Cheran (born Cheran Pandiyan, 12 December 1970 in Pazhaiyurpatti near Melur, Madurai, Tamil Nadu) is an Indian film director, producer, actor, and lyricist known for his realistic, socially resonant Tamil cinema. The son of a cinema projector operator and a primary school teacher, he harboured a childhood dream of working in films and eventually moved to Chennai to pursue it. He began his career as a production manager and assistant director, working under K.S. Ravikumar on Puriyaadha Pudhir and as associate director on Mahanadi (1994) with Kamal Haasan. He made his directorial debut with Bharathi Kannamma (1997), which won him a Filmfare Award for Best Director in Tamil, and followed it with Porkkaalam (1997) and the commercially successful village-drama series Pandavar Bhoomi (2001) and Vetri Kodi Kattu (2000) - the latter winning the National Film Award for Best Film on Other Social Issues. His masterpiece Autograph (2004), a semi-autobiographical romantic drama in which he also starred, won multiple National Awards and was screened four times at the Montreal World Film Festival. Thavamai Thavamirundhu (2005) won him a further National Award. A four-time National Film Award winner in total, he has also established himself as an actor and producer. In 2019, he participated in Bigg Boss Tamil Season 3 as a contestant, receiving the 'Most Disciplined Housemate' award from host Kamal Haasan before being evicted in week 13.
Directing National Award-winning Tamil films Vetri Kodi Kattu (2000), Autograph (2004), and Thavamai Thavamirundhu (2005); his semi-autobiographical masterpiece Autograph, which was screened four times at the Montreal World Film Festival.
