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Sarathkumar Ramanathan (born 14 July 1954) is an Indian actor, politician, filmmaker, and singer. He has acted in more than 130 Tamil,
Telugu Telugu may refer to: * Telugu language, a major Dravidian language of India *Telugu people, an ethno-linguistic group of India * Telugu script, used to write the Telugu language ** Telugu (Unicode block), a block of Telugu characters in Unicode S ...
,
Malayalam Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry ( Mahé district) by the Malayali people. It is one of 22 scheduled languages of India. Malayalam wa ...
and
Kannada Kannada (; ಕನ್ನಡ, ), originally romanised Canarese, is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by the people of Karnataka in southwestern India, with minorities in all neighbouring states. It has around 47 million native s ...
films. He has won two
Tamil Nadu State Film Awards Tamil Nadu State Film Awards were given for excellence in Tamil cinema in India. They were given annually to honour the best talents and provide encouragement and incentive to the South Indian film industry by the Government of Tamil Nadu. Th ...
and three Filmfare Awards South. Originally a bodybuilder and later journalist, in 1986, Sarathkumar started his acting career in the Telugu film ''Samajamlo Sthree''. He first acted in negative roles, and later played supporting roles before establishing himself as a lead actor in subsequent years, earning him the titles ''Supreme Star'' and ''Super Hero'' in
Tamil cinema Tamil cinema, also known as Kollywood is a part of Indian Cinema; primarily engaged in production of motion pictures in the Tamil language. Based out of the Kodambakkam neighbourhood in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, it is popularly called ''Kollywo ...
. In 2007, he launched a new political party All India Samathuva Makkal Katchi (AISMK) in
Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a state in southern India. It is the tenth largest Indian state by area and the sixth largest by population. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu is the home of the Tamil people, whose Tamil languag ...
, claiming to carry out the ideals of
K. Kamaraj Kumaraswami Kamaraj (15 July 1903 – 2 October 1975, hinduonnet.com. 15–28 September 2001), popularly known as Kamarajar was an Indian independence activist and politician who served as the Chief Minister of Madras State (Tamil Nadu) ...
. He is the former Member of Legislative Assembly of Tenkasi constituency. He served as the president of the Nadigar Sangam from 2006 to 2015 for three consecutive terms.


Early life

R. Sarathkumar was born on 14 July 1954 to Ramanathan and Pushpaleela, a Tamil family in
New Delhi New Delhi (, , ''Naī Dillī'') is the Capital city, capital of India and a part of the NCT Delhi, National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCT). New Delhi is the seat of all three branches of the government of India, hosting the Rashtrapati B ...
. His father Ramanathan worked at the All India Radio before joining the Press Information Bureau of India, while his mother Pushpaleela was a housewife. Sarathkumar is the youngest child in his family, he had two siblings; an elder brother, the late Sudarshan Ramanathan and an elder sister Mallika Kandaswamy. His mother Pushpaleela died on 26 October 2013. Sarathkumar started his schooling at the Raja Muthiah High School, after his family relocated from Delhi to
Chennai Chennai (, ), formerly known as Madras ( the official name until 1996), is the capital city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost Indian state. The largest city of the state in area and population, Chennai is located on the Coromandel Coast of ...
. He then moved on to the Central School in the Indian Institute of Technology Madras, and finished at St. Patrick's Anglo Indian Higher Secondary School. Being an avid sports enthusiast, he played football, cricket and hockey, representing his school and college teams. He also joined the
NCC NCC may refer to: Biology *Neural correlates of consciousness, neuronal events and mechanisms relating to perception phenomena *Sodium-chloride symporter, abbreviated as NCC Companies *National Certification Corporation, a nursing specialty cer ...
, becoming an Air Wing Cadet. He was one of the cadets who marched in the Republic Day Parade of 1970. After completing his pre-university levels at Loyola College, he was subsequently graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics from The New College. He later became a bodybuilder and earned the "Mr. Madras University" title in 1974. He then moved to
Bangalore Bangalore (), officially Bengaluru (), is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It has a population of more than and a metropolitan population of around , making it the third most populous city and fifth most ...
to work for the newly started Tamil newspaper Dinakaran, he started as a cycle boy distributing newspapers to shops and later graduated to become a reporter for the same newspaper. After successfully establishing the circulation, he moved on to Chennai. He shifted his energies towards running his own business, a travel agency in Chennai and meeting Kannadasan who elevated him to become a producer. He is fluent in all major South Indian languages and is quite proficient in Russian.


