Tamil Actors

Rajinikanth has been a superstar in the Tamil movie industry since the 70s. He is one of the highest earning actors in Asia. Primarily starring in Tamil movies, he has also worked in Hindi, Telugu, Kannada, and Hollywood movies. He was born in Bangalore (India), and was employed as a bus conductor before he joined the Madras Film Institute. He made his debut in Katha Sangama (1976) and became a star with Apoorva Raagangal (1975) . His unique acting style is characterized by trademark gestures such as flipping a cigarette in the air and catching it with his mouth. He played varied roles successfully and is considered as an actor who can easily perform action, drama, and comedy. He is not very popular for his dancing, which is considered a crucial art for actors in Indian Movies. His performances in movies such as Mullum Malarum (1978), Aarilirunthu Arubathuvarai (1979), Johny Ustad (1980) in the 70's and 80's to movies such as Kabali (2016) recently, are considered to be examples of his acting abilities. His performances as an action-superstar overshadow his critically acclaimed performances in these movies. The Government of India has honoured him with the Padma Bhushan in 2000 and the Padma Vibhushan in 2016 for his contributions to the arts. At the 45th International Film Festival of India (2014), he was conferred with the "Centenary Award for Indian Film Personality of the Year".

Kamal Haasan was born November 7, 1954 in Paramakudi, Ramanathapuram District, Tamil Nadu. He debuted as a child artiste in the film "Kalathoor Kannamma" (1960). Since then, he has starred in nearly 220 films in the major Indian languages - Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and Hindi. He has been a part of the film industry for 60 years, as of 2020. His journey in cinema has seen him do various roles - from child artiste, to romantic lead to one of the most respected and revered heroes of the film industry today.

He has famously said that he is a reluctant actor. He has an avid interest in every aspect of film making and is known for his work as a choreographer, director, and writer, as well.

He wrote his first script at age 18 for the film "Unarchigal" (1976), which was then followed by films that have gone on to become cult classics - Rajapaarvai (1981), Sathya (1988), Apoorva Sahotharargal (1989), Thevar Magan (1992), Mahanadi (1994), Kurudhippunal (1995), Avvai Shanmugi (1996), Hey Ram (2000), Pammal K Sambandam (2002), Panchathanthiram (2002), Anbe Sivam (2003), are a few of the films etched in popular memory for having set the bar for craftsmanship in the fields of screenplay, script, and dialogue.

He is also a prolific writer of fiction and non-fiction in Tamil and his published work is testament to his constant exploration of structure and form.

Kamal Haasan's strong convictions in his art have led to some of Indian cinema's most path-breaking films like Pushpak / Pushpaka Vimaanam / Pesum Padam (1987). Kamal Haasan also worked as a choreographer while transitioning as a well-known child artiste to the lead actor in a feature length film. Some of his best-known work as a dancer can be seen in Saagara Sangamam (1983) and the popular hit Punnagai Mannan (1986).

Kamal Haasan is also a student of Carnatic music, studying under musical maestro Dr. Balamuralikrishna. One of his biggest hits as a playback singer was the song "Inji Iduppazhagi" for the film Thevar Magan.

His career as a director began with the film Chachi 420 (1997), the Hindi remake of Avvai Shanmugi. Since then he has called the shots for critically acclaimed films like "Hey Ram" and "Virumaandi".

He has never hesitated to state his opinions and encourage debate about topics that are socially relevant. He is a rationalist in thought and moderate in opinion and a humanist in philosophy. The need to be socially conscious is seen in the way his fan clubs have revamped themselves into entities that carry out charity and volunteer work.

Tamil superstar from a poor family in Tamil Nadu, India. His father worked on the railways.

On the day of his birth his father, Chiniah Pillai, follower of Mahatma Gandhi, was jailed for participating in the Independence movement in Nellikuppam (Tamil Nadu, India). He was frequently in and out of jail, and was raised by his mother, Rajamani Ammal.

He joined theatre groups when he was young. He earned his screen name 'Sivaji' after acting in C.N. Annadurai's play 'Sivaji Kanda Indhu Rajyam', a historical play on the Maratha Emperor Shivaji.

He made his film debut in Parasakthi (1952) as Gunasekharan. He became an icon of the DMK party who made DMK films (founded by C.M. Annadurai).

He entered politics in the mid-50s where he joined the Congress party and then defected to support the opposition Janata Dal.

He is most well know for his mythological and patriotic portrayals, like in his most famous films like Karnan(mythological) and Veerapandiya Kattabomman (patriotic).

His main rival was MGR (M.G. Ramachandran) and together they dominated the Tamil film industry in the 1960s and 70s.

Ajith Kumar is an Indian film actor who has worked mainly in Tamil cinema. He is one of the leading actors in Tamil Cinema. He began his career as a supporting actor in a Telugu film before gaining critical recognition in the Tamil thriller Aasai (1995). A succession of high-grossing films followed where Ajith was usually depicted as a romantic hero, with Kadhal Kottai (1996) and Kadhal Mannan (1998) being the most notable. He later forayed into method acting, as seen in Vaali (1999), Mugavaree (2000), Kandukondain Kandukondain (2000) and Citizen (2001) before establishing himself as an action hero with popular films including Amarkalam (1999), Dheena (2001), Villain (2002), Varalaru (2006) and Billa (2007). He has won three Filmfare Best Actor Awards in Tamil, all for films which showcased him in multiple roles. Ajith performs predominantly in leading roles in major studio films, genres ranging from romantic comedies and drama to action thrillers.

