Karthik Subbaraj is an Indian film director, writer and producer working mainly in Tamil cinema. Known for quirky, visually flamboyant genre films, he is considered a prominent director in modern Tamil cinema. His debut film Pizza (2012) is considered to be one of the best modern horror films from India, and his second film Jigarthandha (2014) received widespread acclaim and cult status. In 2019, Subbaraj directed Petta, starring Rajinikanth, which received positive response and further raised his profile in the industry.