Teejay Arunasalam

Last updated
Teejay Arunasalam
Born
Tejeenthan Arunasalam

(1994-01-06) 6 January 1994 (age 30)
Northolt, London Borough of Ealing, England
Other namesTeejay
Occupation(s)Actor, playback singer
Years active2016–present

Teejay Arunasalam is British playback singer and actor who has worked in Indian cinema, particularly Tamil language films. After making his acting debut in the Tamil film Asuran (2019) alongside Dhanush, he has also appeared in significant roles in Thatrom Thookrom (2020), anthology web series Putham Pudhu Kaalai Vidiyaadhaa (2022), and in Pathu Thala (2023) with Silambarasan.

Contents

Career

Born in the area of Northolt in London to Sri Lankan Tamil immigrants, Teejay became interested in music through Carnatic classes and his pursuit of a GCSE qualification in music technology. He rose to fame in the European Tamil diaspora through his work as a singer on independent Tamil music albums in the early 2010s. [1] He worked on albums with US-based singer Pragathi Guruprasad, and other UK-based singers such as Inno Genga and Arjun. [2] [3] He went on to pursue a degree in airport and airline management at university, before switching to study music. [4]

Teejay announced that he would make his acting debut in the Tamil film industry through Amsana, a low-budget romantic drama, made by a cast and crew of debutants during August 2016. The film was later stalled but Teejay stayed in Chennai to try and pursue his career as a playback singer. [5] He was then cast in the lead role of Thatrom Thookrom (2020) during December 2017 by debutant director Arul. The film's production was delayed and it subsequently had a limited release in late 2020, as Teejay's second release. [6]

Teejay won critical acclaim for his role as Velmurugan in Vetrimaaran's Asuran (2019), appearing as the son of the characters portrayed by Dhanush and Manju Warrier. [7] He was cast in the film after being referred to Vetrimaaran by his friend, actress Andrea Jeremiah. Teejay won positive reviews for his depiction. [8] [9] He later appeared in Balaji Mohan's short film in the anthology series Putham Pudhu Kaalai Vidiyaadhaa by Amazon Prime. [10]

As of 2022, Teejay is working on Pathu Thala (2022), where he appears in a supporting role in an ensemble cast headed by Silambarasan, Gautham Karthik and Kalaiyarasan. [11] He will also appear in a leading role in an untitled film co-produced by director A. L. Vijay, where he features alongside actresses Vani Bhojan and Amritha Aiyer. [12]

Teejay has often reported his inclusion as an actor in larger film projects to the media, though he later did not feature. This included projects such as Ajay Gnanamuthu's Cobra (2022), Mani Ratnam's Ponniyin Selvan: II (2023), the biopic of Muttiah Muralitharan titled 800, and an untitled film by Gautham Vasudev Menon. [13] [14]

Filmography

Key
†Denotes films that have not yet been released
As actor
YearFilmRoleNotes
2019 Asuran Velmurugan Sivasaami
2020 Thatrom Thookrom Kaaka
2022 Putham Pudhu Kaalai Vidiyaadhaa MuruganWeb-series; Segment: Mugakavasa Mutham
2023 Pathu Thala Selvin
2024Vilayath Buddha† Maaridata-sort-value="" style="background: #DDF; color:black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="skin-invert no table-no2" | TBAMalayalam film; Filming
As playback singer
YearSong titleFilm/AlbumMusic Director
2013"Aasai"Vaanavil The QuestVernon G Segaram
2016"Paani Poori" Sawaari Vishal Chandrasekhar
2016"Thean Kudika"Maze In IdhayamSteve Cliff
2018"Maanam Pochu"
"IAMK Party Song"		 Iruttu Araiyil Murattu Kuththu Balamurali Balu
2018"Poraali" Traffic Ramasamy Balamurali Balu
2018"Vedigundu Pasangge Theme Song" Vedigundu Pasangge Vivek–Mervin
2018"Wake Me Up Everyday" Pyaar Prema Kaadhal Yuvan Shankar Raja
2018"Kadhal Oru Aagayam" Imaikkaa Nodigal Hiphop Tamizha
2018"Polladha Bhoomi"
"Ey Minukki"		 Asuran G. V. Prakash Kumar
2020"Porenu Nee Pona" Anbulla Ghilli Arrol Corelli
2022"Muttu Mu2"—TeeJay Arunasalam

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Silambarasan</span> Indian actor, director, producer and singer (born 1983)

Silambarasan Thesingu Rajendar, popularly known as Simbu or by his initials as STR, is an Indian actor and playback singer who primarily works in Tamil cinema. He is the eldest son of director T. Rajendar. He began his acting career by playing roles as a child artist in films directed by his father, before his first lead role in his father's Kadhal Azhivathillai (2002). He is a recipient of two Edison Awards and three SIIMA Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dhanush</span> Indian actor (born 1983)

Venkatesh Prabhu Kasthuri Raja, known professionally as Dhanush, is an Indian actor, producer, director, lyricist and playback singer who primarily works in Tamil cinema. Having starred in 50 films over his career, his accolades include four National Film Awards, fourteen SIIMA Awards, eight Filmfare Awards South and a Filmfare Award. One of the highest paid actors in Indian cinema, he has been included in the Forbes India Celebrity 100 list six times.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vetrimaaran</span> Indian film director, film producer and screenwriter

Vetrimaaran is an Indian film director, film producer and screenwriter who primarily works in Tamil cinema. He is known for his unique filmography with major commercial success and high critical acclaim works. He has won five National Film Awards, two Filmfare South Awards and one Tamil Nadu State Film Award.

