Agathiyan

Agathiyan, a director in his late forties entered films a decade back and struggled as an assistant to various directors. Hailing from a agriculturist family, he spent a happy-go-lucky time in college, and when he decided to pack his bags and come to Chennai to try his luck in films as a director, he lost his family's support. Struggling with no money, he did odd jobs in film companies and became an assistant to anyone who offered him food and shelter.^[4]

He wrote story for Ramarajan starrer Manasukketha Maharasa under the name Karunanidhi Santharam and initially directed a film called Mangalyam Thanthunanena in 1991 and was credited as Ravi Thasan but it was unsuccessful.^[5] Anbalaya Prabhakaran, who acted in that movie and also produces small budgeted films with new directors, gave Ahahtian his second break as a director with Madhumathi, a teenage love story with new faces. The film was a big hit. He was back to where he started, but again fate had bigger things in store for him. Sivasakthi Pandian, a film distributor turned producer, produced Vaanmathi with Ajith and Swathi. The film was a hit. Next came Kadhal Kottai from the same banner and Ahahtian became the toast of the industry. Offers poured in for films.^[6]

In late 2014, he began work on an untitled project produced by Bharathiraja starring Santhosh Prathap, Oviya, Vijayalakshmi and Manoj Bharathiraja, but the film was later shelved.^[7] He has served as jury member at 57th National Film Awards.^[8]

He married Radha in 1978.^[1] His elder daughter Kani (Karthika), host of Makkal TV, is married to film director Thiru.^[9] Kani Thiru is a winner of Vijay TV's Cook With Comali (Season 2). His second daughter Vijayalakshmi Agathiyan is an actress and is married to film director Feroz. His younger daughter Niranjani Ahathian is a costume designer and actress who is married to director Desingh Periyasamy.^{[citation needed]}

• Note: all films are in Tamil, unless otherwise noted.

National Film Awards

• 1997 – Best Direction – Kadhal Kottai
• 1997 – Best Screenplay – Kadhal Kottai
• 1997 – National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil – Kadhal Kottai

Filmfare Awards South

• 1997 – Best Director – Kadhal Kottai

Tamil Nadu State Film Awards

• 1996 – Best Director – Kadhal Kottai