Acting career


1986–1991: Debut roles

Sarathkumar made his acting debut in 1986, in the Telugu film ''Samajamlo Sthree'' at the behest of a producer friend. Sarathkumar was originally cast to play the lead role in '' Chinna Poove Mella Pesu'' (1987) directed by Robert–Rajasekar but the producers insisted on having one familiar face and he was replaced by actor Prabhu. In 1988, while running his travel agency in Chennai, Sarathkumar got an opportunity to act as well as produce in the Tamil film '' Kan Simittum Neram''. The film was directed by Kannadasan and he co-starred with Karthik and Ambika. In 1989, R. Sarathkumar was spotted by Raju, the personal make-up man of actor
Vijayakanth Narayanan Vijayaraj Alagarswami (born 25 August 1952), better known by his stage name Vijayakanth, is an Indian politician and former actor who has worked predominantly in Tamil cinema. He was the Leader of the Opposition in the Tamil Nadu Leg ...
, who recommended him to the '' Pulan Visaranai''s team. Finally, R. Sarathkumar acted as a villain in ''Pulan Visaranai'' and the film turned out to be a blockbuster. He won a ''Cinema Express Award for Best Villain'' for his role, which brought him more film offers. In 1990, he teamed up for the second time with Kannadasan for the film ''Mr. Karthik'', which flopped at the box office. Thereafter, he appeared in antagonist roles in Tamil films such as '' Pudhu Padagan'', '' Velai Kidaichuduchu'', ''
Raja Kaiya Vacha ''Raja Kaiya Vacha'' () is a 1990 Indian Tamil-language comedy film, directed by Suresh Krissna. The film stars Prabhu, Revathi and Gautami with Nassar, Sarathkumar, Nagesh, Janagaraj, Anandaraj, and Poornam Viswanathan in supporting roles. It w ...
'', '' Enkitta Mothathe'', '' Jagathalaprathapan'' and in Telugu films such as ''Vishnu'', '' Magaadu'' and ''
Balachandrudu ''Balachandrudu'' is a 1990 Indian Telugu-language action drama film, produced and directed by Krishna under his Padmalaya Studios banner. It stars Mahesh Babu in the title role, Satyanarayana, Geetha, Sarath Kumar, Rami Reddy in other impor ...
''. He acted in few Tamil films in supporting roles such as '' Salem Vishnu'', ''
Sirayil Sila Raagangal ''Sirayil Sila Raagangal'' is a 1990 Indian Tamil-language film, directed by Rajendrakumar, starring Murali, Pallavi and Prathap Pothan. Cast * Murali *Pallavi *Prathap Pothan *Sarath Kumar * Vijayakumar *Kumarimuthu *Idichapuli Selvaraj *Th ...
'', '' Mounam Sammadham'' and ''
Puriyaadha Pudhir ''Puriyaadha Puthir'' () is a 1990 Indian Tamil-language mystery thriller film written and directed by K. S. Ravikumar in his directorial debut. It is a remake of the 1989 Kannada film '' Tarka'' which was based on Agatha Christie's 1958 play, ...
''. ''Puriyaadha Pudhir'' marked the first collaboration with Sarathkumar and director K. S. Ravikumar. He also acted in his first venture as a hero in '' Palaivana Paravaigal'' under Senthilnathan's direction, who at that time gave consecutive hits. In 1991, he acted in twelve Tamil films and three Telugu films, mostly in supporting roles and four films in lead roles, but he continued to act in few films as a villain. In the start of 1991, he acted in negative roles in the Telugu film '' Stuartpuram Police Station'', starring
Chiranjeevi Chiranjeevi (born Konidela Sivasankara Varaprasad; 22 August 1955) is an Indian actor, film producer and former politician, who predominantly works in Telugu cinema. Chiranjeevi starred in over 150 feature films in Telugu, as well as some film ...
and Vijayashanti, ''Namma Ooru Mariamma'', '' Vetri Padigal'' and '' Pudhu Manithan''. He acted as a retired military officer in '' Chithirai Pookkal'' and played the second hero role in the blockbuster film ''
Captain Prabhakaran ''Captain Prabhakaran'' is a 1991 Indian Tamil-language action film directed by R. K. Selvamani. It stars Vijayakanth in the lead role. It also features Mansoor Ali Khan, Rupini, Livingston and Ramya Krishnan, while R. Sarathkumar appears in ...
''. In May 1991, he appeared in lead roles in Senthilnathan's '' Kaaval Nilayam'' and
K. S. Ravikumar K. S. Ravikumar (born 30 May 1958) is an Indian film director, screenwriter, producer, actor, primarily working in Tamil films. Career 1990–1997 Ravikumar worked as co-director on R. B. Choudary's production ''Pudhu Vasantham'' directe ...
's rural drama film '' Cheran Pandiyan'', and starred as Chiranjeevi's brother in the Telugu film ''
Gang Leader ''Gang Leader'' is a 1991 Indian Telugu-language action crime film written and directed by Vijaya Bapineedu, and produced by Maganti Ravindranath Chowdary. The film stars Chiranjeevi and Vijayashanti, while Rao Gopal Rao, Anandaraj, Mural ...
'', the three were commercially successful. In July 1991, he acted in '' Archana IAS'', co-starring Sithara and acted in the role of the father '' Vaidehi Kalyanam''. At the end of 1991, he played a small role in the Telugu film ''Surya IPS'', a negative role in Pavithran's '' Vasanthakala Paravai'' and starred in a lead role in Senthinathan's '' Thangamana Thangachi''.


