AWARDEE BIO

N. Ramasamy (Murali) serves as the Managing Director of Thenandal Studio Limited (formerly Sri Thenandal Films/Sri Thenandal Pictures), a venerable Chennai-based production and distribution house founded in 1976 by Rama Narayanan.

Under Murali's leadership in the 2010s, TSL became a trailblazer in the horror genre, distributing and producing financially successful titles such as Aranmanai (2014), Kanchana 2 (2015), Demonte Colony (2015), and Maya (2015).

Murali further elevated the studio's profile through strategic distribution of seminal international blockbusters across Tamil Nadu including Baahubali: The Beginning alongside Hollywood and fantasy epics—underlining his vision for global cinema integration.
In a bold expansion move, TSL entered stage production in 2015, collaborating with U.S.–based theatre groups to stage Chillu, a futuristic sci-fi play in Chennai, demonstrating his innovative crossover into live performance.

The studio hit a major milestone when it produced Mersal (2017) in collaboration with Vijay and director Atlee as its 100th film—becoming a blockbuster and a defining achievement in Murali's career. These strategic choices and genre diversification contributed to TSL's impressive growth; under his stewardship, the company reportedly achieved annual turnover surpassing ₹100 crore through direct release and distribution (based on supplied data).

With a keen sense for both popular taste and market opportunity, Murali's leadership has preserved Thenandal's legacy while forging new creative frontiers, earning him recognition as a visionary leader in Tamil cinema.