AVM Saravanan, veteran producer and pillar of Tamil cinema, dies at 86

AVM Saravanan, one of Tamil cinema’s most respected film producers and the driving force behind the legendary AVM Studios, passed away in the early hours of Thursday. He was 86. Family members said he had been unwell for several months and died at 5.30am at his home inside the AVM Studio campus in Chennai.

Born in 1939, Saravanan grew up in a household where cinema was a way of life. He and his brother M. Balasubramanian joined their father, the iconic AV Meiyappan, in running AVM Productions — one of India’s oldest studios. Saravanan began working in films in the late 1950s and took full charge of the studio after Meiyappan’s death in 1979.

From that point on, he guided AVM into some of its most successful eras. Through the 80s and 90s, the studio produced films that left a lasting mark on Tamil cinema. Many of these projects went on to win major awards, including multiple National Awards, strengthening AVM’s position as a trusted and influential production house.

A producer who shaped stars and stories

Saravanan’s filmography stretches across Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Hindi. Some of his most notable works include Naanum Oru Penn (1963), Samsaram Adhu Minsaram (1986), Minsara Kanavu (1997), Sivaji: The Boss (2007), Vettaikaran (2009), and Ayan (2009). His choices in storytelling and production helped shape the careers of several actors.

Industry veterans often credit him with playing a crucial role in the early journeys of Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan. AVM offered them platforms that helped transform them into household names across the country.

Although AVM reduced its feature film production after 2010, the studio continued to adapt to changing times. In recent years, it shifted its focus to OTT and advertising, maintaining its presence in the evolving entertainment landscape.

Final days and industry grief

Saravanan had been battling age-related health issues and had been unable to walk for nearly two years. After a recent hospital stay, he returned home to the studio premises, where he remained under medical care. His death, coming just a day after his 86th birthday, has left the Tamil film fraternity deeply saddened.

His body will be kept for public homage at AVM Studios until 4pm today. The funeral is scheduled for this evening at the AVM Electric Crematorium.

Condolences have poured in from across the film industry, with many remembering Saravanan as a visionary who balanced tradition and modern thinking, and whose influence on Tamil cinema will endure for generations.