1992–1993: Lead roles

In 1992, he has acted in 10 films as protagonist and 2 films as antagonist including the Telugu film ''Agreement'', directed by Manivannan and P. C. Sreeram's '' Meera''. In the beginning of 1992, he acted in Senthilnathan's '' Ilavarasan'', alongside
Sukanya Sukanya ( sa, सुकन्या, lit=wonderful virgin, translit=Sukanyā) is a princess In Hindu mythology. She is the daughter of Sharyati, the son of Vaivasvata Manu, and the wife of the sage Chyavana. Legend Marriage According to ...
, Manivasagam's '' Periya Gounder Ponnu'' and '' Sivantha Malar''. In mid-1992, he worked in K. S. Ravikumar's ''
Oor Mariyadhai ''Oor Mariyadhai'' () is a 1992 Indian Tamil-language drama film directed by K. S. Ravikumar. The film stars Sarathkumar, Sasikala, Napoleon and Anand. It revolves around Rathnavelu (Sarathkumar), who is in love with Rasathi (Sasikala) who, ho ...
'', co-starring Sasikala and in Senthilnathan's '' Idhuthanda Sattam''. He then starred in the action film '' Suriyan'', directed by Pavithran and it became his first big break. The film won positive reviews and became highly successful at the box office; he received a ''Cinema Express Award Best Actor Special Award'' for the role in which he shaved his head. Subsequently, Sarathkumar was catapulted to fame, his fan base was growing exponentially and he became selective in accepting new assignments. Soon, he was in competition with "Puratchi Kalaignar"
Vijayakanth Narayanan Vijayaraj Alagarswami (born 25 August 1952), better known by his stage name Vijayakanth, is an Indian politician and former actor who has worked predominantly in Tamil cinema. He was the Leader of the Opposition in the Tamil Nadu Leg ...
. In the end of 1992, he acted in the action film '' Thai Mozhi'', co-starring
Vijayakanth Narayanan Vijayaraj Alagarswami (born 25 August 1952), better known by his stage name Vijayakanth, is an Indian politician and former actor who has worked predominantly in Tamil cinema. He was the Leader of the Opposition in the Tamil Nadu Leg ...
and
Mohini Mohini (Sanskrit: मोहिनी, ') is the Hindu goddess of enchantment. She is the only female avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu. She is portrayed as a '' femme fatale'', an enchantress, who maddens lovers and demons, sometimes leading th ...
, ''
Ellaichami ''Ellaichami'' is a 1992 Tamil language drama film directed and produced by K. Rangaraj. The film stars R. Sarathkumar and Rupini, with Nassar, Vetri Vigneshwar and Gowri playing supporting roles. The film had musical score by S. A. Rajkumar a ...
'', Manoj Kumar's '' Samundi'' and Senthilnathan's ''
Natchathira Nayagan ''Natchathira Nayagan'' () is a 1992 Indian Tamil-language action film directed by Senthilnathan. The film stars R. Sarathkumar and Rohini, with Jaishankar, Kavitha, Goundamani, Senthil, Rocky, Ashok Sundaram and Nalinikanth playing supporti ...
'', making their fifth and last collaboration. '' Thai Mozhi'' was released to mixed reviews and ''Samundi'', despite unfavourable reviews, managed to run for more than 100 days. In the start of 1993, he acted in '' Aadhityan'', co-starring
Sukanya Sukanya ( sa, सुकन्या, lit=wonderful virgin, translit=Sukanyā) is a princess In Hindu mythology. She is the daughter of Sharyati, the son of Vaivasvata Manu, and the wife of the sage Chyavana. Legend Marriage According to ...
and Pandiarajan and in '' Dasarathan'', produced by Mani Ratnam and S. Sriram. ''Aadhityan'' was released to negative reviews, while the much-hyped ''Dasarathan'' failed at the box office. In mid-1993, he starred in Suresh Krissna's '' Vedan'', co-starring Khushbu, in ''
Munarivippu ''Munarivippu'' () is a 1993 Indian Tamil-language action thriller film directed by Bhuvan in his debut. The film stars Sarathkumar and Heera, while Napoleon, Chinni Jayanth and S. S. Chandran play supporting roles. It was released on 18 June ...
'' alongside Heera Rajagopal and in his fourth collaboration with director K. S. Ravikumar; ''
Band Master ''Band Master'' is a 1993 Indian Tamil-language romantic drama film, directed by K. S. Ravikumar. The film stars R. Sarathkumar and Heera, with Ranjitha, Vijayakumar and Srividya in supporting roles. It was released on 2 July 1993. Plot R ...
'', again with Heera Rajagopal and Ranjitha. ''Band Master''released to negative reviews, whereas ''
Munarivippu ''Munarivippu'' () is a 1993 Indian Tamil-language action thriller film directed by Bhuvan in his debut. The film stars Sarathkumar and Heera, while Napoleon, Chinni Jayanth and S. S. Chandran play supporting roles. It was released on 18 June ...
'' was well received critically. In the end of 1993, he acted in the thriller film '' Moondravadhu Kann'', he teamed up with the Suriyan team (consisting of director Pavithran, cinematographer Ashok Kumar, comedian Goundamani, villain Babu Antony and the editor duo B. Lenin and
V. T. Vijayan V. T. Vijayan is an Indian film editor who works in Malayalam, Telugu, and Tamil films. He has collaborated in the past with editors including B. Lenin B. Lenin born as Bhimsingh Lenin is an Indian film editor, writer and director who works in ...
) for the second time in '' I Love India'' and worked in the comedy film '' Kattabomman''. ''Moondravadhu Kann'' was a hit at the box office and Kattabomman was labelled as a "disaster", but Malini Mannath of ''The New Indian Express'' stated that "Sarath seems to have improved on his expressions". His 1992 Telugu film ''Agreement'' was dubbed into Tamil as ''Idhayam Ullavan'' and fetched highly negative reviews upon release. Malini Mannath criticised his choice of scripts and films. That year, Sarathkumar could not accept the lead role in Shankar's '' Gentleman'' because he was busy with other projects and was subsequently replaced by Arjun Sarja. The film turned out be a blockbuster and Sarathkumar missed the chance to consolidate his position.