M.G. Ramachandran (1917-1987), popularly known as MGR, dominated like no other, the films and politics of India's Tamil Nadu state. A charismatic actor and philanthropist, he commanded the idolatrous adulation of millions of Tamilians and became Tamil Nadu's chief minister. His achievements in 3 fields, namely films, philanthropy and politics were remarkable considering his humble origins in Sri Lanka. Raised in poverty by a widowed single mother, he had nothing more than his good looks when he got his first break in "Sati Lilavati", a Tamil film of the late 1930s. In the 1940s and 50s, the Tamil film industry was being transformed by screenwriters like Annadurai, Karunanidhi and others belonging to the Dravidian movement. MGR starred in many of the movies they helped make. Annadurai became his mentor and MGR joined the DMK, Annadurai's new Dravidian party. His films made MGR a matinee idol among Tamilians. He also started monetarily helping people in need, sowing the seeds for his reputation as a philanthropist. When Annadurai died as Tamil Nadu's chief minister, MGR's rival Karunanidhi assumed office. MGR accused him of defalcation and was kicked out of the DMK. In 1977, MGR's ADMK (later renamed AIADMK) party was swept into power. In his first term, MGR cleaned up corruption and carried out reforms like having an income limit for backward class people to be eligible for the reserved seats in government colleges and jobs. His reforms proved unpopular, so MGR became another corrupt Indian politician having learned not to rock the boat. Tamil Nadu stagnated during the rest of his reign. Yet his mesmerized legions of fans continued to vote him into power. His death in 1987 created a power vacuum that soon brought his old nemesis, the corrupt Karunanidhi, back into power. MGR was a complex man who triumphed over poverty and tried to improve the lot of the people who revered him. However, in the end, he was a god that failed.

Joseph Vijay Chandrasekhar (born 22 June 1974), known mononymously as Vijay, is an Indian actor, dancer, playback singer and philanthropist who works predominantly in Tamil cinema and also appeared in other Indian languages films. Referred to by fans and media as "Thalapathy" (commander), Vijay is the highest paid actor in Tamil cinema. He has significant fan following globally. He has won numerous awards, including eight Vijay Awards by Star India, three Tamil Nadu State Film Awards by Government of Tamil Nadu, and a SIIMA Award. He has been included several times in the Forbes India Celebrity 100 list, based on the earnings of Indian celebrities.

Vikram is an Indian film actor, voice actor and a playback singer. He made his debut in the 1990 film En Kadhal Kanmani, which was followed by a series of Tamil and Telugu films and supporting roles in few Malayalam films throughout the early decade. After the critical and commercial success of Sethu (1999) he has been part of numerous other commercially successful films and has earned major critical acclaim for many of his performances. During his years in the Indian film industry, he has won five Filmfare Awards as well as one National Film Award for Best Actor.

Suriya was born to actor Sivakumar and his wife Lakshmi in Chennai but brought up in Coimbatore. He is the eldest of three children; his younger brother is actor Karthi Sivakumar and he has a younger sister named Brindha Sivakumar. He attended PSBB School and St. Bede's School in Chennai and graduated from Loyola College with a Bachelor of Commerce degree.

Before his career in films, Suriya worked at a garment export factory for eight months. To avoid nepotism, he did not reveal himself to his boss as Sivakumar's son, but his boss ultimately learned the truth himself. He was initially offered the lead role by Director Vasanth in his film Aasai (1995), but he rejected the offer citing a lack of interest in an acting career. He later debuted in Vasanth's own 1997 film Nerrukku Ner, produced by Mani Ratnam when he was 22 years of age. The stage name Suriya was bestowed on him by Ratnam to avoid a clash of names with established actor Saravanan. Vijay, who would also go on to become a leading contemporary actor in Kollywood, co-starred with him in the film. This was followed by a series of roles in commercially unsuccessful films in the late 1990s. In 2001, he starred in Siddique's comedy film Friends, also co-starring Vijay, which became a super hit. His major break in acting came in the form of Nandha, which was directed by Bala. Playing the role of an ex-convict who is very attached to his mother, he received a Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actor. His next venture was Vikraman's Unnai Ninaithu followed by Mounam Pesiyadhe directed by debutant Ameer Sultan, which became a hit film & a cult classic.

In 2003, he starred in Gautham Menon's Kaakha Kaakha, a film about the life of a police officer. The film opened to positive reviews and became a Blockbuster at the box office. Suriya also received an ITFA award for Best Actor for his role in the film. Next, his portrayal of a happy-go-lucky village crook with a comic touch in Bala's Pithamagan, along with Vikram, won him the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor. In 2004, he played dual roles in Perazhagan, as an aggressive boxer and a handicapped phone booth keeper. Suriya's performance won positive reviews from critics. The film became a successful venture at the box office, and Suriya won his first Filmfare Award for Best Actor. The same year, he portrayed the role of a student leader in Mani Ratnam's political drama Ayitha Ezhuthu along with Madhavan and Siddarth which received highly critical acclaim and became a commercial success.

Suriya signed on to feature in the psychological thriller, Ghajini directed by A. R. Murugadoss in November 2004; he played the role of a patient suffering from short-term memory loss. Ghajini was released in late 2005 and became a Blockbuster and was the third highest-grossing film of that year in Tamil. Suriya's role was unanimously praised. Later he worked in Hari's action film Aaru and the film received a positive response at the box office.

Suriya's 2006 release was N. Krishna's Sillunu Oru Kaadhal. He acted opposite his wife Jyothika Saravanan in the film, which took a good opening but became an average grosser. In 2007, Suriya's solitary release was Vel, which became a hit at the box office. His next release was Vaaranam Aayiram, a collaboration with Gautham Menon, after the success of Kaakha Kaakha. Playing dual roles for the third time in his career, Suriya appeared as father and son, portraying scenes as a 16-year-old and as a 65-year-old. Suriya described the project as "unique" and "straight from the heart", describing the physical hardships he endured during the making. He lost weight and prepared a six-pack for the film through an eight-month fitness regime without steroids, with the movie being a trendsetter for other leading actors from South India. The film became commercially successful at the box office upon release and received positive reviews from film critics, with Suriya's performance being lauded. His portrayals also fetched him several notable awards, including the Filmfare Award for Best Actor, a Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actor by the jury and the Vijay Award for Best Actor in 2008. The film also went on to receive a National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil in 2008.

In 2009, Suriya's first release was K. V. Anand's action-thriller Ayan, which went on to become the highest-grossing Tamil film of the year. Upon release, the film won positive reviews and Suriya's performance was again acclaimed. He found himself nominated for leading awards and won the Vijay Award for Entertainer of the Year. The film's success saw Suriya emerge as the most profitable leading actor in Tamil films, following a hat trick of large commercial hits. Following Ayan, his next film, K. S. Ravikumar's action entertainer Aadhavan also achieved commercial success, while Suriya's depiction of a hitman was praised.

