Tamil Director-Actor SS Stanley, Who Worked With Dhanush And Vijay Sethupathi, Passes Away At 57

Renowned Tamil filmmaker and actor SS Stanley, who left a mark on early 2000s Tamil cinema with a string of memorable films, passed away in Chennai at the age of 57.

As per reports, SS Stanley had been battling kidney-related complications which eventually led to his demise.

Source : X/@Sudha_Kongara

Renowned Tamil filmmaker and actor SS Stanley, who left a mark on early 2000s Tamil cinema with a string of memorable films, passed away in Chennai at the age of 57. As per reports, the director had been battling kidney-related complications which eventually led to his demise.

Following the news of his demise, heartfelt tributes flooded social media, as fans and admirers fondly recalled his impact on cinema.

RIP SS Stanley sir, a true lover of cinema. We miss you - Team Parasakthi.

At our look test for Parasakthi. pic.twitter.com/ex9N3X8TkN

— Sudha Kongara (@Sudha_Kongara) April 15, 2025

April Maadhadhil, Pudhukottayilirundhu Saravanan, Mercury Pookal director #SSStanley passes away. May his soul rest in peace 🙏. He also acted in films like Sarkar, Maharaja, Aandavan Kattalai, Raavanan, Kadugu, Bommai Nayagi etc., pic.twitter.com/OEbjG2GjcV

— Rajasekar (@sekartweets) April 15, 2025

SS Stanley - the director

Stanley, a respected name in the Tamil film industry, began his journey behind the scenes, honing his craft under the mentorship of stalwarts like Mahendran and Sasi. His transition to director saw an impressive debut with 'April Maadhathil', a romantic drama featuring Srikanth and Sneha. The film struck a chord with young audiences and was both a critical and commercial success.

He followed it up with 'Pudhukottaiyilirundhu Saravanan', starring Dhanush. While the film opened to mixed reviews, Stanley once said that the story’s essence may not have been fully grasped by viewers, possibly affecting its reception at the box office.

His third directorial venture, which featured Ravi Krishna, Saila Rao, and Sonia Agarwal and was produced by Krishnakanth, unfortunately ran into financial issues and had to be shelved midway. After this setback, Stanley took a step back from directing for a while before reuniting with Srikanth for a couple of later projects.

SS Stanley - the actor

In the latter part of his career, Stanley explored acting and received praise for his performance as political leader C. N. Annadurai in the biopic 'Periyar'. He was also seen in Mani Ratnam’s 'Raavanan' and made his final on-screen appearance in the 2024 blockbuster 'Maharaja', starring Vijay Sethupathi.