1994–1999: Breakthrough and success

In the start of 1994, he worked in '' Aranmanai Kaavalan'' and in the bilingual Tamil/Telugu film ''
Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
'', directed by Kodi Ramakrishna. ''Aranmanai Kaavalan'' was released to positive reviews while ''Captain'' was released to largely negative reviews and failed at the box office. In mid-1994, he played three roles in '' Namma Annachi'' and in Manoj Kumar's masala film ''
Raja Pandi ''Raja Pandi'' is a 1994 Indian Tamil-language action film, directed by Manoj Kumar and produced by Muktha Ravi. The film stars Sarathkumar, Sukanya, Vadivelu and Kasthuri. It was released on 9 September 1994. Plot Cast * Sarathkumar * ...
'', he played a cameo appearance, as himself in the comedy film ''
Killadi Mappillai ''Killadi Mappillai'' () is a 1994 Indian Tamil language comedy film, directed by J. George Prasad. The film stars Pandiarajan, Sindhuja and Divyasri, with Vennira Aadai Moorthy, C. R. Saraswathi, S. S. Chandran, Vadivelu, Jayalalita and Chinni ...
'' and he appeared in a guest role for Pavithran's film '' Indhu''. ''Namma Annachi'' and ''Rajapandi'' were released to unfavourable reviews. K. Vijiyan of '' New Straits Times'' stated for ''Namma Annachi'': "to do all three roles is just to generate more publicity for Sarath and the movie". His next venture was K. S. Ravikumar's ''
Nattamai ''Nattamai'' () is a 1994 Indian Tamil-language drama film directed by K. S. Ravikumar. It starred Sarathkumar, Meena and Khushbu. The film was released on 2 November 1994, during Diwali, and completed a 175-day run at the box office. It is ...
'', alongside Meena and Khushbu, in which he played a dual role. The film became a blockbuster and achieved cult status. His performance was highly praised by critics and also fetched him several notable awards, including Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actor, Filmfare Award for Best Actor and
Cinema Express Award for Best Actor Cinema may refer to: Film * Cinematography, the art of motion-picture photography * Film or movie, a series of still images that create the illusion of a moving image ** Film industry, the technological and commercial institutions of filmmaking * ...
. It was followed by ''
Magudikkaran ''Magudikkaran'' () is a 1994 Tamil-language drama film directed by Yaar Kannan. The film stars Sarath Kumar in a guest appearance, while newcomers Dev Anand, Devi and Chithra play the lead roles. It was released on 25 November 1994. Cast *Sara ...
'' in which he appeared in a guest appearance. After the failure of ''Captain'' and the success of ''Nattamai'', R. Sarathkumar decided to focus only on Tamil cinema. The next year, he worked in the village drama ''
Veluchami ''Veluchami'' is a 1995 Tamil-language drama film directed by Arul, who had worked as a storywriter and dialogue writer in ''Aranmanai Kaavalan'' (1994). The film stars Sarath Kumar, Vineetha and newcomer Shruthi. The film had musical score by D ...
'', P. Vasu's ''
Coolie A coolie (also spelled koelie, kuli, khuli, khulie, cooli, cooly, or quli) is a term for a low-wage labourer, typically of South Asian or East Asian descent. The word ''coolie'' was first popularized in the 16th century by European traders acros ...
'', '' Nadodi Mannan'' and the crime film '' Ragasiya Police''. ''Veluchami'' opened to favourable reviews with K. Vijiyan of '' New Straits Times'' claiming that "Sarathkumar shows more maturity with his acting". The four films were commercial failures. In 1996, he acted in A. Venkatesh's first film '' Mahaprabhu''. The film turned out to be a hit. He then starred in the action film '' Nethaji'', alongside Lisa Ray; the film was a failure at the box office. In 1997, he acted in '' Aravindhan'', co-starring R. Parthiepan, Nagma and Urvashi. The film failed at the box office. His next venture '' Suryavamsam'', directed by Vikraman and produced by R. B. Choudary was a blockbuster. He played a dual role in the film. He won the Filmfare Award for Best Actor in Tamil and Cinema Express Award for Best Actor for the second time. In the end of 1997, he acted in the
Sundar C. Vinayagar Sundar Vel (born 21 January 1966), known professionally as Sundar C., is an Indian film director, actor and producer. He has directed over 34 films in Tamil and acted in 17 movies as the protagonist. His notable films include ''Ull ...
comedy film '' Janakiraman'' which was a commercial hit. The next year, he played in '' Moovendhar'', directed by Suraj, Sundar C's assistant director. The film, released to negative reviews, failed at the box office. After ''Nattamai'', he re-teamed with K. S. Ravikumar in '' Natpukkaga'', the film was well received critically and turned out to be a blockbuster. R. Sarathkumar won the Filmfare Award for Best Actor for the third time and the Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actor for the second time. He made a cameo appearance in Vikraman's '' Unnidathil Ennai Koduthen''. He then starred in the Telugu film ''Preminchanu Nene'' and in '' Simmarasi'', directed by Erode Soundar, K. S. Ravikumar's former dialogue writer. ''Simmarasi'' was released to unfavourable reviews, but Sarathkumar was praised for his role. In the start of 1999, he acted in R. Chandra's '' Chinna Durai'', co-starring with Roja. It was followed by '' Oruvan'', the remake of the Telugu film '' Auto Driver'', in which Sarathkumar paired with Pooja Batra and teamed up for the second time with the director Suresh Krissna. Usha Gopalakrishnan of ''indolink.com'' praised Sarathkumar's acting. In the end of 1999, he acted in K. S. Ravikumar's '' Paattali''.


