In a message on X, Stalin said the award “doubles our joy.” He recalled that Tharani had gifted a portrait of Thanthai Periyar, now displayed at Oxford University. The Chief Minister said this honour places Tharani among India’s most respected artists.

Thota Tharani will receive the award from the French Ambassador at the Alliance Française in Chennai on November 13. He is the sixth Indian to earn the Chevalier Award, joining legends like Satyajit Ray, Sivaji Ganesan, Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, and Kamal Haasan.

The veteran artist has worked with directors Mani Ratnam and Shankar on acclaimed films like Nayakan, Thalapathi, Ponniyin Selvan, and Sivaji. He has received two National Awards, multiple state honours, and the Padma Shri in 2001. Tharani’s creativity continues to define the visual identity of Indian cinema.

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