Chennai, 4 Dec

Veteran film producer and iconic AVM Studios owner M Saravanan passed away in Chennai on Thursday due to age-related ailments, sources said. He was 86.

His mortal remains have been placed at AVM Studios for the public to pay homage. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin visited the studio and paid his respects. Later on social media, the CM remembered Saravanan as someone who “carried himself with virtues of tranquility and simplicity,” while also highlighting how AVM became a cultural force under his leadership.

“AVM Productions has a long-standing connection with the cinematic journey of the Dravidian movement from the great scholar Annadurai’s ‘Oar Iravu’ to Kalaignar’s ‘Parasakthi’, to Murasoli Maran’s ‘Kuladeivam’... AVM Saravanan was someone who grew close and mingled intimately with our family,” Stalin said.

Saravanan, popularly known as AVM Saravanan, took charge of the studio established by his father A V Meiyappan in 1946, after his father’s demise in 1979. Under his stewardship, AVM remained one of Indian cinema’s most influential production houses, producing major films in Tamil, Telugu, Hindi and other languages.

Along with his brother M Balasubramanian, Saravanan shaped commercial Tamil cinema through films such as ‘Naanum Oru Penn’ (1963) and ‘Samsaram Adhu Minsaram’ (1986), both of which earned wide acclaim. Their banner also played a pivotal role in the careers of legendary stars.

Rajinikanth’s first collaboration with AVM, ‘Murattu Kaalai’ (1980), emerged the highest-grossing Tamil film of its time, cementing the actor’s rise to superstardom. “He gave me a huge hit in ‘Murattu Kaalai’ in 1980s and then again in 2020, in ‘Sivaji: The Boss’. He really loved films… That never came to be,” Rajinikanth said after paying tribute.

Actor Kamal Haasan too began his journey with AVM as a child artist in ‘Kalathur Kannamma’ (1960), a film that won him the National Award for Best Child Actor.

Actor Sivakumar, also among those who paid homage, said, “He lived for 86 years and he lived a fulfilling life. He rose up as a huge producer.”

AVM expanded over time into television content and modern media formats while maintaining the iconic Chennai studio as a major production hub. Saravanan also served as Sheriff of Madras in 1986. He is survived by his son, producer M S Guhan.

The Tamil Film Producers Council described his passing as akin to “the fall of a banyan tree,” underscoring his towering contribution to Indian cinema.