In 2010, he had his 25th release with Singam directed by Hari, in which he played the role of 'Durai Singam', a police officer from a small village going to work in the city. The film received positive reviews and became a huge commercial success. The film won Suriya the Vijay Award for Best Entertainer again and subsequently went on to become the second highest-grossing film of the year. He made his Bollywood debut in Ram Gopal Varma's two-part political drama Rakta Charitra in 2010 which was released to highly critical acclaim and became an average success. His only release in 2011 that featured him in a starring role was A. R. Murugadoss's science fiction thriller 7aum Arivu. Suriya played dual roles in the film, as a circus artist and as the Buddhist monk, Bodhidharma, who lived in the 6th century. The film met with mixed reception but was a commercial success. His only 2012 release was the K. V. Anand-directed film Maattrraan in which he played the role of conjoined twins, Vimalan and Akhilan. The film received mixed reviews, and, ended up being an average grosser while Suriya's performance was praised. In January 2012, Suriya was named as the official host of the new game show to be presented on STAR Vijay, Neengalum Vellalam Oru Kodi, the Tamil version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, which began airing on 27 February 2012 and ended on 12 July.

His next film was Singam 2, a sequel to his 2010 film Singam, that released on 5 July 2013 to positive response from the public. The film received a huge opening, becoming the highest-grossing Tamil film of the year and emerged as one of the highest-grossing Tamil films of all time, collecting more than 100 crores worldwide. His next film Anjaan directed by N. Lingusamy was released on 15 August 2014 to negative reviews. The film had one of the biggest openings ever in Tamil Cinema and Suriya's best but became a below-average venture at the box office. His next release was Venkat Prabhu's film Masss, which was released to mixed reviews. His only film in 2016 was his home production 24 directed by Vikram Kumar which hit the screens on 6 May 2016. The film, based on the concept of time travel, featured Suriya in triple roles. The film met with unanimous critical acclaim, and became a commercial success, grossing more than 100 crores worldwide. Suriya's performance, especially the character 'Athreya' was much praised. His first release in 2017 was Singam 3, the sequel to his earlier films Singam & Singam 2. The film was released on 9 February 2017 to mostly positive reviews from the public. It had one of the biggest worldwide openings for a Tamil film, and Suriya's biggest yet, and eventually grossed 100 crores worldwide in just 6 days of its release. Suriya's next film in 2017 is with director Vignesh Shivan for Thaanaa Serndha Koottam. Thaana Serndha Kootam was released at the beginning of 2018. Followed by this, Suriya also did a Cameo in his brother, Karthi's film - "Kadaikutty Singham". In 2019, he partnered with Selvaraghavan for NGK - a political drama that received mixed reviews from the public and critics. His next release was Kaapaan, an action thriller, in which he shared the screen with Arya and Mohanlal. The movie was a commercial success and the final directorial venture of K.V. Anand before the filmmaker's demise on 30th April 2021.

2020 and 2021 marked the years Suriya worked on "Soorarai Pottru" and "Jai Bhim" with Sudha Kongara and T. J. Gnanavel respectively. Both these films were produced by his production banner 2D Entertainment. Soorarai Pottru was praised by the public, critics and film people. The movie went on to bag 5 awards at the 68th National Awards for Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, Best Actor (Suriya), Best Actress and Best Original Score. Jai Bhim was lauded for its craftsmanship and the message it delivered to the society. In addition to bagging multiple awards, Jai Bhim which spoke about police brutality and bias towards Irular community, created a huge social impact. Jai Bhim was made available for screening at the 96th Academy Awards. In 2022, Suriya had his 1st theatrical release in 3 years with Etharkkum Thunindhavan collaborating with director Pandiraj. The film opened to mixed reviews and went on to be a success at the Box Office. The same year, he stepped into a new character called "Rolex" who appeared as a cameo in Vikram (2022) and this character became a fan favourite in no time. He also did a Cameo in R. Madhavan's, "Rocketry - The Nambi Effect"

Suriya is now working on Kanguva directed by Siva and is slated for release in 2024. Suriya has joined hands once again with Sudha Kongara and G V Prakash Kumar for his 43rd movie. The film team released a motion poster revealing only a part of the movie title.

Suriya is married to actress Jyothika, with whom he worked with in as many as seven films. The couple, after being together for several years, got married on 11 September 2006. They have two children, a daughter named Diya and a son named Dev.

In 2008, Suriya began the Agaram Foundation, working to help children who drop out of school early in Tamil Nadu. Suriya revealed that he was inspired to begin the movement as a result of his father's organisation, Sivakumar Educational Trust, which had been operating similar benefits on a smaller scale since the 1980s. With the Ministry of Education in Tamil Nadu, he created a short commercial video outlining child poverty, labour and lack of education, titled Herova? Zerova?. The film was written and produced by Suriya and also starred Vijay, Madhavan and Jyothika. Agaram sponsored 159 underprivileged students in 2010 for their higher education in various disciplines and has continued to provide free seats and accommodation for pupils. With the firm belief that the educated mind can not only eliminate social evils but also aid in the socio-economic upbringing of society, the Agaram Foundation works towards providing appropriate learning opportunities to the rural populace who do not otherwise have access to quality education. Through the foundation, he has also set up a platform for students to participate in workshops and improve communication skills, teamwork, goal setting and leadership.

Suriya and his family have also extended help towards the education of Sri Lankan Tamil children on behalf of the Sivakumar Charitable Trust. He is also an active participant in other humanitarian works such as the "Save The Tigers" campaign, which aids in the protection and preservation of Tigers in India, and "REACH", a non-profit that cures TB patients for free using supervised medication programs. The actor celebrates every birthday by doing charity work across Tamil Nadu.

Venkatesh Prabhu known by his stage name Dhanush, is an Indian film actor, producer, lyricist and playback singer who has worked predominantly in Tamil cinema. In 2011, he won the National Film Award for Best Actor for the Tamil film "Aadukalam" and in the same year, he received international attention for his song "Why This Kolaveri Di", which went on to became the most viewed Indian song in YouTube.As of 2014, he has won five Filmfare Awards.

