K. Balachander; born July 9, 1930, is an Indian film director, screenwriter and producer. Balachander is known for his distinct film-making style. His films analyse unusual or complicated interpersonal relationships and social themes. He has directed nearly 80 films and has worked in 100 films either as director or writer. In his career, he has mainly contributed to the Tamil film industry and is credited with having introduced hundreds of actors and technicians in Tamil Cinema including Kamal Hassan, Rajinikanth, Prakash Raj and Vivek. He also owns a production house named Kavithalaya Productions. Besides Tamil cinema, he has directed films in Telugu, Hindi and Kannada languages and occasionally worked as an actor and in television as well.

Balachander has won multiple awards at the National Film Awards and Filmfare Awards South. He was honored with the Padma Shri, India's fourth highest civilian award in 1987, and is also a recipient of the ANR National Award from the Government of Andhra Pradesh. In 2010, Balachander was conferred with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, India's highest award in cinema for his contribution to arts. He also holds an Honorary doctorate. He is popularly referred to as Iyakkunar Sikaram (English: (lit.) The top director) in Kollywood.

Kamal Haasan (born 7 November 1954) is an Indian film actor, screenwriter, producer and director, considered to be one of the leading method actors of Indian cinema. He is widely acclaimed as an actor and is well known for his versatility in acting. Kamal Haasan has won several Indian film awards, including four National Film Awards and numerous Filmfare Awards, and is known for having starred in the largest number of films submitted by India in contest for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. In addition to acting, screenwriting and directing, he has also featured in films as a songwriter, playback singer and choreographer. His film production company, Rajkamal International, has produced several of his films. In 1990, he was awarded the Padma Shri for his contributions to Indian cinema. Kamal Haasan is also a recipient of an Honorary doctorate by Sathyabama University. In 2009, he became one of very few Indian actors to have completed 50 years in cinema.

After several projects as a child artist, Kamal Haasan's breakthrough into lead acting came with his role in the 1975 drama Apoorva Raagangal, in which he played a rebellious youth in love with an older woman. He secured his second Indian National Film Award for his portrayal of a guileless school teacher who tends a child-like amnesiac in 1982's Moondram Pirai. He was particularly noted for his performance in Mani Ratnam's Godfatheresque Tamil film Nayagan (1987), which was ranked by Time magazine as one of the best films of all time. Since then he has gone on to appear in other notable films such as Anbe Sivam and his own productions, Hey Ram and Virumaandi, as well as Dasavathaaram, in which he appeared in ten distinct roles.

Balanathan "Balu" Mahendran (born 20 May 1939 in Batticaloa, Sri Lanka) is an Indian filmmaker, screenwriter, and cinematographer widely regarded as part of the first in a wave of directors and screenwriters from the Chennai film industry who revitalized Tamil cinema. He initially developed an early interest in photography.

A cinematography graduate and a gold medalist from the FTII in Pune. He started his film career as a cameraman for the Malayalam film Nellu in 1974, which earned him the best cinematographer award from the Government of Kerala. He has been chosen as the best cinematographer for as many as ten films. He pioneered innovative camera style for colour in South India. He has won five National Film Awards and three Filmfare Awards South for Best Director.

Balu's first film as a director was Kokila, a Kannada film, which earned him a National Film Award. Azhiyadha Kolangal (1979) was his first directorial venture in Tamil. He is considered as one of the few film makers in Tamil who can tell a story visually. He writes the script for his films, handles the camera and edits the film himself, thus retaining a firm control over his creative output. He mentioned in an interview to Anu Hassan on Koffee with Anu that he was inspired to become a director at a very young age when he saw David Lean directing the movie The Bridge on the River Kwai during a school field trip in Sri Lanka.

Lakshmi Ramakrishnan is an Indian actress and director. She made her debut in the Malayalam film Chakkara Muthu (2006), and has since appeared primarily in supporting roles in Tamil films.

Lakshmi Ramakrishnan has lived in the Gulf from 1985 to 2005, where she conducted programs for women and children. She returned to India and directed six short films. Director A. K. Lohithadas wanted to use Lakshmi's house for shooting his Malayalam film Chakkara Muthu (2006) and offered her a supporting role in the film.Karu Pazhaniappan's Pirivom Santhippom (2008), in which she played the mother of Sneha's character was her first Tamil film, following which she essayed supporting roles in numerous films. She portrayed an angry mother who wants to avenge her daughter's death in Mysskin's Yuddham Sei (2011), and received rave reviews. She also tonsured her head for the "once-in-a-lifetime role". In 2012, she completed her first feature film Arokanam. She is doing a serial in STAR VIJAY name 'Aval'