Pandiarajan

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Pandiarajan
Actor R Pandiarajan at the Sathuranga Vettai Audio Launch (cropped).jpg
Pandiarajan in 2015
Born (1959-10-02) 2 October 1959 (age 64)
Occupation(s) actor, director
Years active1981–present
Spouse
Vasuki
(m. 1986)
ChildrenPallavarajan (b.1987)
Prithvi Rajan (b.1989)
Premrajan (b.1993) [1]
Parent
  • Sulochana
[2]

R. Pandiarajan is an Indian actor, director and comedian who has played leading roles in many humorous Tamil films and plays supporting and comedy roles. [3]

Contents

Personal life

Pandiarajan was born to Sulochana in Saidapet, Chennai in a lower-middle-class family. He has two sisters, Maheshwari and Geetha.

In 1986, he married Vasuki, daughter of the director, producer, and poet Avinasi Mani. They have three sons, Prithvi Rajan, Pallava Rajan and Prem Rajan. [4]

Career

During his early career, Pandiarajan aspired to become an actor but faced challenges due to his height and appearance. As a result, he decided to start his journey in the film industry as an assistant director. His interest in music led him to earn a diploma as “Isai Selvam” in 1977 from Thamizisai College. While working as an office assistant for writer Thooyavan, he crossed paths with director K. Bhagyaraj and eventually became his associate director. [5] His journey led him in three of his film, Andha 7 Naatkal (1981), Thooral Ninnu Pochu (1982) and Darling, Darling, Darling (1982). [6] His first venture as a director and lead actor Aan Paavam (1985) was a massive success at the box office. [7]

He has co-starred with Sivaji Ganesan in Thaaiku Oru Thaalaattu (1986) and Muthukkal Moondru (1987). Actors Seetha, S. J. Suryah, Mayilsamy, Kollangudi Karuppayee and Bengali actress Debashree Roy were introduced by him to Tamil cinema and so was Srikanth Deva as music director. [8]

Pandiarajan is also an accomplished and has directed several hit films including Subramaniya Swamy (1994), Gopala Gopala (1996), Doubles (2000), and Kai Vandha Kalai (2006).

He played leading roles like Thaikulame Thaikulame (1995), Kaalam Maari Pochu (1996) and Purushan Pondatti (1996) were later positive hits.

He acted in the TV serial Mama Maaple on Sun TV. [9]

He directed his first short film, Magan in 2004. It was selected for screening at the International Children Film Festival held in Hyderabad. The film dealt with the issues of child labour. In 2006, he directed another short film, Iru Thuligal, on polio awareness. Two years later, in 2009, he made one more film on organ donation. Titled Azhagu, acclaimed cinematographer Ravi Varman produced the film and also cranked the camera. [10] His short film in English, Help, was nominated at the ArtDeco Film Festival 2011, at São Paulo in Brazil. [11]

