Veteran film producer and head of AVM Studios, M Saravanan – affectionately known in the industry as AVM Saravanan, passed away in Chennai on Thursday (Dec 4) morning. He was 86 and had been dealing with health issues associated with age (86).
Born in 1939, Saravanan stepped into the film business during the late 1950s, carrying forward the legacy of his father, AV Meiyappan, the iconic founder of AVM. Along with his brother, M Balasubramanian, he helped steer the banner through several decades of Tamil cinema. Saravanan played a key role in producing some of the studio’s biggest successes, spanning from the 1960s to the 2000s. From the veteran actors to the Vijay, Ajith and Suriya, his contributions left a lasting mark on the craft of film making and shaped the journeys of several generations of artistes and technicians.
Though AVM continued to be one of the oldest and most recognized banners in the country, the company gradually stepped back from feature film production after 2010. In recent years, the studio has remained active in digital content creation and advertising.
Saravanan leaves behind his son, MS Guhan, who is also a well-known producer. Guhan’s daughters, Aruna and Aparna, represent the next generation of the family. Aruna, who serves as a Creative Director and partner at AVM Productions, often shares anecdotes and archival nuggets about the banner and her great-grandfather AV Meiyappan on social media.
The late producer’s mortal remains have been placed at AVM Studios for the public to pay homage until 3:30PM, allowing colleagues, friends, admirers, and family to offer their final respects.