2000–2004: Action and family–drama films

In 2000, he starred in Super Good Films, '' Maayi'' and made a guest appearance in '' Pennin Manathai Thottu''. Despite facing controversy, ''Maayi'' proved to be successful at the box office with a reviewer citing that "In the title role of a totally underplayed character, Sarathkumar surely makes a mark". In the start of 2001, he acted in the action film '' Rishi'' and went on to appear as himself in '' Ullam Kollai Poguthae'', both directed by Sundar C. He co-starred with Vikram in ''
Vinnukum Mannukum ''Vinnukum Mannukum'' () is a 2001 Indian Tamil-language romantic comedy film directed by Rajakumaran. It stars Sarathkumar, Vikram, Khushbu and Devayani. It was failure commercially. Plot Sakthivel (Sarathkumar) is the leader of his villag ...
'', directed by
Rajakumaran Rajakumaran may refer to: * ''Rajakumaran '' (film), a 1994 Indian Tamil-language film starring Prabhu * Rajakumaran (director), Indian film director in Tamil cinema See also * Rajkumar (disambiguation) {{Disambiguation ...
and produced by R. B. Choudary. The film, released after many troubles and eventually failed at the box office. He then acted in
S. A. Chandrasekhar S. A. Chandrasekar (born 2 July 1945) is an Indian film director, producer, writer, and actor who primarily works within Kollywood. He made his directorial debut with ''Aval Oru Pachai Kuzhanthai'' (1978), He got his breakthrough with ''Sattam ...
's '' Dosth''. His next release was K. S. Ravikumar's family drama '' Samudhiram''; he acted alongside Murali and Manoj Bharathiraja. Despite negative reviews, the film was a commercial success. The next year, he appeared in '' Thenkasi Pattanam'', alongside Napoleon and '' Samasthanam'', alongside Malayalam actor Suresh Gopi, both were two hero-subjects. Sarathkumar's first 2003 release was '' Arasu'', directed by Suresh, and the film was successful at the box office. However, his second film '' Paarai'', a remake of the Malayalam film '' Mahayanam'', directed by K. S. Ravikumar was an average grosser. His third film was '' Diwan'', directed by Suryaprakash, who previously directed the successful ''Maayi''. His performance was praised by critics. In the start of 2004, he acted in the action films '' Chatrapathy'' and ''
Gambeeram ''Gambeeram'' () is a 2004 Indian Tamil-language action film directed by Suresh, starring Sarath Kumar and Laila. Cast Soundtrack Soundtrack was composed by Mani Sharma and lyrics were written by Pa. Vijay and Kabilan. Reception The ...
''; both were average grosser. In the making for the last five years, ''
Maanasthan ''Manasthan'' is a 2004 Indian Tamil-language romantic drama film directed by K.Bharathi. The film stars Sarathkumar and Sakshi Shivanand. Abbas, Vijayakumar and Sujatha play supporting roles. It was released on 11 June 2004. Plot A rich l ...
'' was released to average reviews. His next venture '' Aai'', in which he co-starred with Namitha and
Vadivelu Kumaravadivel Natarajan (born 12 September 1960), known professionally as Vadivelu, is an Indian actor, comedian and playback singer, having acted in supporting and lead roles in Tamil cinema. He gained widespread acclaim in Kollywood in the ...
, an action masala film, directed by A. Venkatesh, was a decent hit. He was also introduced as a playback singer in ''Aai''.


2005–2008: Mixed reviews

In 2005, he starred in Hari's '' Ayya'', alongside newcomer Nayanthara. The film was released on the Pongal weekend to positive reviews and was successful at the box office. Sarathkumar's performance fetched very positive reviews with a reviewer citing: "another splendid performance from Sarathkumar". He appeared in guest appearances in the Telugu film '' Bunny'' and his wife's production '' Githan''. The success of A. Venkatesh's ''Aai'' resulted in the film's team collaborating to make a film in a similar genre, '' Chanakya'', which also featured Namitha and Vadivelu. The film was a hit at the box office, and marked the A. Venkatesh and Sarathkumar combination's third hit in a row. He signed up for ''Khaki'' and shooting was in progress. Sarathkumar even tonsured his head for the film, but the film was dropped for some reason. In 2006, he directed and acted in his 100th film '' Thalaimagan'', produced by his wife Raadhika under the "Radaan Media works" banner. The film failed at the box office. The next year, he starred in Gautham Vasudev Menon's '' Pachaikili Muthucharam'', which released to positive reviews, but ended up as an average grosser. A critic stated his performance: "as a next-door-family-man, Sarathkumar has excelled". Sarathkumar signed up for a Malayalam film, ''Vaitheeswaran'', ''1977'' and a film directed by K. S. Ravikumar. He then played a cameo appearance as himself in Cheran's '' Maya Kannadi''. Sarathkumar's last 2007 release was '' Nam Naadu'', a remake of the Malayalam hit ''Lion'', marking his third collaboration with director Suresh. This was his first film after he launched his own political party in Tamil Nadu. The film, released to largely negative reviews, failed at the box office. In 2008, his only release was the supernatural film ''
Vaitheeswaran ''Vaitheeswaran'' is a 2008 Tamil language film. It starred Sarath Kumar, Meghna Naidu and Pooja Gandhi. Plot When a young boy Saravanan is killed by rowdy — and aspiring politician — Dhanasekaran (Sayaji Shinde), his distraught ...
'', which was released to negative reviews.


