R. Sarathkumar

R. Sarathkumar
Born Sarathkumar Ramanathan
July 14, 1954 (1954-07-14) (age 57)[1]
New Delhi, Delhi, India
Residence Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
Occupation Journalist, film actor, politician, body builder
Years active 1988—present
Spouse Chaya (1984–2000)
Raadhika Sarathkumar
(2001–present)
Children
  • Varalaxmi
  • Pooja
  • Rahul

Sarathkumar Ramanathan (Tamil: சரத்குமார் ராமநாதன்) (born 14 July 1954) is an Indian journalist, film actor, politician, body builder and the current president of the South Indian Film Artistes' Association. He started his career in Tamil cinema playing negative roles, and later played minor roles before establishing himself as a lead actor in the subsequent years. He was first chosen for the lead role in Suriyan. He has won three Tamil Nadu State Film Awards and tree Filmfare Awards South. He also began a new political party in Tamil Nadu claiming to carry out the ideals of K. Kamaraj.

Contents

Early life

Sarathkumar was born on 14 July 1954[1] in New Delhi to M. Ramanathan and Pushpa Leela. He has a sister named Mallika Ramanathan. He graduated with a Bachelor of science in Mathematics from The New College in Chennai.

He served as a Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam member of parliament in the Rajya Sabha. He also serves as the current president of the South Indian Film Artistes' Association, organizing several industry-based events. Before his entry into films, he began a career as a journalist. He recently continued journalism after starting his own magazine.[2]

Acting career

Sarathkumar has acted in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam films. He received critical acclaim for his roles in Cheran Pandiyan, Pulan Visaranai, Suriyan, Nattamai, Suryavamsam, Natpukaaga and Pazhassi Raja. He forayed into Malayalam cinema by playing a supporting role in Pazhassi Raja (2009), and since then has been performing in more films in Malayalam.[3] In Kanchana he portrayed as a transgender. He also debuted in Kannada films in Saarathi which became a huge hit.

Awards

Sarathkumar received a Cinema Express Award for Best Villain for his role in Pulanvisaranai in 1988. He received his first Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actor in 1994 for Nattamai. He later received a Filmfare Best Tamil Actor Award for his performance in Suryavamsam (1997). He received a Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actor and a Filmfare Best Tamil Actor Award for Natpukkaga (1998). He received the M.G.R. Award in 1997.

Political career

Sarathkumar joined Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in 1996. DMK fielded him in the Tirunelveli Loksabha Constituency during 1998 parliamentary elections and he lost to Kadambur Janarthanan of ADMK by a margin 6000 Votes. In 2002, DMK made him a Rajyasabha member. He left DMK before 2006 Assembly elections, owing to differences with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi's family members. He joined AIADMK along with his wife Radhika Sarathkumar and campaigned vigorously for that party. Radhika was dismissed from AIADMK for anti-party activities in October 2006. He also left AIADMK in November 2006, citing his workload in the film industry as a reason.

On 31 August 2007, Sarathkumar floated a new party named Akila India Samatuva Makkal Katchi.[4] He has vowed to bring back Kamarajar rule in Tamil Nadu. His party received less than 1% of the votes in the Thirumangalam (Tamil Nadu) by-election.

In the 2011 elections All India Samathva Makkal Katchi had alliance with AIADMK and has contested on its symbol at 2 constituencies and he has elected to represent Tenkasi Constituency.

Personallife

Sarathkumar married Chaya with whom he has two daughters-actress Varalaxmi and Pooja. Their marriage ended after his name was linked with co-stars Heera and Nagma.[5] He married Raadhika in 2001 & their son Rahul was born in 2004. Sarathkumar is the step-father to Raadhika's daughter Rayanne.[5]

