Rajinikanth breaks down remembering late producer AVM Saravanan, calls his loss ‘deeply personal’ at emotional tribute event

Rajinikanth pays tribute to late producer AVM Saravanan

• Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan paid emotional tributes to producer AVM Saravanan
• Rajinikanth remembered Saravanan's advice to stay active and make one film annually.
• Tamil cinema icon Saravanan dies at 86 on Dec 4, 2025.

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Producer AVM Saravanan passed away earlier this month. His demise has left Rajinikanth with a profound personal hole despite decades of success and notoriety.

Several prominent names from the entertainment industry attended the unveiling of Saravanan’s portrait at AV Meiyappan Higher Secondary School in Virugambakkam, Chennai.

During the event, Rajinikanth broke down in tears while recalling his bond with Saravanan and AVM Studios.

The actor said, “I have done 11 films with him. Saravanan was someone who delivered many successes while sitting right there in his office. Beyond cinema, he was very close to me personally.”

Rajinikanth also shared a piece of advice from the late producer that continues to guide him.

He recalled, “As my age increased after Sivaji (2007), he told me that one should remain busy. He advised me to do at least one film every year. Even now, I follow that advice.”

The veteran actor also shared the emotional impact of Saravanan’s passing. He said, “Time tends to take away people we like, respect and love quickly. Even if you have a lot of money, a good family, name or fame, when such people leave, you feel orphaned. Saravanan sir was a great man, may his soul rest in peace.”

Kamal Haasan also paid tribute to the producer Saravanan. He said, “If I am called a Sakalakala Vallavan (master of many arts), then he (AVM Saravanan) too was a Sakalakala Vallavan. I feel great pride in being closely associated with the AVM family. I thank them for giving me that honour.”

Kamal Haasan recalled his formative years with the AVM institution and said, “This AVM Higher Secondary School wasn’t built back then. If it had been, I would have studied here. When I made mistakes, he never shouted at me, but when I did something good, he lifted me up and celebrated me, that was AVM Saravanan."

For the unversed, famous Tamil producer Saravanan Surya Mani, popularly known as AVM Saravanan, died just a few days after turning 86, on December 4, 2025.

Also Read: Bharathiraja hospitalised in Chennai: Doctors say veteran filmmaker is stable after severe lung infection

Both Kamal Haasan and Rajinikanth have extensive professional ties to AVM Studios. By placing Rajinikanth with Rati Agnihotri in Murattu Kaalai (1980), a movie that helped establish him as a superstar, Saravanan and his brother M Balasubramanian significantly influenced Rajinikanth's career.

In contrast, Kamal Haasan started his career in film as a young actor in Kalathur Kannamma (1960), where he won the President's Gold Medal—now known as the National Award for Best Child Actor.