His first film was "Thulluvadho Ilamai", a 2002 coming-of-age movie directed by his father,Kasthuri Raja.Over the next ten years, Dhanush featured in 25 movies and made his Hindi debut in "Raanjhanaa" in the year 2013.

Karthik was born on 13 September 1960 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. He is an actor, known for Agni Natchathiram (1988), Kizhakku Vasal (1990) and Unnidathil Ennai Koduthen (1998).

Sivakumar, is one of the great actors of Indian cinema. He has done a wide range of roles in Tamil films. Also known for his visual artistic works. He's also ambidextrous. He started his acting career in 1965, his early day blockbusters include Sindhu Bhairavi (1985), Vandichakkaram (1980), Rosaappo Ravikkaikaari (1979). He's father of leading actors Suriya and Karthi.

Kollywood star, Sathyaraj, might have been the very first screen villain to have impressed Tamil audiences by being a cultured, flamboyant antagonist, and it was the audiences' liking for him that eventually led him to becoming one of the leading heroes of Tamil cinema like Rajini Kanth and Kamal Hassan.

Sathyaraj hailed from a well-to-do landlord family. He finished up to tenth standard in his high school education, and passed S.S.L.C., scoring first rank marks in history and geography at his school level. He joined Government Arts College and completed B.Sc. in botany.

However, acting was in Sathyaraj's blood and he got his first acting part in the film, 'Kodugal Illaatha Kolangal'. He earned his image as an actor with the film, 'Nooraavathu Naal', and gradually weaned his way in a successful manner as villains opposite protagonists in movies. He made his debut as the hero in the movie, 'Saavi', and from 'Iravu Pookkal' onwards, he was a regular protagonist in motion pictures.

Karthi, born Karthik Sivakumar, is an Indian actor known for his work in Tamil cinema. He is the younger son of veteran actor Sivakumar and Lakshmi Sivakumar. Karthi holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Crescent Engineering College in Chennai and a Master of Science in Industrial Engineering from Binghamton University in New York.

During his time in New York, Karthi took a few lectures on films at New York State University, which sparked his curiosity in filmmaking. Upon his return, Karthi was offered a role in Mani Ratnam's film Aayitha Ezhuthu (2004), which he declined.

Karthi made his acting debut with the Tamil film Paruthiveeran (2007), starring Priyamani and Saravanan. He won several awards, including the Filmfare Award for Best Actor, the Vijay Award for Best Male Debut and Tamil Nadu State Film Special Prize for his performance.

Karthi received Best Actor nominations at the 58th Filmfare Awards South for his roles in Ayirathil Oruvan (2010), where he played a chief coolie alongside Reema Sen, and in Paiyaa (2010), where he portrayed an urban character alongside Tamannaah Bhatia and Milind Soman.

In 2010, Karthi starred in Naan Mahaan Alla (2010), a successful thriller directed by Suseenthiran. He also starred in Siruthai (2011), an action-masala film remake of the Telugu film Vikramarkudu (2006). In this movie, he played two roles, a thief, and a police officer, and received positive reviews. The film became one of the highest-grossing Tamil films of 2011 and cemented Karthi's position in the Tamil film industry.

Between 2011 and 2016, many of Karthi's films, including Saguni (2012), Alex Pandian (2013), All in All Azhagu Raja (2013), Oopiri (2016), and Kaashmora (2016), received mixed reviews. However, there were a few exceptions, Biriyani (2013), Madras (2014), and Komban (2015), which were critically acclaimed and were box office hits.

Karthi again partnered with Mani Ratnam, this time staring in his film, Kaatru Veliyidai (2017). His subsequent film Theeran Adhigaram Ondru (2017), directed by H. Vinoth, was an enormous success. Karthi received a Filmfare Award South for Best Actor - Critics for his performance in the film.

Right after Theeran Adhigaram Ondru (2017), Karthi acted in Pandiraj's successful film Kadaikutty Singam (2018), produced by his brother Suriya. He then starred in Dev (2019), directed by Rajath Ravishankar.

His next two films, Kaithi (2019) and Sulthan (2021), were box-office successes. In terms of box office performance, Kaithi (2019) was a major commercial success, grossing over Rs. 100 crores worldwide. He also starred in the commercially successful Viruman (2022), directed by M. Muthaiah.

Karthi was also a part of Mani Ratnam film Ponniyin Selvan: Part I (2022), where he plays Vallavaraiyan Vandiyadevan in his first Pan-Indian film. The movie also starred Vikram, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Ravi Mohan, Trisha Krishnan and Sobhita Dhulipala. His next movie Sardar (2022) Sardar (2022), saw him playing a double role.

Karthi married Ranjani Chinnasamy on July 3, 2011, in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. The couple has two children, a daughter named Umayaal (born in 2013) and a son named Kandhan (born in 2020).

Ranganathan Madhavan was born on June 01, 1970, to businessman R. Iyengar and his wife R. Saroja in a Tamil family. He is an Indian actor, writer, film director and producer.

At the age of 18, his college entrusted him with the responsibility of representing India as a Cultural Ambassador to Canada.

A year later, he and three others from his college were sent to Britain as army cadets and received training in the royal army, navy, and Air Force.

While conducting courses on public speaking, he met Saritha, an Air Hostess and both got married 7 years later. Their first child, a son, Vedaant, was born in 2005.

A vegetarian and animal lover, he is a brand ambassador for PETA. He is fluent in English, Hindi, and Tamil.

Before making his appearance on the tinsel screen, he was popular on the idiot box on Sony's Deal Ya No Deal (2005). Having done close to 1800 episodes of various soaps on varied National Networks, he subsequently also appeared as the main character in a mobile game.

He made his debut with Inferno (1997) in 1998, and since then acted in nearly 48 movies in English, Hindi, Tamil, and Kannada. He is popularly known as the 'chocolate hero', and his most popular film is 3 Idiots (2009) where he starred opposite Aamir Khan and Sharman Joshi.

