He went on to work as an assistant director for Minsara Kanavu (1997), in which he also appeared in a cameo role. His mother insisted that he become an ad filmmaker by shooting various commercials and he took an apprenticeship under filmmaker Rajiv Menon.
During the period, he was inspired by films such as Dead Poets Society (1989) and Nayakan (1987) and expressed his desire to his parents to change his career path and become a filmmaker. Menon's time at university inspired him to write the lead roles of Minnale, Vaaranam Aayiram, Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa, Neethaane En Ponvasantham and Enai Noki Paayum Thota who were students in the same course. He can speak Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi, fluently.įilm career Early work, 2001 He then earned a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from Mookambigai College of Engineering, Pudukkottai. Menon did his schooling at the Madras Christian College Higher Secondary School. Although born in Kerala, he grew up in Anna Nagar, Chennai. Menon was born to a Malayali father Vasudeva Menon and a Tamil mother Uma on 25 February 1973 in Ottapalam, a town in the Palakkad district of Kerala.
2.5 Return to action genre, 2015–present.2.4 Romance and experimentation, 2010–2014.His production Thanga Meengal (2013) won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil. Menon produces films through his film production company named Photon Kathaas. Vaaranam Aayiram won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil. Many of his films have been both critically and commercially acclaimed, most notably his romantic films Minnale (2001), Vaaranam Aayiram (2008), Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa (2010), his action thrillers Kaakha Kaakha (2003), Vettaiyaadu Vilaiyaadu (2006), Yennai Arindhaal (2015) and his gangster drama Vendhu Thanindhathu Kaadu (2022). He has also directed Telugu and Hindi films that either simultaneously shot with or remakes of his own Tamil films. Gautham Vasudev Menon (born 25 February 1973) is an Indian film director, screenwriter, producer and actor who predominantly works in Tamil film industry.