Popular Tamil filmmaker and National Award winner SP Jananathan passed away this morning while undergoing treatment in a private hospital in Chennai. Jananathan's latest film Laabam, starring Vijay Sethupathi and Shruti Haasan, is getting ready for its release. He was 61.

The director was busy with the editing works of Laabam for the last few days. His team found him unconscious a few days back at his residence. He was immediately shifted to a private hospital in Chennai. The doctors reported that he suffered from a brain haemorrhage. While undergoing the treatment, he suffered from a cardiac arrest earlier this morning and breathed his last.

Jananathan made his directorial debut with the 2003 film Iyarkai, which won the National Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil. He then directed the films E, Peranmai and Purampokku Engira Podhuvudamai. The entire Tamil film industry was shocked by his demise. His fans and film fraternity have expressed their condolences to the grieved family.