Vishal Krishna Reddy, popularly known as Vishal, was born in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. He was born to G. K. Reddy, a granite businessman and Janaki Devi. Actor and producer Vikram Krishna is his brother.

Vishal was a student of Don Bosco Matriculation Higher Secondary School, Chennai. He completed a degree in Visual Communications at Loyola College, Chennai.

Vishal started his journey in the film industry as an assistant director to Arjun Sarja. His career took a new turn when one of the producers noticed him while working on the sets of Arjun Sarja's directorial venture Vedham (2001) and offered him an acting role.

To hone his acting skills and prepare for his debut, Vishal joined the Tamil theatre group Koothu-P-Pattarai.

Vishal began his acting career with A.R. Gandhi Krishna's directorial debut, Chellame (2004). His portrayal of Raghunandhan, an income tax officer, got positive reviews from critics.

He next played the lead role in Sandakozhi (2005), an action film directed by N. Linguswamy. He played the role of an engineering student standing up against a local gangster.

The film became a big hit at the box office and was screened for more than 200 days in Chennai. It marked the beginning of his evolution into an action hero.

Following a cameo appearance in Dishyum (2006), Vishal played the leading man in Thimiru (2006), an action entertainer made under the direction of Tarun Gopi. He received praise for his powerful acting in the movie as a student with a troubled past.

The film proved to be another big success at the box office. It went on to complete 100 days of screening at the theatres. Thimiru further established Vishal's image as an action hero in Tamil cinema.

In the same year, Karu Pazhaniappan's film Sivappathikaaram (2006) was released, which belonged to the political action genre. Vishal portrayed the character of an angry young man in the film who fights against the current political system due to its shortcomings.

Vishal was next seen in Karu Pazhaniappan, a family action drama directed by Hari that once again proved his potential as an action hero. The film completed 100 days in the theatres and gained considerable success at the box office.

Later that year, he played the lead role in Boopathy Pandian's action movie Malaikottai (2007), co-starring Priyamani. The film received mixed reviews.

His next releases included Sathyam (2008) and Thoranai (2009). He was the leading man in Theeradha Vilaiyattu Pillai (2010), which marked his first collaboration with director Thiru.

In Avan Ivan (2011), directed and written by Bala, Vishal ventured into the realm of dark comedy and portrayed a rural actor with a squint. His performance received significant acclaim, earning him the Special Jury Award at the 2012 Norway Tamil Film Festival Awards.

The following year, he was seen playing the lead role in films like Samar (2013) and Pattathu Yaanai (2013), both of which belonged to the action genre. Samar (2013) was Vishal's second collaboration with Thiru.

Pandiya Naadu (2013), an action drama released towards the end of the year, showcased the transformation of an average young man into an enraged one after his family was harmed. The film also marked Vishal's debut in production under his banner, Vishal Film Factory.

He bagged the SIIMA Award for Best Debutant Producer in 2014 for this film.

Following Pandiya Naadu, Vishal starred in Naan Sigappu Manithan (2014), a revenge action thriller in which he portrayed a character afflicted with narcolepsy, a rare neurological condition. This marked his third collaboration with Thiru. Vishal conducted extensive research by studying documentaries and literature to prepare for the role, which was well-received by critics.

For his next film, Poojai (2014), Vishal collaborated with Hari for a second time.

Over the years, Vishal continued to appear in a wide variety of films, such as Aambala (2015), Paayum Puli (2015), Kathakali (2016), Thupparivaalan (2017), Sandakozhi 2 (2018), Ayogya (2019), Chakra (2021), and Veerame Vaagai Soodum (2022), among others.

His last appearance was in Laththi (2022), an action thriller directed by A. Vinoth Kumar.

Vishal made his debut on TV in 2018 with the talk show "Sun Naam Oruvar" (2018), which he hosted on Sun TV.

Sarathkumar Ramanathan is an Indian film actor, producer, and politician who has made a significant impact on the South Indian film industry.

Ramanathan studied at the Raja Muthiah High School in Chennai. Later, he went to the Central School in IIT Madras and completed his further studies at St. Patrick's Anglo Indian Higher Secondary School.

He was quite interested in sports; he played cricket, football, and hockey, even representing his school and college in numerous tournaments. He also joined the NCC and became an Air Wing Cadet. Ramanathan completed his pre-university education at Loyola College. He then pursued a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from The New College in Chennai.

In 1974, Ramanathan became a bodybuilder and earned the title of Mr Madras University. Later, he moved to Bangalore to work for Dinakaran, a Tamil newspaper. While he started off as a newspaper distributor, he went on to become a reporter for Dinakaran. He then shifted back to Chennai and opened a travel agency, where he met Kannadasan, who encouraged him to become a film producer.

Ramanathan then transitioned to acting and made his debut in the film industry in 1986 with the Telugu film Samajamlo sthree (1986). He was supposed to play the lead role in Chinna Poove Mella Pesu (1987) but was replaced by Prabhu. In 1988, he produced and acted in the Tamil film Kan Simmittum Neram (1988). One of his first major roles was in the movie Pulan Visaaranai (1990), where he played the role of a villain.

Soon after, he started getting more offers, which led to him acting in films like Mr. Karthik (1990), Pudhu Padagan (1990), Velai Kidaichiruchu (1990), Raja Kaiye Vacha (1990) and Urudhi Mozhi (1990). He also worked in several Telugu films, including Magaadu (1990) and Balachandrudu (1990). Following this, he essayed supporting roles in many Tamil films, such as Salem Vishnu (1990), Sirayil Sila Raagangal (1990), and Mounam Sammadham (1990).

In 1991, he featured in twelve Tamil films and three Telugu movies, mostly in supporting roles. The same year, he appeared in lead roles in films like Kaaval Nilayam (1991) and Cheran Pandian (1991), which were quite successful commercially.

His major breakthrough role came in the 1992 film Surieyan (1992), considered a trendsetter for Tamil action films. In addition to positive reviews, this role got him the Cinema Express Best Actor Special Award. He also worked on other films in 1992, including Thai Mozhi (1992), Ellaichami (1992), Samundi (1992), and Natchathira Nayagan (1992).

