South cinema losses in the first half of 2026
South Indian cinema mourns the loss of several iconic figures in the first half of 2026. Legendary Tamil filmmaker Bharathiraja, celebrated for his rural narratives, and the versatile K. Bhagyaraj, a master of screenplay, have passed away. Malayalam cinema bids farewell to the brilliant comedian and actor Salim Kumar, while Telugu cinema remembers veteran director Tripuraneni Chittibabu. Kannada cinema also lost acclaimed filmmaker and journalist N.S.
