Author, columnist, retired lawyer, and film historian Madabhushi Rangadorai, better known by his pen name Randor Guy, passed away in Chennai on Sunday, April 23. He was 86. He died after a prolonged illness, The Hindu reported. Randor wrote multiple columns on cinema and authored several books, including Memories of Madras: Its Movies, Musicians & Men of Letters and Indian Ribaldry: Tales of Bold Passion and Adventure Frankly and Excitingly Narrated. He was a regular columnist for The Hindu.
Randor was also known for his crime stories and considered an expert in fields across cinema, Carnatic music, history, and law. In its obituary, The Hindu notes that Randor was “fond of sensational murders” and that he had also authored the book Crime Writers’ Case Book. According to The New Indian Express, Randor began his writing career focussing on criminal cases, after which he also began to write on cinema.
Tributes poured in for Randor on social media after the news of his passing. Vincent D Souza, the publisher and editor of Mylapore Times for whom Randor often wrote, took to Twitter to express his condolences. “Goodbye RANDOR Guy alias Rangadurai: Madras’ great story teller: on cinema, legal eagles, crime and the city and around. Spicy and humorous too.”
Goodbye RANDOR Guy alias Rangadurai: Madras’ great story teller: on cinema, legal eagles, crime and the city and around.
— Vincent D Souza (@Vincentsjotting) April 24, 2023
Spicy and humorous too.
Passed away Sunday in Chennai. pic.twitter.com/oepOmZfSW7
The National Film Archive of India also posted condolences saying, “We are deeply saddened by the loss of film scholar, historian, lawyer and writer Madabhushi Rangadorai (1937-2023), widely known by his pen name Randor Guy.” The institute also urged Twitter users to look through the interviews conducted by Randor for their Oral Histories Project.
We are deeply saddened by the loss of film scholar, historian, lawyer and writer Madabhushi Rangadorai (1937-2023), widely known by his pen name Randor Guy. Do check the oral history interviews conducted by him for NFAI at https://t.co/aibUYQNxy3. #RandorGuy #MemoriesOfMadras pic.twitter.com/d9g1iKLFmx
— NFDC-National Film Archive of India (@NFAIOfficial) April 25, 2023
Popular film tracker Sridhar Pillai too paid his tributes to Randor saying, “Randor Guy (86) the veteran film historian and writer passed away in Chennai. #Randorguy’s well researched articles and his knowledge about Tamil film industry from its early days made it a gold mine of information.”
#Randorguy (86) the veteran film historian, and writer passed away in Chennai. #Randorguy’s well researched articles and his knowledge about Tamil film industry from its early days, made it a gold mine of information. #RIP pic.twitter.com/49rjXB6icU
— Sreedhar Pillai (@sri50) April 24, 2023