In 1993, Ramanathan acted in films like Aadhityan (1993), Dasarathan, Vedan (1993), Band Master (1993), and Moondravathu Kann (1993). In 1994, some of his projects included Aranmanai Kaavalan (1994), Captain Shiva (1994), Raja Pandi (1994), and the critically-acclaimed Nattamai (1994), for which he won the Best Actor award at the Tamil Nadu State Film Awards, Filmfare Awards, and Cinema Express Awards.

Ramanathan continued to be incredibly prolific; he featured in various films over the years, like Veluchami (1995), Coolie (1995), Ragasiya Police (1995), Mahaprabhu (1996), Nethaji (1996), Aravindhan (1997), Suryavamsam (1997), Janakiraman (1997), Moovendhar (1998), Natpukkaga (1998), Chinna Durai (1999), Maayi (2000), Rishi (2001), Vinnukum Mannukum (2001), Samudhram (2001), Thenkasi Pattanam (2002), Paarai (2003), Chatrapathy (2004), Aai (2004), etc.

In 2005, he acted in Ayya (2005), which was successful and received positive reviews. He also appeared in guest roles in Bunny (2005) and Jithan (2005). In 2006, he directed and acted in Thalaimagan (2006), which was a commercial failure. He appeared in several other films, including Pachaikili Muthucharam (2007), Nam Naadu (2007), and Vaitheeswaran (2008), which received mixed to negative reviews.

In 2009, Ramanathan debuted in Malayalam cinema through Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja (2009). He won the Vanitha Film Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role. He also appeared in Jaggubhai (2010), Kola Kolaya Mundhirika (2009), Oridathoru Postman (2010), The Metro (2011), and Christian Brothers (2011).

In 2011, he played a transgender person in Kanchana: Muni 2 (2011), which was a commercial success. He appeared in Achante Aanmakkal (2012) and Myna (2013). In 2014, he appeared in Nimirndhu Nil (2014), Janda Pai Kapiraju (2015), and Kochadaiiyaan (2014). In 2017, he made a comeback in Tamil cinema with Chennaiyil Oru Naal 2 (2017).

Besides his career in the entertainment industry, Ramanathan has been actively involved in politics. He joined the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party in 1996 and launched the All India Samathuya Makkal Kathci (AISMK) party in 2007. He is also a former Member of the Legislative Assembly of the Tenkasi Constituency and served for three terms as the president of the Nadigar Sangam from 2006 to 2015.

Ramanathan has received numerous awards for his outstanding contributions to the film industry. His accolades include the Tamil Nadu State Film Awards, such as the M.G.R. Award in 1996 and the Best Actor Award for Natpukkaga and Simmarasi in 1998. He has also won multiple Filmfare Awards South, including Best Tamil Actor Awards for Suryavamsam in 1997 and Natpukkaga in 1998.

In addition, he received several Cinema Express Awards, including the Best Villain Award for Pulan Visaranai in 1990 and the Best Actor Award for Suryavamsam in 1994. He was honoured with the Chevalier Sivaji Ganesan Award in 2000 and the Sivaji Ganesan Award in 2005.

Ramanathan was also felicitated with the Asianet Special Jury Award, the Jai Hind Patriotic Pride Award, and the Incisive Charisma Award by WE Magazine.

Arvind Swamy was born in Chennai, India. His parents were V.D.Swami and Vasantha Swami. V.D.Swami was a freedom fighter and an industrialist and Vasantha Swami was an accomplished Bharatanatyam Dancer. Arvind did his schooling in Sishya School and Don Bosco School in Chennai. He went to Loyola College in Chennai for his undergraduate studies and to Wake Forest, n.c. for his Master's program. Arvind's first film was 'Thalapathi' directed by Mani Ratnam. He went on to do many hit films like 'Roja', 'Bombay', 'Minsara Kanavu', 'Devaragam', 'Puthayal', 'En Swasa Katre', 'AlaiPayuthe' etc. In spite of his many successful movies, many awards and a lot of critical acclaim, he left the movies in 2000 and focused on his business and family. He was the President of InterPro Global and is the Chairman of Talent Maximus, a leading company in India engaged in Payroll Processing, Staffing and HR services. In 2012, he has returned to the movies with Mani Ratnam's 'Kadal', the shooting of which is still in progress.

Silambarasan Thesingu Rajendar, also credited by his initials S.T.R. or nickname Simbu, is an Indian actor, director, writer, composer, dancer, music director, lyricist and playback singer in the Tamil film industry. He began his acting career by playing roles as a child artist in films directed by his father T. Rajendar, before his first lead role in Kadhal Azhivathillai (2002), under his father's direction and produced by his mother Usha. Silambarasan was born in Thogarapalli Krishnagiri, Tamil Nadu, as the eldest child of T. Rajendar and Usha Rajendar. He has a younger brother Kuralarasan and sister Elakkiya. From early age he was a Hindu devotee and an ardent follower of Lord Shiva. He studied at Don Bosco Matriculation Higher Secondary School. He studied at Loyola College. Silambarasan entered the film industry from a young age and acted in many of his father's films until 2002, when he acted in Kadhal Azhivathillai, his first main role as a hero. He has completed 37 years in industry now (Dated 2021) and has 45 films being released.

Ravi was born to Tamil parents, editor Mohan and Varalakshmi Mohan. He has two siblings, his elder brother M. Raja is a noted film director, with most of his films featuring Ravi in the lead role, while his sister, Roja Mohan, is a dentist. He completed his schooling at Jawahar Vidyalaya in Ashok Nagar, Chennai. He studied dancing under the bharatnatyam dancer Nalini Balakrishnan and performed his arangetram at the age of 12. After completing his degree in Visual communication from Loyola College, Chennai,he decided to get into the film industry. He has also undergone training in acting at the Kishore Namit Kapur Institute in Mumbai. He is a martial arts expert and a trained bharatanatyam dancer. Prior to acting, Ravi had been an assistant director to Suresh Krishna in the 2001 film Aalavandhan.

