CHENNAI: Veteran script writer, director and actor Vietnam Veedu Sundaram (76) who has worked for more than 350 films in Tamil, Telugu and Hindi died here today in the wee hours, after a brief illness. He is survived by his wife Chella (74) and two daughters.
Sundaram won the Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Dialogue Writer for his magnum opus, Vietnam Veedu in 1970. He also won the Arignar Anna Award in the Tamil Nadu State Film Honorary Award in 1991.
The emotional script of Sundaram blended with Sivaji Ganesan’s brilliance acting made Vietnam Veedu a big hit and from then on, he became Vietnam Veedu Sundaram. He has written script for hundreds of films including the Andhaa Kaanoon, Rajinikant starrer. Sundaram has directed Gauravam (1973), one of the hit films of Sivaji Ganesan, Devi Karumari Amman (1974), a KR Vijaya starrer, and Gnana Paravai, another Sivaji Ganesan hit. Sundaram has worked many popular stars including M. G. Ramachandran,Sivaji Ganesan, Rajinikanth, Kamal Hassan, K. R. Vijaya, Sathyaraj and Karthik.