M Saravanan, veteran film producer and the doyen of the iconic AVM Studios in Chennai, passed away at the age of 86 on Thursday (December 4) due to age-related illness. The news about the producer’s death has come as a shock to the members of the film fraternity, fans, and Tamil political leaders.
Earlier today, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin visited the AVM Studios in Chennai and paid his homage to the producer. In a tribute posted on his official X handle, Stalin said that the news of the death of AVM Saravanan deeply saddened him.
“As integral as AVM Studios has been in Tamil cinema’s journey is the contribution of Thiru. Saravanan to the identity of the film studio. He also garnered a lot of goodwill for his father, the late legendary founder of AVM Studios, AV Meiyappan,” said the Chief Minister. “From Anna’s Oar Iravu to Kalaignar’s Parasakthi and Murasoli Maaran’s Kuladeivam, AVM Studios has also played a vital role in the Dravidian movement’s journey in cinema. He became like family to us, and as someone who grew close to our family.”
“When I visited the AVM Heritage Museum in May 2023, he affectionately shared those memories with me,” said Stalin, before expressing his condolences to the producer’s family and friends from the film fraternity.
ALSO READ: Inside the new AVM Heritage Museum in Chennai
Actor and producer Vishal wrote on X, “I remember meeting you as a kid, as an assistant director, as an actor, as a producer, ever since I entered AVM studios, which was a learning ground for me to be what I am today in the film industry. “
“So many memories, and every producer used to look up to you for your sincerity and your dedication personified for not just your films but also for the film industry. I always wanted you and your production house to continue making great films, but today we stand to lose another great film personality in the Indian film industry. Your memories will always linger in our minds, and your films will always be a learning ground for aspiring filmmakers,” he added.
Superstar Rajinikanth, who starred in innumerable films produced by AVM Studios, paid his last respects to Saravanan at the film studio. Speaking to the press, the actor said that Saravanan was a gentleman with a “heart as white as the clothes he wore.”
“He loved cinema wholeheartedly. If you spoke with him for 10 minutes, he would utter the name ‘Appachi’ ten times and remember his father so fondly. He had so much affection for me, and he was my well-wisher. He stood by me whenever I went through a tough time. I have acted in nine films of AVM Studios, and all of them were hits, and Saravanan Sir was the main reason for that.
“Be it Murattu Kaalai, a big-budget film we did in the ‘80s, or the magnum opus Sivaji: The Boss in the 2000s. In fact, we wanted to do a film in the 2020s as well, but that never happened. His loss deeply saddens me, and I pray that his soul rest in peace. I convey my heartfelt condolences to his family,” said the superstar.
Superstar Rajinikanth pays his respects to the mortal remains of M Saravanan at the AVM Studios in Chennai on December 4, 2025
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Veteran actor and producer Kamal Haasan’s debut film, Kalathur Kannamma, and many other films he later starred in, were produced by AVM. The actor paid a heartfelt tribute by sharing a video on his X handle, in which he called Saravanan a father figure. “The bond I share with him is as close as the bond between the Haasan brothers. I was always confused about how I should pay my respects to them, and I realised it after turning 20, that I had to respect them like one would respect their father. So I believe I have a share in the pain that Mr Guhan is going through.
Veteran actor and producer Kamal Haasan’s debut film, Kalathur Kannamma, and many other films he later starred in, were produced by AVM. The actor paid a heartfelt tribute by sharing a video on his X handle, in which he called Saravanan a father figure. “The bond I share with him is as close as the bond between the Haasan brothers. I was always confused about how I should pay my respects to them, and I realised it after turning 20, that I had to respect them like one would respect their father. So I believe I have a share in the pain that Mr Guhan is going through,” said Haasan, adding that he isn’t a lone tree but one among the innumerable saplings that were sown in the garden that is AVM. The veteran then shared that he wishes the third generation of the AVM family to carry forward the legacy of the AVM studios.
Meanwhile, actor and politician Sarath Kumar said, “As a proprietor of a company that produced films across Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi languages, Mr. Saravanan was someone who nurtured generations of talent in the film industry. Having excelled in various administrative roles, including serving as the President of the Indian Film Federation, he greatly contributed to elevating the standards of Tamil cinema. His demise is an irreparable loss to the Tamil film industry.”
Actor Simran called it “a monumental loss for Tamil cinema”
Many actors, including Prabhudheva, Arun Vijay, Keerthy Suresh, and Gautami Tadimalla, among others, paid their tributes on social media.
Meanwhile, actors Suriya, Sivakumar, Mohan Raman, Saravanan (Raatchasan), TV Varadharajan, Cell Murugan, Y Gee Mahendra, Easwari Rao, R Parthipan, Vikram Prabhu, Chinni Jayanth and Karunaas paid their homage to Saravanan’s mortal remains.
Directors VC Guhanathan, Raja (Shankar Guru), Vasanth Sai, K Bhagyaraj, SP Muthuraman, P Vasu, and producers Murali Raman, Vision Time Ramamurthy, Viswanatha Reddy, KT Kunjumon, Swaroop Reddy, Dhananjayan, Murali Ramasamy, and Soundara Pandian also paid their tributes.
Published – December 04, 2025 11:22 am IST