Filmography

Year Film Role Language Notes
1988 Kan Simittum Neram Sarath Tamil
1990 Pulan Visaranai Tamil
Salem Vishnu Tamil
Mr. Karthik Tamil
Pudhu Padagan Tamil
Seetha Tamil
Santhana Katru Tamil
Mounam Sammadham Tamil
Velai Kidaichuduchu Tamil
Puriyaadha Pudhir Tamil
Engitte Mothathe Tamil
Palaivana Paravaigal Tamil
Vishnu Telugu
Urudhi Mozhi Tamil
Raja Kaiya Vacha Tamil
1991 Surya IPS Telugu
Namma Ooru Mariamma Tamil
Chithirai Pookkal Tamil
Vetri Padigal Tamil
Pudhu Manithan Tamil
Captain Prabhakaran Rajaraman Tamil
Gang Leader Raghava Telugu
Kaval Nilayam Tamil
Idhaya Vaasal Tamil
Cheran Pandiyan Rajapaandi Gounder Tamil
Archana I.A.S Tamil
Stuartpuram Police Station Telugu
Vaidehi Kalyanam Tamil
Vasanthakala Paravai Tamil
Thangamana Thangachi Tamil
1992 Ilavarasan Tamil
Meera Tamil
Periya Goundar Ponnu Tamil
Sivanda Malar Tamil
Oor Mariyathai Tamil
Idhuthanda Sattam Tamil
Suriyan Suriyan Tamil
Thai Mozhi Tamil
Agreement Sathyaa Moorthy Telugu
Ellaichamy ellaichamy Tamil
Samundi Tamil
Natchathira Nayagan vijay Tamil
1993 Aadhityan Tamil
Dasarathan Tamil
Vedan Tamil
Munarivippu Tamil
Bandmaster Tamil
Moondravadhu Kann Tamil
I Love India Tamil
Katta Bomman kattabomman Tamil
1994 Captain Telugu
Aranmanai Kavalan Tamil
Indhu Tamil
Namma Annachi Tamil
Raja Pandi Tamil
Nattamai Tamil Winner, Filmfare Best Actor Award (Tamil)
Winner, Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actor
Magudikkaran Tamil
1995 Seral Irumboraiyin Tamil Kadhal Tamil
Veluchamy Tamil
Coolee Tamil
Nadodi Mannan Tamil
Ragasiya Police Tamil
1996 Maha Prabhu Daamodharan Tamil
Nethaji Tamil
1997 Aravinthan Tamil
Surya Vamsam Chinnarasu,
Sakthivel Gounder
Tamil Winner, Filmfare Best Actor Award (Tamil)
Janakiraman Tamil
1998 Moovendhar Tamil
Preminchanu Nene Telugu
Natpukaaga Tamil Winner, Filmfare Best Actor Award (Tamil)
Winner, Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actor
Unnidathil Ennai Koduthen Himself Tamil Cameo appearance
Simmarasi Tamil
1999 Chinna Durai Chinnadurai Tamil
Rajasthan Hariharan Telugu
Oruvan Surya Tamil
Pattali Shanmugam Tamil
2000 Maayi Maayaandi (Maayi) Tamil
Pennin Manathai Thottu Balaraman Tamil Guest appearance
2001 Ullam Kollai Poguthey Himself Tamil Cameo appearance
Rishi Rishi,
Velu
Tamil
Vinnukkum Mannukkum Sakthivel Gounder Tamil
Dosth Vishwanath Tamil
Samuthiram Selvarasu Tamil
2002 Thenkasi Pattanam Kannan Tamil
Samasthanam Thiru Tamil
2003 Arasu Thirunavukkarasu Tamil
Paarai Durairaj Tamil
Diwan Raghavan,
Duraisingham
Tamil
2004 Gambeeram Muthupandi Tamil
Manasthan Deivarasu Tamil
Chatrapathy Saravanan Tamil
Aai Velu Tamil
2005 Ayya Ayyadurai,
Chelladurai
Tamil
Bunny Bhupathi Raja Telugu Guest appearance
Githan Tamizharasu Tamil Guest appearance
Chanakya Ganesan Tamil
2006 Thalaimagan Dheeran Tamil Also director
2007 Pachaikili Muthucharam Venkatesh Tamil
Mayakannadi Himself Tamil Cameo appearance
Nam Naadu Muthazhagu Tamil
2008 Vaitheeswaran Saravanan,
Bala
Tamil
2009 1977 Rajashekar,
Vetrivel
Tamil
Pazhassi Raja Edachena Kunkan Malayalam Winner, Asianet Special Honour Jury Award
2010 Jaggubhai Jaganathan Tamil
Kola Kolaya Mundhirika Karan Muthiah Tamil Guest appearance
Oridathoru Postman Yasin Mubarak Malayalam Guest appearance
2011 The Metro Jacob Alexander Malayalam
Christian Brothers Andrews Bandra Malayalam
Kanchana Kanchana Tamil
Saarathi Kannada
Veeraputhran Vimal Menon Malayalam
2012 Vidiyal Tamil Post-production
Sethu Samudhiram Tamil Filming
Judgement Day Malayalam Filming

References

External links