# Suresh Sangaiah
**Suresh Sangaiah** (Tamil: சுரேஷ் சங்கையா) was an Indian film director and screenwriter who worked primarily in the Tamil film industry. He made his directorial debut in 2017 with the drama *Oru Kidayin Karunai Manu* (ஒரு கிடாயின் கருணை மனு, roughly "A Goat's Plea for Mercy"), which he also wrote, and he died on November 15, 2024, in Chennai.[1](https://chennaifilmfest.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/festival-book.pdf) • [2](https://technosports.co.in/suresh-sangaiah-remembering-the-visionary-tamil/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Profession | Indian film director and screenwriter, primarily in Tamil cinema[1](https://chennaifilmfest.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/festival-book.pdf) |
| Debut | *Oru Kidayin Karunai Manu* (2017), which he wrote, scripted, and directed[1](https://chennaifilmfest.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/festival-book.pdf) • [3](https://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movies/oru-kidayin-karunai-manu/oru-kidayin-karunai-manu-review.html) |
| Release | 2 June 2017; produced by Eros International; runtime 2 hours, censor rating U[3](https://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movies/oru-kidayin-karunai-manu/oru-kidayin-karunai-manu-review.html) |
| Festival premiere | 17th New York Indian Film Festival, April 2017[4](https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/2017/May/29/oru-kidayin-karunai-manu--festival-focus-1610088.html) |
| Lead cast | Vidharth and dubbing artiste Raveena Ravi in her acting debut[4](https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/2017/May/29/oru-kidayin-karunai-manu--festival-focus-1610088.html) |
| Later credits | Story writer for *Sathiya Sothanai* (2023) and *Kenatha Kanom* (listed for 13 March 2026)[5](https://www.filmibeat.com/celebs/suresh-sangaiah/upcoming-movies.html) |
| Death | 15 November 2024, Chennai[2](https://technosports.co.in/suresh-sangaiah-remembering-the-visionary-tamil/) |
## Oru Kidayin Karunai Manu
Sangaiah's debut film is set in a village in [Tamil Nadu](https://www.edgepedia.org/tamil-nadu) and draws on what he had witnessed growing up near Rajapalayam, including traditions such as head tonsuring (ritual shaving of the head, a Hindu devotion act), ear piercing, and animal sacrifice at temples.[6](https://silverscreenindia.com/movies/interviews/interview-with-oru-kidayin-karunai-manu-director-suresh-sangaiah) The plot follows a family that nurtures a goat with the intention of sacrificing it at a village temple; the animal, unaware of its fate, travels with a large group of relatives to the ceremony, and the story turns when a death on the journey forces the villagers into a cover-up.[6](https://silverscreenindia.com/movies/interviews/interview-with-oru-kidayin-karunai-manu-director-suresh-sangaiah) • [7](https://www.dinamalar.com/cinemareview/2306) Sangaiah described the film as neither a serious drama nor a satire but "an entertaining story that happens in a village," and said he did not dwell on the morality of animal sacrifice.[6](https://silverscreenindia.com/movies/interviews/interview-with-oru-kidayin-karunai-manu-director-suresh-sangaiah) • [4](https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/2017/May/29/oru-kidayin-karunai-manu--festival-focus-1610088.html)
**Ensemble structure.** The film contains around 40 characters, all given roughly equal weight, and Sangaiah said he built not only the village but each of its characters with individual quirks.[4](https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/2017/May/29/oru-kidayin-karunai-manu--festival-focus-1610088.html) • [6](https://silverscreenindia.com/movies/interviews/interview-with-oru-kidayin-karunai-manu-director-suresh-sangaiah) He told the press that the film's theme was unity, a quality he felt was fading as families that once traveled together to temple festivals now attended in small groups or as individuals.[4](https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/2017/May/29/oru-kidayin-karunai-manu--festival-focus-1610088.html) The opening scenes are shot from the goat's point of view, an idea conceived with cinematographer R. V. Saran, and the [Behindwoods](https://www.edgepedia.org/behindwoods) review board rated the film 3 out of 5, calling it "an enjoyable experimental film in a rural backdrop."