(MENAFN- IANS) Chennai, Nov 12 (IANS) Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister and well-known producer Udhayanidhi Stalin and director and actor Prabhudheva on Wednesday congratulated National Award-winning Art director Thota Tharani for having been chosen by the French government for its prestigious Chevalier Award.

Taking to his X timeline, Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, in Tamil, wrote, " I was delighted to learn of the announcement that the French government's highest honour the Chevalier Award is to be conferred on art director Thota Tharani whose amazing skill brings visions to life."

"The portrait of Thanthai Periyar, which honourable Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin recently unveiled in the Oxford University, was crafted with utmost excellence by Thota Tharani. My love and appreciation go to Thota Tharani sir, who stands tall even across the seas because of his skill," he said.

Meanwhile, actor and director Prabhudheva too took to his X timeline to congratulate the ace art director. Prabhudheva wrote,“Heartfelt congratulations to THOTA THARANI Sir for being conferred with the distinguished Chevalier Award by the Government of France.”

Thota Tharani will be receiving the award at the Alliance Française in Chennai from the French Ambassador on November 13.

The art director will be the sixth Indian to receive the prestigious award after legendary icons like Satyajit Ray, Sivaji Ganesan, Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan and Kamal Haasan.

Thota Tharani, who has closely worked with top film directors Mani Ratnam and Shankar among others, has won two National Awards and a number of state awards including three Nandi Awards and four Tamil Nadu State Film Awards.

In 2001, the Government of India honoured the legendary art director by presenting him the Padma Shri Award for his contributions to art.

Thota Tharani, who began his illustrious career in 1978 with iconic director Singeetam Srinivasa Rao's Telugu film 'Sommokadidhi Sokokadidhi', has been a core part of several films hailed as cult classics, both in Tamil and Telugu. The legendary art director's work has played a crucial role in the success of several blockbusters.

Some of the films in which his work had come in for exceptional praise include director Mani Ratnam's cult classic, 'Nayakan', which featured actor Kamal Haasan in the lead, 'Ponniyin Selvan', the Rajinikanth, Mammootty-starrer 'Thalapathi', 'Sagara Sangamam', 'Geethanjali', 'Sivaji' and 'Dasavatharam'.

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