Filmography

Actor

YearFilmRoleNotes
1981 Andha 7 Naatkal Flower seller in the templeCameo appearance
1982 Thooral Ninnu Pochu Mridangam artist in "Yen Soga Kadhaiye"Cameo appearance
Darling, Darling, Darling New WatchmanCameo appearance
1985 Kanni Rasi Person prayingCameo appearance
Also Director
Aan Paavam Chinna PaandiDebut as actor
1986 Thaaiku Oru Thaalaattu Kannan
1987 Manaivi Ready RadhaAlso Director
Muthukkal Moondru Pandian
Yettiki PottiBalasubramaniam
Ullam Kavarntha Kalvan Rajan
Vaazhga ValargaPandian
Meendum MahaanPandian
Aayusu Nooru Doctor Rathnam
1988 Oorai Therinjikitten Pandian / Rajan
Katha Nayagan Mani
Paatti Sollai Thattathe Selvam
Jadikketha MoodiViswanathan
1989Kakka Kadi
Vaai Kozhuppu Vasu
Nethiyadi VenuDebut as music director
Ellame En ThangachiRaja
Dilli BabuDilli Babu
Pudhu MappillaiPandianAlso writer
Sariyana JodiRaja
Chinna Chinna Aasaigal Vasu
Thalaippu Seithigal
1990 Pachai Kodi Balu
Pudhu VaarisuPandian
1992 Oor Panchayathu Siva
Purushan Enakku Arasan Seenu
1993 Aadhityan Chinna Paandi
Poranthalum Ambalaiya Porakka Koodathu Lakshmi
1994 Subramaniya Swamy Velayudham
Killadi Mappillai Rajaram
Pandianin RajyathilPandian
1995 Valli Vara Pora Chinna Paandi
Padikkara Vayasula
Thaikulame Thaikulame Pandian
Neela Kuyil Muthusamy
1996 Summa Irunga Machan Subramani
Mappillai Manasu Poopola Manikkam
Kaalam Maari Pochu Muthupandi
Purushan Pondatti Pandian
Gopala Gopala Gopalakrishnan,
Usha's grandfather
Dual roles
1997 Nalla Manusukkaran Chinna Paandi
Adrasakkai AdrasakkaiPandian
1998 Kavalai Padathe Sagodhara Janakiraman
Kumbakonam Gopalu Gopal
1999 Manaivikku Mariyadhai Pandian
Sundari Neeyum Sundaran Naanum Subramani
Suyamvaram Pallavan
2000 Doubles Ganesh
Kannula Kaasa KattappaKannan
2001 Thaalikaatha Kaaliamman Paandi
En Iniya Ponnilave Shiva
Kabadi Kabadi Pandian
Azhagana Naatkal MichaelGuest appearance
2002 Andipatti Arasampatti Andipatti
2003 Ramachandra Thirunavukkarasu
Vaseegara PhotographerGuest appearance
Anbu Thollai Singamuthu
Military Guest appearance
Galatta Ganapathy Ganapathy
Vadakku VaasalRamakrishna
Adhaanda Idhaanda
2004 Engal Anna Cheenu
Jairam Sachin Undulkar
AarumugaswamyArumugam
Pethi Solla ThattatheaSombu
Jollyman
SettaiChinnasamy
Giri Devaki's potential bridegroom
En Purushan Ethir Veetu PonnuPandian
Kathavasheshan Kathavarayan Malayalam film
Sollattuma Paandi
2005 London Kathir
Maayavi A film director
VairavanGanesan
Thiru ThiruVathiyar
2006Iyappa SaamyPandian
Perarasu Kandhasamy
Kaivantha Kalai Ganesan
2007 Kalakkura Chandru Singampuli
2008 Anjathe Logu
Ponmagal Vandhaal
Pudhupaandi
Nayagan Konjumani
2009 Thoranai Walter Vetrivel
2010 Thairiyam DancerGuest appearance
Kola Kolaya Mundhirika Madan
2011 Kasethan Kadavulada Duraisingam
Velayudham Head Constable
2012 Vinmeengal Panchu
GaanthamRajesh
Mirattal Babloo's father
Mannaru DancerSpecial appearance
Thiruthani Mohanraj
2013Kurumbukara PasangaSasi's father
Kolagalam Venkatesh
2014Rettai Kadhir
Thirumanam Ennum Nikkah Roshan Kumar
Vaayai Moodi Pesavum Health Minister Sundaralingam
Pani Vizhum NilavuRuthramoorthy
Aaivu KoodamMartin Leo
2015Miss Pannidatheenga Appuram VaruthapaduveengaPavithra's father
Kadhal Agadhi Meenakshi's husband
2016 Mapla Singam District Collector
SalaiyoramJ. G.
Ilamai Oonjal Raja Paandi
Ner MugamPolice officer
2017 Mupparimanam HimselfCameo appearance
Kavan Pillai, Senior News Editor of Zen One TV
Aarambamae AttakasamJeeva's father
Tubelight Mouli
Adhagappattathu Magajanangalay Anand's father
Guru Uchaththula Irukkaru
2018 Street Lights
Panjumittai Psychiatrist
2019 Natpe Thunai Sridhar's father
Jaikka Povadhu YaaruM. P
Dhanusu Raasi Neyargale Thirumandha
2020 Taana Shakthi's father
Naan Sirithal Psychiatrist Veerabadhran
Ponmagal Vandhal Karpooram
Kanni Raasi Thiruvengadam
Kombu Karthick's Uncle
2021 Annaatthe Angayarkanni's husband
2022Riya - The Haunted House
Super Senior Heroes CaptainDirect release on Sun TV
2023 Deiva Machan Paramanandham
Partner Scientist Prathap
Paatti Sollai ThattathePandian
Sooragan Chidambaram
2024 Ippadiku Kadhal Harish Nair
PT Sir K. Selvaraj

As director

YearFilmNotes
1985 Kanni Rasi Debut film as director
Aan Paavam Debut film as actor
1987 Manaivi Ready
1988 Nethiyadi Also music composer
1994 Subramaniya Swamy
1996 Gopala Gopala
2000 Doubles
2001 Kabadi Kabadi
2006 Kaivantha Kalai His son Prithvi Rajan's debut film as hero

Television

YearTitleRoleChannel
2010–2011 Mama Maaple Rajapaandi Sun TV
2015–2016 En Thangai Pandian Raj TV
2015 Koffee With DD Guest Vijay TV
2019–2020LolluppaHost Sun TV
2020–2021 Baakiyalakshmi Sundaram Star Vijay
2022 Maari Rajan Zee Tamil

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References

  1. "Actor Pandiyarajan". Nilacharal.com. 2 October 1959. Archived from the original on 10 September 2012. Retrieved 25 August 2012.
  2. "Welcome to Director R.Pandiarajan Website". Lakshmansruthi.com. Archived from the original on 3 October 2011. Retrieved 25 August 2012.
  3. "Pandiarajan Biography".
  4. "Actor Pandiarajan Has 3 Sons & One Has Turned Into A Kollywood Hero!". 5 July 2020. Archived from the original on 17 August 2022. Retrieved 17 August 2022.
  5. "Pandiarajan".
  6. "Pandiarajan - Andha 7 Naatkal".
  7. "Tamil Film Kanni Rasi Completes 38 Years of Release; Know More".
  8. "Tuesday Trivia! Pandiarajan the most successful unlikely hero of Kollywood".
  9. "Mama Maaple".
  10. "A short film every year: Pandiarajan".
  11. "Friday Review Chennai / Cinema : Scoring with Help". The Hindu . 13 May 2011. Archived from the original on 9 November 2012. Retrieved 25 August 2012.