Santhanam is a Tamil film actor, who began acting in films, debuting in 'Pesatha Kannum Pesume' in a small role. After the success of the Lollu Sabha he re-entered in to the Tamil films in Manmadhan (2004) alongside Silambarasan Rajendar and later acted alongside the Tamil film industry's top stars, including Rajinikanth, Vijay, Ajith, Surya Sivakumar, Karthi Sivakumar, Jayam Ravi, Arya, and countless others, as well as multiple films with Silambarasan. He played the lead role in Arai Enn 305-il Kadavul (2008), along with Prakash Raj. Unlike veteran comedians like Vadivelu and Vivek, who usually act in a comedy track separate from the main plot, Santhanam plays the role of the hero's friend (and sometimes, foil), contributing more to the actual story. He won the Vijay Award for Best Comedian in 2010 for his role in Siva Manasula Sakthi (2009). He received wide praise for his roles in films directed by M. Rajesh, such as Siva Manasula Sakthi (2009) and Boss Engira Baskaran (2010).

Vijayakanth, who's affectionately called 'Puratchi Kalaignar' and 'Captain' by his fans and well-wishers, had to face so many challenges and unfriendly situations before he could achieve the fame and popularity he's enjoying to-day in Tamil filmfield. He, whose original name was Vijayaraj, was born on 25th August, at Madurai, Tamilnadu, his parents being Azhagarsamy-Andal. When he was one year old his mother Andal passed away. His parents had three more children. To bring up the one year old baby Vijayakanth and because of the pressure exerted upon Vijayakanth's father by all the family members, the latter (Father of Vijayakanth) married one Rukmani as his second wife. This couple gave birth to 7 children. All these members now live together happily in a joint family. From 1st std. to 5th std. Vijayakanth studied at a particular school. He finished his 6th std. at M.C.High School. He pursued his 7th and 8th std. at Devakottai school. He did his 9th std. at a different school. 10th and 11th std. were studied by him at St. Mary's school. During that period, Vijayakanth was looking after his father's rice-mill business. So he couldn't pursue his studies beyond 11th std. Vijayakanth had some close friends then. One notable friend among them was A.Se. Ibrahim Rawther (who's even now with Vijayakanth as if his own-brother and has also earned the distinction of being one of the leading film producers in cinefield). All these friends in those days used to gather together near Sena's Films, a films distribution company, at Madurai. Marsook, the proprietor-distributor of Sena's Films, used to keenly observe the activities of Vijayakanth. One day he asked Vijayakanth whether the latter was interested in acting in films. Out of pressure from his friends, Vijayakanth agreed to act in films. Subsequently he (Vijayakanth) was booked for acting in the film "Yen Kelvikku Yenna Pathil?". Yet, after some time, he was dropped from the project on the ground that he was not good at Tamil dialogue delivery. This elicited a great passion within his heart that he took a vow to get into cine acting with renewed efforts and to make his career a rewarding success! With this one objective in mind, he knocked at the doors of each and every film company asking for acting chance. But there was not any positive response. Marsook had then distributed so many films directed by M.A.Kaja! Vijayakanth was introduced to Kaja by Marsook. As a result Vijayakanth was booked in "Inikkum Ilamai". This was the first film acted by Vijayakanth. After this, he acted in "Thooraththu Idi Muzhakkam", "Neerottam" and "Agal Vilakku". These films didn't bring great success. Yet Vijayakanth too didn't lose heart. He waited for good opportunity. 'Vadaloor Combines' proprietor Chidambaram saw "Neerottam" at Krishnaveni theatre, T.Nagar, Chennai. Seeing Vijayakanth in action, he started developing some interest in him as he identified some hopeful, positive traits in his (Viyayakanth's) style of acting and personality. He wanted to produce a film by booking Vijayakanth. His wish got materialized through "Sattam Oru Iruttarai". In this project too there arose stiff opposition from some quarters protesting against giving the hero chance to Vijayakanth in the film! Yet, overlooking all these objections, the producer stood firm in his decision and made Vijayakanth the hero! S.A.Chandrasekaran directed this film. When, finally, the film got released, it proved to be a grand success! Subsequently Vijayakanth was booked in 18 new films. While he was doing these films, at a specific period, his cinema market started becoming dull again! At this juncture, the film "Saatchi" was released. Vijayakanth had done the lead role in it. S.A.Chandrasekaran had directed it. P.S.Veerappa had produced it. This film, in it's turn, created a new success record. The following is a popular dialogue written by Kalaignar Karunanidhi: "Veezhvathu Naamaaga Irunthaalum Vazhvathu Thamizhaaga Irukkattum".Vijayakanth picked up these words as his heart-loving golden rule. Whenever he addresses any function or releases some press statement or birth day message, he uses to add the words 'Tamil', 'Tamil', 'Tamil' as one of his most ideal slogans. The recent release "Ulavuththurai" is his 125th film. Upto this film he hasn't so far acted even in a single, other language film. He's the only Tamil actor who has achieved this distinction! Though actor Sarathkumar had already acted in films before, his role in "Pulan Visaranai" in which he teamed with Vijayakanth proved to be one of the great limelights in his acting career. Vijayakanth introduced Mansoor Alikhan to filmfield through his "Captain Prabaharan". He (Vijayakanth) has introduced through his different films, film institute students like R.K.Selvamani, R.Aravintharaj, Ilavarasan and a few others as newface film directors. Many different newface heroines also have got introduced through his films. Though Vijayakanth hasn't acted in other language films, each and every film of him has been dubbed into Telugu language and thus has led to huge revenue collection too!

Known as one of the "big three" of South Indian Cinema of yesteryear (the other two being M.G. Ramchandran, and Sivaji Ganesan), Ramaswamy Ganesan had acted in several box-office hits between 1950 and 1978 as the lead hero. Born on November 16, 1919, he was a graduate from an orthodox Brahmin family, and had begun his career as a Lecturer in the Madras Christian College, but subsequently began to work with Gemini Studios as an Executive from 1947, hence he was referred to as "Gemini" Ganesan. He became a movie film hero by the age of 30 in a movie made by AVM Productions, and would soon attain star status.

Fondly referred to as the "King of Romance", he was paired with a number of top-rated heroines of his times, including Vyjantimala, Saroja Devi, Sowkar Janaki, and Devika. He ended up getting married to Savithri, another top heroine.

