Film director M. Manikandan; the apology note along which the awards were returned by the thieves
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
In an unusual incident, thieves, who had stolen two National Film Awards from the house of Tamil film director, M. Manikandan, in Usilampatti, returned the awards on Sunday night.
The unidentified men also apologised to the director in a note left along with the awards in a plastic bag, hanging outside the gate of the house. “Your toil is for you” read the note, written in Tamil on a piece of paper.
The director lives in Chennai and his pet dog is left in this house at Ezhil Nagar, an extension area in the town, said Usilampatti Deputy Superintendent of Police, C. Nallu. “When one of his employees, Naresh, returned home on Sunday night from cinema theatre, he found the plastic bag hanging on the gate,” the DSP said.
Mr. Manikandan directed the 2021 film, Kadaisi Vivasayi, which won Best Feature Film-Tamil at the 69th National Film Awards in 2023.
The Usilampatti Town police however are still on the lookout for the burglars, who also stole ₹1 lakh in cash and five sovereigns of gold along with the awards.
Mr. Manikandan’s directorial debut Kaaka Muttai had won the Best Children’s Film in the 62nd National Film Awards. It’s lead children actors Ramesh and Vignesh too bagged awards for their performance.