[3](https://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movies/oru-kidayin-karunai-manu/oru-kidayin-karunai-manu-review.html)
**Casting.** Vidharth was cast on the suggestion of Sangaiah's mentor, the director Manikandan (known for *Kaaka Muttai*), because Sangaiah needed an actor who looked about 35 years old. For the heroine he chose Raveena Ravi, a dubbing artiste who agreed to appear without make-up and to resemble a simple village girl; Sangaiah valued her command of spoken Tamil and her experience in voice performance.[6](https://silverscreenindia.com/movies/interviews/interview-with-oru-kidayin-karunai-manu-director-suresh-sangaiah)
## Path into filmmaking
Sangaiah conceived the story before he began working with Manikandan and approached him with it; Manikandan asked for a bound script. While the two were working on *Kuttrame Thandanai*, that project brought Vidharth into contact with Sangaiah. Manikandan was originally set to produce Sangaiah's first film, but the plan fell through, and he instead helped bring [Eros International](https://www.edgepedia.org/eros-international) on board as distributor by showing them the film.[6](https://silverscreenindia.com/movies/interviews/interview-with-oru-kidayin-karunai-manu-director-suresh-sangaiah) After screenings at international festivals, some of which required the film to be unreleased, *Oru Kidayin Karunai Manu* reached theaters on 2 June 2017.[4](https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/2017/May/29/oru-kidayin-karunai-manu--festival-focus-1610088.html)
## Later career
In November 2017, The New Indian Express reported that Sangaiah would helm a film starring [Samuthirakani](https://www.edgepedia.org/samuthirakani), again produced by Eros International, on a larger budget and in a different genre from his debut.[8](https://www.newindianexpress.com/tamil/2017/Nov/06/suresh-sangaiah--to-team-up-with-samuthirakani-1693893.html) Filmibeat's filmography credits him as story writer on *Sathiya Sothanai*, released 21 July 2023, and lists *Kenatha Kanom*, credited to him as story writer with a release date of 13 March 2026.[5](https://www.filmibeat.com/celebs/suresh-sangaiah/upcoming-movies.html)
Sangaiah died on November 15, 2024, in Chennai, at which point his screen credit was still attached to the announced *Kenatha Kanom* project.[2](https://technosports.co.in/suresh-sangaiah-remembering-the-visionary-tamil/) • [5](https://www.filmibeat.com/celebs/suresh-sangaiah/upcoming-movies.html)
## References
1. [Chennai International Film Festival book (2017): Suresh Sangaiah biography](https://chennaifilmfest.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/festival-book.pdf)
2. [Suresh Sangaiah: Remembering the Visionary Tamil Filmmaker Behind Oru Kidayin Karunai Manu, TechnoSports](https://technosports.co.in/suresh-sangaiah-remembering-the-visionary-tamil/)
3. [Oru Kidayin Karunai Manu review, Behindwoods](https://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movies/oru-kidayin-karunai-manu/oru-kidayin-karunai-manu-review.html)
4. [Oru Kidayin Karunai Manu: Festival Focus, The New Indian Express (29 May 2017)](https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/2017/May/29/oru-kidayin-karunai-manu--festival-focus-1610088.html)
5. [Suresh Sangaiah filmography, Filmibeat](https://www.filmibeat.com/celebs/suresh-sangaiah/upcoming-movies.html)
6. [Talking From Experience: Interview With Suresh Sangaiah, Silverscreen India (1 June 2017)](https://silverscreenindia.com/movies/interviews/interview-with-oru-kidayin-karunai-manu-director-suresh-sangaiah)
7. [ஒரு கிடாயின் கருணை மனு விமர்சனம், Dinamalar](https://www.dinamalar.com/cinemareview/2306)
8. [Suresh Sangaiah to team up with Samuthirakani, The New Indian Express (November 2017)](https://www.newindianexpress.com/tamil/2017/Nov/06/suresh-sangaiah--to-team-up-with-samuthirakani-1693893.html)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Film and television directors › Directors of South Asia*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 11, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license