Tamil director-actor J Mahendran, known for directing films like 'Uthiri Pookkal' and 'Mullum Malarum', passed away on Tuesday at the age of 79. The veteran director was admitted to a hospital in Chennai in a critical condition on March 27. Mahendran, who was also an actor in the Tamil film industry, featured in several films, including 'Theri' and 'Petta'.