Legendary Producer M Saravanan passes away at the age of 86
The South Indian film fraternity is mourning the loss of legendary producer M. Saravanan, the esteemed patriarch and custodian of the iconic AVM Productions.
Popularly known as AVM Saravanan, he passed away in Chennai this morning at the age of 86 due to age-related health issues and complications, as confirmed by family sources.
AVM Saravanan was instrumental in shaping modern Tamil cinema. As the son of AVM Productions founder A. V. Meiyappan, he joined the studio in 1958 and took over the leadership in 1979, becoming the owner of the historic AVM Studios.
His decades-long commitment to filmmaking resulted in a stellar body of work, supervising over 300 films across Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, and Hindi languages. His tenure is famously associated with producing classics and blockbusters that launched and sustained the careers of cinematic giants, from MGR and Sivaji Ganesan to Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan.
Saravanan’s filmography is marked by critical and commercial success, including multiple National Film Award-winning productions and two Filmfare Awards South for Best Film (Tamil).
His influence extended beyond the silver screen; his revered public stature was highlighted by his service as the Sheriff of Madras in 1986.
The rich cinematic heritage he built is now continued by his son, producer M. S. Guhan. The loss of AVM Saravanan marks the end of a golden era of Indian filmmaking.