2009–2014: Supporting Actor

In the start of 2009, he acted in the film ''
1977 Events January * January 8 – Three bombs explode in Moscow within 37 minutes, killing seven. The bombings are attributed to an Armenian separatist group. * January 10 – Mount Nyiragongo erupts in eastern Zaire (now the Democrati ...
'', donning six different looks. The film, made with a whopping budget of 15 crores, was directed and produced by newcomer G. N. Dinesh Kumar. The film, which released to negative reviews, took an average opening and was declared a flop at the box office. In October 2009, Sarathkumar made his debut in Malayalam through '' Pazhassi Raja'', in which he co-starred with Mammootty and he played the role of Edachena Kunkan. The historical period film was directed by Hariharan. For the film, Sarathkumar won the Vanitha Film Awards for Best Supporting Actor. After the release of ''Pazhassi Raja'', Sarathkumar was flooded with offers in Malayalam. ''
Jaggubhai ''Jaggubhai'' is a 2010 Indian Tamil-language action drama film written and directed by K. S. Ravikumar, who with collaborates with the lead actor, Sarath Kumar for their ninth film. Also starring Shriya Saran, debutant Srisha and veteran comedi ...
'' was released on 29 January 2010, the film, directed by K. S. Ravikumar, became the tenth collaboration between the director and the actor. The film, facing serious piracy problems before its release, bombed ultimately at the box office. He then made a guest appearance in Madhumitha's comedy film '' Kola Kolaya Mundhirika''. In the end of 2010, he acted in the Malayalam film ''
Oridathoru Postman ''Oridathoru Postman'' is a 2010 Malayalam comedy film directed by Shaji Aziz. The movie features Kunchacko Boban, Innocent, Sharath Kumar and Meera Nandan in the lead roles. Boban as a postman in this film was featured in a Kannada textbook. ...
'', which was a flop at the box office. In early 2010, he acted in his first Malayalam film '' The Metro'' as a solo hero, which bombed at the Kerala box office. He appeared in '' Christian Brothers'', directed by Joshiy, starring alongside Mohanlal, Dileep, and Suresh Gopi. The film was a blockbuster. In mid-2011, Sarathkumar played the role of a
transgender A transgender (often abbreviated as trans) person is someone whose gender identity or gender expression does not correspond with their sex assigned at birth. Many transgender people experience dysphoria, which they seek to alleviate through ...
person in Raghava Lawrence's '' Muni 2: Kanchana''. The film became a commercial success in both Tamil and Telugu, he won for his performance a Vijay Award for Best Supporting Actor. In early 2012, he accepted Soundarya's offer for an important role in the film '' Kochadaiiyaan'', starring Rajinikanth and Deepika Padukone. He played lead role in the Malayalam film '' Achante Aanmakkal'' as an IPS officer. He then starred in his first Kannada film '' Saarathi'', which was a blockbuster, followed by the Telugu film '' Genius''. The next year, he played the role of a police officer in the Kannada film '' Myna''. His next venture was '' Chennaiyil Oru Naal'', a remake of the Malayalam hit film '' Traffic'' and co-produced by his wife Raadhika Sarathkumar, in which he played the role of a traffic police commissioner. The film became a critical and commercial success. He then appeared in the Telugu film '' Chandee'', playing the role of a police officer. In the beginning of 2014, he played the role of a CBI officer in '' Nimirndhu Nil'' and '' Janda Pai Kapiraju'', which were shot simultaneously in Tamil and Telugu. He then appeared in "India's first photorealistic performance capture film" '' Kochadaiiyaan'', co-starring Rajinikanth and Deepika Padukone. The film is followed by Malayalam film, '' Asha Black'' and was simultaneously released in Tamil as ''Nee Naan Nizhal''.


