AVM Saravanan Dies A Day After 86th Birthday, Mortal Remains Placed At AVM Studios For Final Respect

Tamil cinema has just lost one of its brightest stars. On Thursday morning, December 4, 2025, Kollywood woke up to the heartbreaking news of the death of legendary producer AVM Saravanan. The veteran producer was the man behind one of India’s most iconic film banners, known for producing films like Sivaji: The Boss and Sonthakkara. 

AVM Saravanan celebrated his 86th birthday hours before his death

On December 3, 2025, AVM Studios celebrated the 86th birthday of its torchbearer, AVM Saravanan. None would have imagined that only hours later, the producer would leave this world. According to reports, Saravanan died in the early hours of December 4, 2025, around 5:30 a.m., due to age-related ailments. He had reportedly been undergoing treatment for several months.

AVM Saravanan’s mortal remains have been placed on the third floor of his beloved AVM Studios, where he will be kept for public homage until 3:30 p.m. The studio that once buzzed with his film shoots now serves as the place where friends, colleagues, and fans gather to say their final goodbye. Tamil Nadu's Chief Minister M. K. Stalin and several political and film personalities have already paid their respects.

Remembering AVM Saravanan, the producer who redefined Kollywood pop culture

M Saravanan (born 1939) was the son of AV Meiyappan, the pioneering founder of AVM Productions. In the late 1950s, he joined his brother, M Balasubramanian, in the family business and accelerated the studio’s growth across multiple eras of Tamil and Indian cinema.

It was under Saravanan’s leadership that AVM Studios delivered some of the region's legendary hits that redefined pop culture. From early classics such as Nandakumar (1937), Sabapathy (1941), and Naam Iruvar (1947) to later landmarks such as Andha Naal (1954) and Naanum Oru Penn (1963), the banner became synonymous with quality and mass appeal.

M Saravanan’s production legacy is credited with the rise of genre-defining stars throughout the 80s, 90s, and 2000s. His extensive body of work includes films like Samsaram Adhu Minsaram (1986), a landmark Tamil drama,  Mella Thirandhathu Kadhavu (1986), Anbulla Appa (1987), Minsara Kanavu (1997), Rajinikanth’s mega-hit Sivaji: The Boss (2007), Vijay’s Vettaikaran (2009), and Suriya’s blockbuster Ayan (2009), among many others. Beyond his artistic legacy, Saravanan had also briefly served as the Sheriff of Madras in 1986.

Who is in Saravanan’s family?

Saravanan is survived by his son, MS Guhan, a well-known producer himself who worked with his father on films like Sivaji: The Boss and Ayan. While little is known about the late producer’s wife, we do know that his surviving family, including his granddaughters, Aruna and Aparna Guhan, remain actively involved with AVM Studios. Aruna currently serves as the creative director and partner of AVM Productions and often shares memories from the banner’s cinematic past on her social media.

The industry mourns the death of AVM Saravanan

Saravanan’s death has hit the Tamil film industry like a bag of rocks, and celebrities have since flooded social media with heartfelt tributes. Tamil actor Vishal Krishna Reddy wrote a long note for the late producer on his X handle, expressing how his sincerity and dedication inspired the industry. The Kathakali actor wrote:

“Sir, 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…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 Indian film industry.”

Rest in peace, AVM Saravanan. Your work lives on.

Read Next: Raj Nidimoru's Ex-Wife Shhyamali Breaks Silence On His Marriage To Samantha, 'Spent Sleepless Night'

AWESOME NEWS! Now you can download BollywoodShaadis app and never miss a story. Get App

AWESOME NEWS! Now you can download BollywoodShaadis app and never miss a story. Choose your device Android or IOS (Apple)