Vaiyapuri (born 23 October 1968 as Ramakrishnan) is an Indian actor who has worked in
Tamil-language films. He rose to fame by appearing in supporting roles in the late 1990s and early 2000s, often portraying supporting comedic characters. His first major role was in
Balu Mahendra's ''
Raman Abdullah'' (1997), while his roles in films including ''
Thullatha Manamum Thullum'' (1999), ''
Gemini'' (2002) and
Mani Ratnam's ''
Raavanan'' (2010) also garnered him acclaim.
Career
In December 1986, Vaiyapuri moved from his hometown of Theni to Chennai hoping to become an actor in the Tamil film industry. Unable to immediately get a chance in films because of his skinny physical stature, he worked as a bearer at a hotel on Mount Road. Vaiyapuri's first break came through television serials on
Doordarshan
Doordarshan (), abbreviated as DD, is India's State-owned enterprise, state-owned public broadcasting, public television broadcaster. Established by the Government of India on 15 September 1959, it is owned by the Ministry of Information and B ...
, where he notably worked on an adaptation of
Sujatha's ''
Kolaiyuthir Kalam''. He started his film career appearing as an extra and then in minor roles in films, before making a breakthrough with his role in
Balu Mahendra's comedy film ''
Raman Abdullah'' (1997). The success of the film prompted several film makers to approach him for comedic roles in their projects, with the actor subsequently winning acclaim for his roles in ''Kadhal Palli'' (1997), ''
Priyamudan'' (1998) and ''
Kaathala Kaathala'', where he collaborated with actor
Kamal Haasan
Parthasarathy Srinivasan (born 7 November 1954), known professionally as Kamal Haasan, is an Indian actor, filmmaker and politician who predominantly works in Tamil cinema. Considered as one of the most accomplished actors of Indian Cinema, Haas ...
. In the late 1990s, he continued appearing as a supporting actor, often portraying one of the several comedians in a film. His work in ''
Thullatha Manamum Thullum'' (1999), where he portrayed a comedic role of a man slowly becoming a transgender, won him further critical acclaim.
Throughout his career, Vaiyapuri has often appeared in films starring
Kamal Haasan
Parthasarathy Srinivasan (born 7 November 1954), known professionally as Kamal Haasan, is an Indian actor, filmmaker and politician who predominantly works in Tamil cinema. Considered as one of the most accomplished actors of Indian Cinema, Haas ...
and the actor selected Vaiyapuri for a major supporting role in the actor's ''
Mumbai Xpress'' (2005). Vaiyapuri was later cast as a transgender in
Mani Ratnam's ''
Raavanan'' (2010), which he described as a "major turning point" in his career. He shot for the film alongside an ensemble cast including
Vikram and
Aishwarya Rai, with the film winning critical acclaim upon release. In 2010, he announced that he was set to play the protagonist in a film directed by newcomer Devindiran, while he had also shot for a Malayalam film titled ''Kalyanamam Kalyanam'' where he portrayed the second lead. However neither film eventually had a theatrical release. In the 2010s, Vaiyapuri was cast in less films as the Tamil film industry generally moved away from including separate comedy tracks in films. He has since worked on more low-budget films in supporting roles, while continuing to regularly collaborate in films starring
Kamal Haasan
Parthasarathy Srinivasan (born 7 November 1954), known professionally as Kamal Haasan, is an Indian actor, filmmaker and politician who predominantly works in Tamil cinema. Considered as one of the most accomplished actors of Indian Cinema, Haas ...
such as ''
Uttama Villain'' (2015) and ''
Papanasam'' (2015).
In 2017, Vaiyapuri received media attention for taking part in the reality television show ''
Bigg Boss'' hosted by
Kamal Haasan
Parthasarathy Srinivasan (born 7 November 1954), known professionally as Kamal Haasan, is an Indian actor, filmmaker and politician who predominantly works in Tamil cinema. Considered as one of the most accomplished actors of Indian Cinema, Haas ...
. After spending 84 days in the house, he was evicted in a poll by the public.
Filmography
Television
References
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Vaiyapuri
Indian male film actors
Living people
Tamil comedians
Actors from Tamil Nadu
Male actors in Tamil cinema
21st-century Indian male actors
1968 births