2015–present

In 2015, he appeared in a Cameo appearance in '' I'' directed by S. Shankar, and his next '' Sandamarutham'' in dual roles, directed by A. Venkatesh while Sarathkumar wrote the story and the screenplay was by written crime novelist Rajeshkumar. Then he starred in the Telugu film '' Janda Pai Kapiraju''. He interprets the role of Sikandar Lodi in the Kannada film '' Santheyalli Nintha Kabira''. Sarath kumar accumulates films in second roles like '' Nenorakam'' (2017), ''
Raajakumara ''Raajakumara'' () is a 2017 Indian Kannada language action drama film written and directed by Santhosh Ananddram and produced by Vijay Kiragandur under the Hombale Films banner. It stars Puneeth Rajkumar and Priya Anand in lead roles. Apart f ...
'' (2017), ''
Jaya Janaki Nayaka ''Jaya Janaki Nayaka'' is a 2017 Indian Telugu-language action drama film directed by Boyapati Srinu and produced by Miryala Ravinder Reddy, under ''Dwaraka Creations''. It stars Bellamkonda Sreenivas, Rakul Preet Singh and Jagapathi Babu, while ...
'' (2017). He made his comeback in Tamil cinema as the main lead in the thriller film, ''
Chennaiyil Oru Naal 2 ''Chennaiyil Oru Naal 2'' () is a 2017 Indian Tamil-language thriller film written by Rajesh Kumar and directed by JPR. Despite its title, the film is a spiritual successor to the 2013 film ''Chennaiyil Oru Naal'', although Sarath Kumar repris ...
'' (2017),a spirit sequel to the 2013 ''Chennaiyil Oru Naal''. As reviewed by sify.com, "Sarathkumar is the only saving grace, he looks perfect as a stylish police officer and the actor is the main reason to watch the film until the end". For the ''Hindu'' press, "this is a role that he can perform in his sleep. He is adequate, but the rest of cast, including Napoleon and Suhasini Maniratnam, have nothing to offer, probably because of the weak writing". The film opened to mostly negative reviews. In 2018, he starred in a series of Telugu action movies like ''
Naa Peru Surya, Naa Illu India ''Naa Peru Surya, Naa Illu India'' () is a 2018 Indian Telugu-language action film written and directed by Vakkantham Vamsi in his directorial debut. Produced by Ramalakshmi Cine Creations, the film stars Allu Arjun, Arjun Sarja and Anu Emmanue ...
'', ''
Bharat Ane Nenu ''Bharat Ane Nenu'' () is a 2018 Indian Telugu-language political drama film written and directed by Koratala Siva. The film stars Mahesh Babu and Kiara Advani (in her Telugu debut), alongside a supporting cast including Prakash Raj, R. Sarathku ...
'', ''
Saakshyam ''Saakshyam'' () is a 2018 Indian Telugu-language action film directed by Sriwass and produced by Abhishek Pictures. It stars Bellamkonda Sreenivas, Pooja Hegde and Jagapathi Babu. Released on 27 July 2018, the film was a critical and commercial ...
'' and '' Devadas''.


Political career


1994-1995

In his early days as an actor, R. Sarathkumar was considered to be close to
All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (; AIADMK) is an Indian regional political party with great influence in the state of Tamil Nadu and the  union territory of  Puducherry. It is a Dravidian party founded by the former chief ...
(AIADMK) supremo Jayalalithaa. However, Sarath's proximity to Jayalalithaa landed him in deep trouble when the film ''
Nattamai ''Nattamai'' () is a 1994 Indian Tamil-language drama film directed by K. S. Ravikumar. It starred Sarathkumar, Meena and Khushbu. The film was released on 2 November 1994, during Diwali, and completed a 175-day run at the box office. It is ...
'' (1994), which was still running in Tamil Nadu theatres, was aired by Jayalalithaa's television channel JJ TV, using a videotape, which Sarathkumar gave her for personal viewing at her residence. However, this caused a furore in the film industry as the producer R. B. Choudary threatened action against Sarathkumar for misusing a tape given to him for personal viewing. An embarrassed Sarathkumar explained that he was taken by surprise and that he never expected Jayalalithaa to give it to the channel for the telecast. He sought an explanation from both Jayalalitha and JJ TV, but without success. The ruling party reacted predictably, using every forum to attack Sarathkumar. He, in turn, realising that the public was behind him, announced his decision to join hands with Rajinikanth, who supported the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) – Tamil Maanila Congress (TMC) alliance.


1996-2006

In 1996, Sarath Kumar entered politics, joining the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK). In 1998, the DMK's leader Karunanidhi asked Sarathkumar to contest the Lok Sabha elections from Tirunelveli. In the election, DMK lost very badly and the alliance could muster only 9 seats compared to the 39 seats it swept in 1996. Even though DMK lost badly in many constituencies, Sarathkumar was defeated by the AIADMK candidate
Kadambur R. Janarthanan Kadambur M. R. Janarthanan (22 October 1929 – 26 December 2020) was a union minister of India and a leader of All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK). He was union Minister of State, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pe ...
by a margin of only 6904 votes. In July 2001, the party made him a Rajya Sabha member, but he resigned before the 2006 Assembly elections to join the AIADMK along with his wife Raadhika. In October 2006, his wife Radhika was dismissed from AIADMK for anti-party activities. He also quit AIADMK in November 2006, quoting that his role as president of the South Indian Artistes' Association needed "undivided attention".


2007–present

Sarathkumar launched his own political party the All India Samathuva Makkal Katchi on 31 August 2007. Sarathkumar said: "We are disillusioned by the Dravidian parties, which had done little to develop the state despite being in power for four decades". Just before 2011 Assembly elections, Sarathkumar joined the AIADMK alliance and his party was allotted two seats. His party contested as part of the AIADMK alliance and won in two assembly constituencies – Tenkasi and Nanguneri. Sarathkumar won from Tenkasi and Ernavur A. Narayanan won from Nanguneri. In January 2016, Ernavur A. Narayanan has been expelled from the party for not abiding by the party rules and indulging in anti-party activities. In the 2016 Assembly elections, Sarath Kumar lost in Tiruchendur Constituency to DMK Candidate Anitha R. Radhakrishnan. In November 2017, Sarathkumar said in an interview for The Hindu : "For the last 10 years, I have been closely associated with AIADMK. In fact, I have even been identified as the party's propaganda secretary. Though I don't regret this identification, my party couldn't grow. Now, I want to focus on my party and be seen as a possible Chief Minister candidate".