Rajamani Velraj is an Indian cinematographer, director and writer who primarily works in Tamil and Hindi cinema. He is well known for his camera work in films like Asuran, Aadukalam, Vada Chennai, Kadaikutty Singam and Komban, and for directing Velaiilla Pattadhari and Thanga Magan.

<i>Vada Chennai</i> 2018 film by Vetrimaaran

Vada Chennai is a 2018 Indian Tamil-language crime drama film written and directed by Vetrimaaran. It is produced by Lyca Productions, Wunderbar Films and Grass Root Film Company. The film stars Dhanush as Anbu, a skilled carrom player who becomes a reluctant participant in a gang war between two rival gangsters, alongside Kishore, Samuthirakani, Daniel Balaji, Pawan, Andrea Jeremiah, Aishwarya Rajesh and Ameer. It is the first instalment in a planned trilogy.

Joseph George, better known as Joju George, is an Indian actor, playback singer, director and producer who primarily works in Malayalam cinema.

Silambarasan is an Indian actor, director, singer and television celebrity who works in Tamil cinema. He began his career playing minor roles as a child artist in films produced by his father, T. Rajendar. His debut, as a lead actor, was in Kadhal Azhivathillai (2002), which was produced and directed by his father.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kharesma Ravichandran</span> Playback singer

Kharesma Ravichandran is a British playback singer for Tamil cinema films. Her first public performance came at the age of four for the British Heart Foundation. A professionally trained western vocalist, Ravichandran began her playback singing career in 2014, with her debut coming in the Tamil film Yennai Arindhaal (2015). She is currently signed as an independent artist under Hiphop Tamizha’s label “Underground”.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kalloori Vinoth</span> Indian actor

Kalloori Vinoth is an Indian actor who has appeared in Tamil language films.

<i>Asuran</i> (2019 film) 2019 Indian film

Asuran (transl. Demon) is a 2019 Indian Tamil-language period action drama film directed by Vetrimaaran and produced by Kalaipuli S. Thanu. It is based on the novel Vekkai (transl. Heat) by Poomani. The film stars Dhanush, along with Manju Warrier, Ken Karunas, and Teejay Arunasalam. G. V. Prakash Kumar composed the film's music. The cinematography was handled by Velraj, with editing by R. Ramar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ammu Abhirami</span> Indian actress

Abhirami , widely known as Ammu Abhirami, is an Indian actress who has appeared in Tamil and Telugu films. She made her acting debut with 2017 Tamil film Bairavaa, alongside Vijay. She is known for playing pivotal roles in Ratsasan (2018), Thambi (2019) and Asuran (2019).

<i>Thatrom Thookrom</i> 2020 Indian Tamil-language action drama film directed by S. Arul

Thatrom Thookrom is a 2020 Indian Tamil-language action drama film written and directed by Arul S. The film stars Teejay Arunasalam, Cheenu Mohan and Kaali Venkat while Sampath Ram portrays a negative role. Balamurali Balu composed music for the film while Kabilan Vairamuthu penned lyrics for the songs. The film had a low profile theatrical release on 14 November 2020.

<i>Putham Pudhu Kaalai</i> 2020 Indian Tamil-language anthology film

Putham Pudhu Kaalai is a 2020 Indian Tamil-language anthology film, consisting of five short film segments, directed by Sudha Kongara, Gautham Vasudev Menon, Suhasini Maniratnam, Rajiv Menon, and Karthik Subbaraj. The film features an ensemble cast of Jayaram, Kalidas Jayaram, Shruti Haasan, Kalyani Priyadarshan, Andrea Jeremiah, Bobby Simha, M. S. Bhaskar, Ritu Varma, Urvashi, Suhasini Maniratnam, Anu Haasan, Kathadi Ramamurthy, Komalam Charuhasan, Gurucharan C, Leela Samson, Sharath Ravi and Vettai Muthukumar among others. The film was entirely shot during the COVID-19 pandemic in India and was set against the backdrop of the country's 21-day lockdown in March 2020. The film was released on Amazon Prime Video on 16 October 2020. A sequel titled Putham Pudhu Kaalai Vidiyaadhaa released in 2022.

<i>Viduthalai Part 1</i> 2023 Indian Tamil period crime thriller film

Viduthalai is a 2023 Indian Tamil-language period crime thriller film directed and co-produced by Vetrimaaran, who co-wrote the screenplay with B. Jeyamohan, under Grass Root Film Company and RS Infotainment. It is the first of a two-part adaptation of the short story Thunaivan (transl. Companion) by Jeyamohan. Set in 1987, the film follows a constable, who is recruited to arrest the leader of a separatist group. The ensemble cast includes Soori, Vijay Sethupathi, Bhavani Sre, Gautham Vasudev Menon, Rajiv Menon, Ilavarasu, Balaji Sakthivel, Saravana Subbiah, Chetan, Munnar Ramesh, and Pavel Navageethan.

