Veteran Indian actor-filmmaker K Bhagyaraj, known as Screenplay King, dead at age 73

The highly acclaimed Indian filmmaker K Bhagyaraj has died at the age of 73 due to a heart attack. Affectionately called The Screenplay King, K Bhagyaraj had written, directed and starred in numerous movies in a career spanning five decades.

These include classics like 1983's Mundhanai Mudichu (for which he won the Filmfare Award for best Tamil actor), as well as 1992's Sundara Kandam, which nabbed him the Cinema Express Award for best story writer.

The Tamil cinema icon, whose full name is Krishnaswamy Bhagyaraj, had reportedly suffered a heart attack at his home in Chennai on Saturday (Jun 27) morning. He was then rushed to the hospital after losing consciousness and died later that day.

Tributes have since poured in from both Kollywood and Bollywood stars. Actor Raghava Lawrence, 49, wrote that he was "deeply saddened" by Bhagyaraj's death.

"His contribution to cinema is unforgettable, and his work has inspired generations. This is a great loss to the film industry," wrote Lawrence.

Bollywood star Anil Kapoor – who starred in numerous Hindi adaptations of Bhagyaraj's works, including 1985's Mohabbat – penned a heartfelt tribute in which he lauded Bhagyaraj as a "creative genius whose contributions to Indian cinema go far beyond what many people know".

"We adapted his stories for Hindi audiences, but the true creator was always him. His writing touched countless lives and careers, mine included. He helped shape the journeys of actors, filmmakers and producers across generations, often without receiving the recognition he truly deserved," wrote Kapoor.

K Bhagyaraj's funeral was held on Sunday in Chennai with full state honours. Among those who paid their respects were politicians and actors, including Tamil Nadu chief minister Vijay and actor Rajinikanth.