Electoral performance


Elections contested


Journalism career

After finishing his studies, Sarathkumar started out as a newspaper boy, managing newspaper circulation before moving on to become a reporter. After establishing Dinakaran in
Bangalore Bangalore (), officially Bengaluru (), is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It has a population of more than and a metropolitan population of around , making it the third most populous city and fifth most ...
, he was called to Chennai to expand their business there. Sarathkumar is now the founder and editor of Media Voice weekly magazine in Tamil. One of the key value propositions that ''Media Voice'' brings to the table is Sarath's personal interview each month with a news-maker discussing current issues. "Although I am a politician and actor now, the journalist in me is still alive. I love multitasking", said Sarath. The Hindu states: From such humble beginnings, he has learnt to live an inspired life, and is the strong leader that society needs.


Personal life

R. Sarathkumar has been married twice. His first marriage was to Chaya devi in 1984 and the couple had two daughters, Varalaxmi (born 1985) and Pooja (born 1987). While still married to Chaya, Sarathkumar had a highly publicised affair with actress Nagma during the mid-1990s. Sarathkumar and Chaya got divorced in 2000. Sarathkumar was married to actress Raadhika in 2001. They were friends when they worked together in Kargil, they also paired in two films: '' Namma Annachi'' and '' Suryavamsam''. The couple has a son named Rahul born in 2004. He has also a stepdaughter named Rayanne Hardy born to his wife Raadhika with her ex-husband Richard Hardy in 1992. His elder daughter Varalaxmi is an actress in the South Indian film industry. His stepdaughter Rayanne Hardy got married with
cricket Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by st ...
er Abhimanyu Mithun on 28 August 2016.


Filmography


As actor


1980s


1990s


2000s


2010s


2020s


As producer, writer and director


As singer


Television


Awards

; Honours * Kalaimamani (1993) ;
Tamil Nadu State Film Awards Tamil Nadu State Film Awards were given for excellence in Tamil cinema in India. They were given annually to honour the best talents and provide encouragement and incentive to the South Indian film industry by the Government of Tamil Nadu. Th ...
* 1994 – Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actor for ''
Nattamai ''Nattamai'' () is a 1994 Indian Tamil-language drama film directed by K. S. Ravikumar. It starred Sarathkumar, Meena and Khushbu. The film was released on 2 November 1994, during Diwali, and completed a 175-day run at the box office. It is ...
'' * 1996 – M.G.R. Award * 1998 – Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actor – '' Natpukkaga'' / '' Simmarasi'' ; Filmfare Awards South * 1994 – Filmfare Award for Best Tamil Actor – ''Nattamai'' * 1997 – Filmfare Award for Best Tamil Actor – ''Suryavamsam'' * 1998 – Filmfare Award for Best Tamil Actor – ''Natpukkaga'' ; Cinema Express Award * 1990 – Cinema Express Award for Best Villain – Tamil – '' Pulan Visaranai'' * 1992 – Cinema Express Award Special Prize for Best Actor – '' Suriyan'' * 1994 –
Cinema Express Award for Best Actor Cinema may refer to: Film * Cinematography, the art of motion-picture photography * Film or movie, a series of still images that create the illusion of a moving image ** Film industry, the technological and commercial institutions of filmmaking * ...
– ''Nattamai'' * 1997 – Cinema Express Award for Best Actor – ''Suryavamsam'' * 2000 – Chevalier Sivaji Ganesan Award ; Other awards * 1997 – Dinakaran Cinema Best Actor Award – ''Suryavamsam'' * 1997 – Cinema Fans' Association Best Actor Award – ''Suryavamsam'' * 2005 – Sivaji Ganesan Awards * 2006 – MGR – Sivaji Awards – '' Thalaimagan'' * 2009 – Asianet Film Awards Special Jury Award – ''Pazhassi Raja'' * 2009 – Vanitha Film Awards for Best Supporting Actor – ''Pazhassi Raja'' * 2009 – Sathyan Memorial Film Awards for Best Supporting Actor – ''Pazhassi Raja'' * 2009 – Jai Hind Patriotic Pride Award – ''Pazhassi Raja'' * 2009 – Mathrubhumi Amrita Special Jury Award – ''Pazhassi Raja'' * 2011 – SIIMA Award for Best Supporting Actor – '' Muni 2: Kanchana'' * 2011 – Vijay Award for Best Supporting Actor – ''Muni 2: Kanchana'' * 2013 – Rainbow Ambassador Award * 2013 – Norway Tamil Film Festival Icon of Tamil Cinema Award * 2016 – Incisive Charisma award by WE Magazine * 2019 – SIIMA Award for Best Actor in a Negative Role – Telugu for ''
Naa Peru Surya, Naa Illu India ''Naa Peru Surya, Naa Illu India'' () is a 2018 Indian Telugu-language action film written and directed by Vakkantham Vamsi in his directorial debut. Produced by Ramalakshmi Cine Creations, the film stars Allu Arjun, Arjun Sarja and Anu Emmanue ...
''


References


External links

*
Akila India Samathuva Makhal Katchi
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sarathkumar, R. Tamil male actors Male actors in Telugu cinema Telugu male actors Male actors in Tamil cinema Indian male film actors 1954 births Living people Tamil Nadu politicians Indian actor-politicians Male actors in Malayalam cinema Male actors in Kannada cinema Tamil Nadu State Film Awards winners Filmfare Awards South winners Tamil Nadu MLAs 2011–2016 Journalists from Tamil Nadu Male actors from New Delhi Indian bodybuilders Recipients of the Kalaimamani Award 20th-century Indian male actors 21st-century Indian male actors South Indian International Movie Awards winners