<i>Asuran</i> (soundtrack) 2019 soundtrack album by G. V. Prakash Kumar

Asuran (transl. Demon) is the soundtrack album composed by G. V. Prakash Kumar for the 2019 Indian Tamil-language film of the same name written and directed by Vetrimaaran, which stars Dhanush and Manju Warrier. The soundtrack album which had seven songs written by Ekadesi, Yugabharathi, Eknath and Arunraja Kamaraj, was consisted to be a mix of raw folk elements with the approach of international music and had begun production during March 2019 and completed within that August. The soundtrack album was launched on 2 September 2019, at Prasad Studios in Chennai, with a simultaneous release through YouTube and digital platforms. The album received mostly positive reviews from critics and audience and fetched accolades at various ceremonies.

<i>Putham Pudhu Kaalai Vidiyaadhaa</i> 2022 anthology web television series

Putham Pudhu Kaalai Vidiyaadhaa is a 2022 Indian Tamil-language anthology series, consisting of five episodes directed by Balaji Mohan, Halitha Shameem, Madhumitha, Surya Krishna and Richard Anthony. The series feature an ensemble cast of Aishwarya Lekshmi, Arjun Das, Dhilip Subbarayan, Gouri G. Kishan, Joju George, Lijomol Jose, Nadhiya, Nirmal Pillai, Sananth and Teejay Arunasalam.

<i>Pathu Thala</i> 2023 film directed by Obeli N. Krishna

Pathu Thala (transl. Ten-Headed) is a 2023 Indian Tamil-language neo-noir action thriller film directed by Obeli N. Krishna and produced by Studio Green, in the company of Pen Studios. The film stars Silambarasan in the lead role, alongside Gautham Karthik, Priya Bhavani Shankar, Gautham Vasudev Menon, Santhosh Prathap, Kalaiyarasan, Anu Sithara and Teejay Arunasalam. It is a remake of the 2017 Kannada-language film Mufti. The film follows AG Ravanan "AGR", a crime boss, who gets tracked down by Guna, an undercover cop as Sakthivel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joju George filmography</span> Indian actor, playback singer

Joseph George, better known as Joju George is an Indian actor, playback singer and producer who works mainly in Malayalam cinema. His directorial debut, Pani, is announced for sometime in 2024.

Bhavani Sre is an Indian actress, director and playback singer who predominantly works in Tamil films. She is known for her performances in Paava Kadhaigal, Ka Pae Ranasingam and Viduthalai Part 1.

<i>Viduthalai Part 2</i> Film directed by Vetrimaaran

Viduthalai Part 2 is an upcoming Tamil-language period crime thriller film directed and co-produced by Vetrimaaran, who co-wrote the screenplay with B. Jeyamohan, under RS Infotainment and Grass Root Film Company. The direct sequel to Viduthalai Part 1 (2023), it is the second of a two-part adaptation of Jeyamohan's short story Thunaivan. It follows Kumaresan, a constable, who is recruited to arrest Perumal, a teacher and leader of separatist group. Vijay Sethupathi, Soori, Bhavani Sre, Gautham Vasudev Menon, Rajiv Menon, Ilavarasu, Balaji Sakthivel, Saravana Subbiah, Chetan and Munnar Ramesh reprise their role from the first film.

References

  1. ↑ "TeeJay". Thamarai.
  2. ↑ "BBC Asian Network - Ashanti Omkar, The Best of British". BBC.
  3. ↑ "BBC Asian Network - Ashanti Omkar, TeeJay and Shriya Saran". BBC.
  4. ↑ "Ashanti Omkar - British Tamil Singer - TeeJay - BBC Sounds". www.bbc.co.uk.
  5. ↑ "TeeJay´s Debüt in Kollywood".
  6. ↑ "Teejay's film as lead is based on demonetisation - Times of India". The Times of India. 11 February 2020.
  7. ↑ "Teejay: If I was able to act naturally in Asuran, it was because of Vetri Maaran sir - Times of India". The Times of India. 3 October 2020.
  8. ↑ Subramanian, Anupama (October 6, 2019). "Asuran review: A violent enthralling film from Vetri—Dhanush magic combo". Deccan Chronicle.
  9. ↑ "Asuran movie review: Dhanush is terrific in this well-made revenge drama". October 4, 2019.
  10. ↑ "Balaji Mohan: Teejay and Gouri were apt for my characters in Putham Pudhu Kaalai Vidiyaadhaa". OTTPlay.
  11. ↑ "Silambarasan resumes shooting for Pathu Thala". Cinema Express .
  12. ↑ "Asuran star Teejay starts shooting for his new film - Latest Update - Tamil News". IndiaGlitz.com. March 3, 2022.
  13. ↑ "Asuran-fame Teejay in AR Rahman's next". Cinema Express .
  14. ↑ "I will never forget the chat I had with Mani Ratnam sir: Teejay - Times of India". The Times of India. 20 November 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.