Long before Super Good Films became a name that audiences across South India recognised, Ratanlal Bhagchand Choudary was simply a Rajasthani businessman navigating the worlds of jewellery, steel, and exports.
Cinema was not part of the plan - at least not initially. But when it found him, he embraced it with the same instinct that had made him successful in business: back the right people, trust your gut, and stay committed.
He was 79 when his life was cut short in a devastating car accident in Jodhpur on May 5. The news sent shockwaves through Tamil cinema, an industry that had known him not just as a producer, but as someone who genuinely cared about the people he worked with.
How Super Good Films Was Born
Choudary's entry into cinema began in 1988 with the Malayalam production Aadhi Paapam. He moved cautiously at first, building his footing with films like Layanam and Kalpana House. Then came Pudhu Vasantham, directed by Vikraman, and everything changed. The film's success announced his arrival in Tamil cinema in no uncertain terms.
Around this time, an interesting chapter in the banner's history unfolded. He had initially partnered with R Mohan - the man behind the iconic Good Knight mosquito mats brand - to produce Tamil films under the 'Super' banner. When the two eventually parted ways, Choudary made a quietly clever decision: he borrowed the word 'Good' from his former partner's famous brand and renamed his production house Super Good Films. The name stuck, and so did the reputation that followed it.
The Producer Who Saw Vijay Before Everyone Else
Of all the careers that Choudary's instincts helped shape, perhaps none carries more weight in retrospect than his association with Vijay. At a time when the actor was still finding his footing as a leading man, Choudary backed Poove Unakkaga - a film that became one of the pivotal turning points in Vijay's journey toward superstardom. The gamble paid off, and it was a relationship that continued.
Years later, Thirupaachi arrived under the Super Good Films banner and further solidified Vijay's standing as a bona fide commercial hero. Two films, two crucial moments in one of Tamil cinema's biggest careers - and the same producer standing behind both. That is not coincidence. That is vision.
A Man Who Opened Doors
What separated Choudary from many of his contemporaries was his willingness to take chances on new talent. In an industry that has always been cautious about handing the reins to newcomers, he operated differently. Approximately 44 directors received their first break through his productions - a staggering number that speaks to a particular generosity of spirit.
The list of names that emerged from his faith reads like a directory of Tamil cinema's most respected filmmakers: Vikraman, KS Ravikumar, Lingusamy, Perarasu, Ezhil, Sasi, and Raja Kumar all began their directorial journeys under his watch. Each of them went on to carve out significant careers. Each of them likely remembers who believed in them first.
His banner also produced a string of films that became deeply embedded in the Tamil audience's memory - Nattamai, Suryavamsam, Thulladha Manamum Thullum, Nee Varuvai Ena, and Aanandham among them. These were not just commercially successful films - they were films that families watched together and quoted for years afterward.
Still Working, Right Until the End
Even as he approached his eighties, Choudary showed no signs of stepping away from the industry he had helped shape. His 98th production, Maareesan, released in 2025 starring Fahadh Faasil and Vadivelu. His 99th film, Magudam - marking actor Vishal's directorial debut - remains upcoming.
And then there was the 100th film. A milestone he had been quietly working toward, a landmark that would have been a fitting celebration of a remarkable career. It now remains unfinished - perhaps the most poignant detail in the story of his passing.
The Accident That Took Him
On the afternoon of Tuesday, May 5, RB Choudary died in a severe car accident in Jodhpur, Rajasthan - the state where his own story had begun decades ago. The circumstances carry a cruel irony that those who loved him will not easily forget. His final rites were held in Chennai, the city where he had built his legacy.
He is survived by his wife Mahjabeen and his sons - actors Jiiva and Jithan Ramesh, both of whom followed their father into Tamil cinema, and Ashok. Super Good Films, the banner he built from scratch, will continue through them.
Rajinikanth Speaks for an Industry in Mourning
Superstar Rajinikanth, who called Choudary a dear friend, captured the mood of an entire industry when he paid tribute on social media. He described him as a top-notch producer and a wonderful human being who gave opportunities to countless young directors and kept the film world alive. The shock and sorrow in those words were widely shared.
Tamil cinema has lost producers before. But it rarely loses ones who shaped it so quietly, so generously, and across so many lives at once. RB Choudary was that rare kind - the sort who never needed the spotlight because he was always too busy pointing it at someone else.
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