Biography

S. S. Vasan, was an Indian journalist, writer, advertiser, film producer, director and business tycoon.

In 1928, Vasan purchased a struggling Tamil magazine Ananda Vikatan that was published by Budalur Vaidyanadhaiyar since February 1926 and has stopped publication in December 1927. Vasan bought the publication in January 1928 and relaunched it with the same name but in a different format from February 1928. Ananda Vikatan, subsequently, emerged as the leading Tamil magazine in the then Madras Presidency and continues to be the oldest and most respected Tamil magazine till this day.

Vasan also directed some of his later movies, the first being Chandralekha, which is considered by critics and film historians to be a milestone in Indian cinema.

He was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1969, the year of his death, by the government of India for his extraordinary contribution to Indian media.

Vasan entered the Tamil film industry in 1936 when his novel Sathi Leelavathi was made into a film.