Award for Best Children's Film|Best Children's Film]] and [[National Film Award for Best Child Artist|Best Child Artist]].<ref>{{cite web |title=National Film Awards – 2014 |url=http://dff.nic.in/NFA20143D/NFA2014.html |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160623030842/http://dff.nic.in/NFA20143D/NFA2014.html |archivedate=23 June 2016 |accessdate=4 September 2016 |publisher=[[Directorate of Film Festivals]] |page=59}}</ref> The film won the Audience Award for Best Feature at the [[Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles|13th Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Dore |first=Shalini |date=13 April 2015 |title='Chauranga' Wins Top Prize at Indian Film Festival Los Angeles |url=https://variety.com/2015/film/festivals/chauranga-wins-top-prize-at-indian-film-festival-los-angeles-1201471412/ |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160321174014/http://variety.com/2015/film/festivals/chauranga-wins-top-prize-at-indian-film-festival-los-angeles-1201471412/ |archivedate=21 March 2016 |accessdate=4 September 2016 |website=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]}}</ref>

In 2021, Manikandan signed [[Ilaiyaraaja]] for the songs and background score for his film ''[[Kadaisi Vivasayi]]'',<ref>{{cite news |date=15 November 2021 |title=Manikandan's Kadaisi Vivasayi to Have Ilaiyaraaja's Music; Film in Theatres Soon |url=https://www.news18.com/news/movies/manikandans-kadaisi-vivasayi-to-have-ilaiyaraajas-music-film-in-theatres-soon-4445876.html |access-date=4 December 2021 |publisher=[[News 18]]}}</ref> but later he replaced Ilaiyaraaja with [[Santhosh Narayanan]] as he was not satisfied with the background score of the veteran composer,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Lakshmi |first1=V |date=4 May 2020 |title=Santhosh to compose for Kadaisi Vivasayi instead of Ilaiyaraaja? |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/music/santhosh-to-compose-for-kadaisi-vivasayi-instead-of-ilaiyaraaja/articleshow/74458438.cms |access-date=4 December 2021 |work=[[The Times of India]]}}</ref> prompting Ilaiyaraaja to lodge a complaint against the director with the Music Composers Association of India.<ref>{{cite news |date=2 December 2021 |title=Ilaiyaraaja lodges complaint against 'Kadaisi Vivasayi' director |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/videos/entertainment/regional/tamil/ilaiyaraaja-lodges-complaint-against-kadaisi-vivasayi-director/videoshow/88057194.cms |access-date=14 December 2021 |work=[[The Times of India]]}}</ref> The film won the [[National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil|National Film Award for the Best Feature Film in Tamil]] at the [[69th National Film Awards]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2023-08-24 |title=69th National Film Awards 2023 Complete Winners List: Rocketry, Alia Bhatt, Kriti Sanon, Allu Arjun Win Big |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/69th-national-film-awards-2023-winners-list-8907028/ |access-date=2024-02-19 |website=[[The Indian Express]] |language=en}}</ref>

In February 2024, thieves broke into Manikandan's second home in Usilampatti, stealing money, gold, and silver. The incident received international attention when the burglars returned days later to anonymously return Manikandan's 2022 National Film Award for ''Kadaisi Vivasaayi''.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Raj |first=Suhasini |last2=Mashal |first2=Mujib |date=2024-02-17 |title=Burglars Hit Movie Director’s Home, Then Deliver a Cinematic Plot Twist |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/17/world/asia/india-burglars-medal-return.html |access-date=2024-02-19 |work=[[The New York Times]] |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

==Filmography==

===Film===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|- style="text-align:center;"
! scope=col| Year
! scope=col| Film
! scope=col| Director
! scope=col| Writer
! scope=col| Cinematographer
! scope=col| Notes
|-
| 2010 || ''Wind'' || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || Short film<ref>{{cite web|last=Singh|first=Suhani|title=M Manikandan talks about his national award winning film Kaakka Muttai|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/regional-cinema/story/kaakka-muttai-m-manikandan-tamil-film-national-awards-best-childrens-film-best-child-actors-255192-2015-06-02|website=[[India Today]]|date=2 June 2015|access-date=7 November 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161104222718/http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/kaakka-muttai-m-manikandan-tamil-film-national-awards-best-childrens-film-best-child-actors/1/441685.html|archive-date=4 November 2016}}</ref>
|-
| 2015 || ''[[Kaaka Muttai]]'' || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || [[National Film Award for Best Children's Film]]<br/>[[Ananda Vikatan Cinema Awards|Ananda Vikatan Cinema Award for Best Director]]<br/>[[Ananda Vikatan Cinema Awards|Ananda Vikatan Cinema Award for Best Story]]<ref>{{cite web |date=7 June 2016 |title=Nominations for the 63rd Britannia Filmfare Awards (South) |url=http://www.filmfare.com/features/nominations-of-the-63rd-britannia-filmfare-awards-south-13750.html |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170704080341/http://www.filmfare.com/features/nominations-of-the-63rd-britannia-filmfare-awards-south-13750.html |archivedate=4 July 2017 |accessdate=4 September 2016 |website=[[Filmfare]]}}</ref>
|-
| 2015 || ''[[Kirumi]]'' || {{no}} || {{yes}} || {{no}} ||
|-
| rowspan="2" |2016 || ''[[Kuttrame Thandanai]]'' || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} ||
|-
| ''[[Aandavan Kattalai (2016 film)|Aandavan Kattalai]]'' || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{no}} ||
|-
| 2022 || ''[[Kadaisi Vivasaayi]]'' || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} ||Served as producer
[[National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil]]<br/>[[68th Filmfare Awards South|Filmfare Award South for Best Film (Critics')]]
|}

===Television===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|- style="text-align:center;"
! scope=col| Year
! scope=col| Title
! scope=col| Director
! scope=col| Writer
! scope=col| Notes
|-
| 2026 || style="background:#FFFFCC;" | ''Muthu Engira Kaattaan''|| colspan="2" {{yes}} || <ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/regional-cinema/story/vijay-sethupathi-new-jiohotstar-series-kaattaan-suspense-gripping-narrative-2833750-2025-12-10 |title=Kaattaan glimpse: Fierce Vijay Sethupathi slashes a man's throat in new show |work=[[India Today]] |date=12 December 2025}}</ref>
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb name|id=6717590}}
{{M. Manikandan}}
{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Manikandan, M.}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Film directors from Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Indian male screenwriters]]
[[Category:Tamil film directors]]
[[Category:Tamil screenwriters]]
[[Category:Tamil cinematographers]]
[[Category:Cinematographers from Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:People from Madurai district]]
[[Category:Screenwriters from Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian dramatists and playwrights]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian photographers]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian male writers]]
[[Category:Directors who won the Best Children's Film National Film Award]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian screenwriters]]

M. Manikandan - Revision history

Samwaterman2016 at 21:56, 3 May 2026