Agathiyan (born 18 August 1952; pronunciation^ⓘ) is an Indian film director, screenwriter, producer, lyricist, and actor.^[2] He was the first director in Tamil cinema to win the National Film Award for Best Direction for Kadhal Kottai (1996).^[3] For the film, he also won National Film Award for Best Screenplay and Filmfare Award for Best Director – Tamil.

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 initially directed movie in 1991 and was credited as Ravi Thasan but it was unsuccessful. 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.^[5]

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.^[6] He have served as jury member at 57th National Film Awards.^[7]

He married Radha in 1978.^[1] His elder daughter Kani (Karthika), host of Makkal TV, is married to film director Thiru.^[8] 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]}

Films

More information Year, Film ...

Year	Film	Credited as				Role	Notes
		Director	Writer	Producer	Actor
1989	Manasukketha Maharasa	N	Y	N	N		Credited as Karunanidhi Santharam in the film
1991	Mangalyam Thanthunane	Y	Y	N	N		Credited as Ravi Thasan in the film
1992	Pondatti Rajyam	N	Y	N	N
1993	Madhumathi	Y	Y	N	N
1996	Vaanmathi	Y	Y	N	N
1996	Kadhal Kottai	Y	Y	N	Y	Cameo
1996	Gokulathil Seethai	Y	Y	N	Y	Cameo
1997	Vidukathai	Y	Y
1998	Santhosham		Y	N	N
1998	Kaadhal Kavithai	Y	Y	N	N
1999	Sirf Tum	Y	Y	N	N		Hindi film
2001	Hum Ho Gaye Aapke	Y	Y	N	N		Hindi film
1999	Poovellam Kettuppar	N	N	N	Y	Himself
2001	Vinnukkum Mannukkum	N	N	N	Y	Cameo
2002	Kadhal Samrajyam	Y	Y	N	N		Unreleased film
2004	Ramakrishna	Y	Y	N	N
2004	Ee Abbai Chala Manchodu	Y	Y	N	N		Telugu film; credited as Agastyan
2005	Selvam	Y	Y	Y	N
2007	Agaram	N	N	N	Y	Thiru's father
2008	Nenjathai Killadhe	Y	Y	N	N
2011	Avargalum Ivargalum	N	N	N	Y
2011	Maithanam	N	N	N	Y
2018	Mr. Chandramouli	N	N	N	Y

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As lyricist

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