Big loss for Tamil industry as producer AVM Saravanan passes away at 86

AVM Saravanan, the legendary film producer and one of the guiding lights of Tamil cinema — has passed away at the age of 86. The news broke on the morning of December 4, 2025, just a day after he celebrated his birthday, leaving the entire film fraternity and fans mourning a towering loss.

Saravanan had been dealing with age-related health issues. In the days before his passing, he was under medical care and eventually returned to his home within the premises of the historic AVM Studios, a landmark in Indian cinema, where he spent his last hours.

Born on December 3, 1939, Saravanan passed away a day after celebrating his 86th birthday. His father, late A. V. Meiyappan, the founder of AVM Studios, had laid the foundation decades ago. Under Saravanan’s stewardship, AVM continued as one of India’s oldest and most influential film production houses. Over several decades, Saravanan produced many landmark Tamil films that left an indelible mark on the industry.