He was the proud father of one son and seven daughters. One of his daughters is Bollywood mega-star Rekha, and a second daughter named Ji Ji also a movie actress in two Tamil films. One of his other daughter is a well-known Chennai-based gynecologist, Kamala Selvaraj.

Unlike the other big two, Ganesan never tried his hand in politics, and continued doing films in Hindi, Tamil, Telegu, Malyalam, and Kannada languages, even after his prime, after which he did father roles up until the late 1990s. The total number of movies he acted in come to around 200 in all different languages.

A Padmasree recipient in 1971, Ganesan also won the Kalaimamani, MGR Gold Medal, and Screen Life Time Achievement awards.

After several months of bad health, he passed away on Tuesday 22 March 2005 at his home. He was 84 years of age.

Born in Kerala India, Arya initially worked as a computer engineer. Luckily for us however, his passion for filming and his impressive physique brought him to modeling before debuting in acting.

Director VishnuVardhan's favorite, he worked with other acclaimed filmmakers and started building a solid filmography as a versatile and subtle actor, delivering pungent portrayals.

His first release was VishnuVardhan's Arinthum Ariyamalum (2005), where Arya played the son of Prakash Raj in a critically acclaimed young gangster role which won him Filmfare Best Debut Award South and Best New Male Face Award at the Filmfare Awards.

Since then, he embodied very diverse characters with equal intensity, demonstrating a emotional verve and sharpness, on-screen presence, a fine sense of humour, and an extremely powerful unaffected candor.

His dedication to his work won him respect of the south Indian film industry very quickly. He is known to choose the projects he gets involved in very carefully and give them his best.

Tough yet endearing gangster in Pattiyal, impressive sadhu in Bala's Naan Kadavul (Best actor Nomination at 57th South Filmfare Awards), bubbly suitor in Sarvam to soft lover in Ullam Ketkumae, romantic wrestler Madharasapattinam, are a few of the characters he's played.

Arya also started his production company, "The Show People", which will see its first release in 2010 with Padithurai.

His younger brother is the newcomer actor Sathya.

Foray into Films - He began his career in the film industry as a background actor, taking on minor supporting roles for over five years in films such as M Kumaran Son of Mahalakshmi, Dishyum, Pudhupettai, Lee, Venila Kabadi Kuzhu, Naan Mahan Illah, and several short films including Athiyayam, Neer, Thuru, Wind, Maa Thavam, Kadhalithu Paar, The Angel, Bench Talkies, and Petti Case. His first leading role came in Seenu Ramasamy's Thenmerku Paruvakaatru (2010), an action-drama that won three National Awards. He further showcased his versatility by playing a villain in Sundarapandian (2012), followed by breakthrough roles in Pizza (2012), a horror-thriller, Naduvula Konjam Pakkatha Kaanom (2012), a comedy, and Soodhu Kavvum (2013), a comedy-thriller. With over 16 years of dedicated experience, he became one of the most sought-after actors in the Indian film industry.

Early Life / Childhood - Vijaya Gurunatha Sethupathi Kalimuthu, professionally known as Vijay Sethupathi, was born on January 16, 1979, in Rajapalayam. He grew up there before relocating to Chennai during his early school years. He attended MGR Higher Secondary School in Kodambakkam. Sethupathi has mentioned that he was a "below-average student" throughout his school years, showing little interest in sports or extracurricular activities. At the age of 16, he ventured into acting by auditioning as a junior artist for the film Nammavar (1994), but was rejected due to his short height. Despite these early setbacks, his persistence in pursuing acting eventually led to a successful career.

Vijay Sethupathi completed his Bachelor of Commerce degree from Dhanraj Baid Jain College in Chennai. Initially, he worked as an accounts assistant at a wholesale cement business, and later moved to Dubai, UAE, where he continued his work as an accountant.

Odd Jobs / Uncertain times - Unfulfilled with his job in Dubai, Sethupathi returned to India in 2003, where he got married to Ms. Jessi. He briefly ventured into the interior decoration business with friends before joining a marketing company dealing with readymade kitchens. However, his passion for acting led him to take up a job as an accountant with the Chennai-based theatre group Koothupattarai. This role allowed him to immerse himself in the theater world, where he had the chance to observe actors up close, further fueling his desire to pursue acting.

Family - Sethupathi and his wife Jessi have two children, a son named Surya and a daughter named Shreeja. He named his son in honor of his late school friend, Surya, who passed away during their school days.

As a Writer / Lyricist - In addition to acting, Sethupathi also dabbled in writing. He penned the dialogues for his film Orange Mittai - (2015), showcasing his creativity beyond the camera.

Vijay Sethupathi is turning lyricist with Raju Jeyamohan's Bun Butter Jam. Interestingly, he has penned the lyrics for the song titled Eternal Subway (Yedho Pesathaney - ), which has been sung by another notable actor, Siddharth, along with Shilpa Rao.

Nassar is one of the most acclaimed actors in India. He is the current president of South Indian Actors Association. Nassar is well known for Thevar Magan (1992), Bombay (1995), Anbe Sivam (2003) and Nayakan (1987).

Nassar was born on 5 March 1958 to Mehaboob Basha and Mumtaz in Chengalpattu, Tamil Nadu. He studied in St. Joseph's Higher Secondary School (Chengalpattu). He moved to Madras (now chennai) after school, where he finished his pre-university at Madras Christian College, where he was an active member of the Dramatic Society. Later for a brief time, he worked in the Indian Air Force. He trained in two acting schools: the South Indian Film Chamber of Commerce's Film Institute and the Tamil Nadu Institute for Film and Television Technology.

Nassar made his acting debut in K.Balachander movie in 1985 portraying a secondary supporting role, before moving on to play villainous roles. With breakthrough role came through his performance as a police officer in Nayakan (1987), he became one of the most important actor in Indian cinema. He subsequently became a regular in Mani Ratnam and Kamal Haasan ventures.

Even in small role made by Nassar became more powerful with his acting skills in the movies like Kabali (2016), Vishwaroopam (2013) & Iruvar (1997).