Karthik (actor)

Murali Karthikeyan Muthuraman (born 13 September 1960), better known by his screen name Karthik, is a Indian film actor, playback singer and politician. He is the son of veteran actor R. Muthuraman. He was first introduced by Bharathiraja in the film Alaigal Oivathillai. He has primarily appeared in lead roles in Tamil films.

Karthik won four Filmfare Award for Best Actor - Tamil and one Filmfare Award for Best Actor - Telugu. He is also the recipient of Tamil Nadu State Film Awards and a Nandi Award. Former Chief Minister and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam Leader "Kalaignar Karunanidhi" on an occasion of 100th day film celebration of "Unnidathil Ennai Koduthen" praised the actor's talents and commented that the actor has enormous skills, however the film fraternity should have used the actor in better ways to extract much of his talent. The actor's career has many super hits and long-lasting movies. The actor has great numbers of fan following around South India. T.S.B.K Moulee, an Indian stage and film actor once said in an Interview Actor Karthik has a unique style of acting and a very humble, down to earth simple personality.^{[citation needed]}

Early life and background

Karthik was born in Chennai to R. Muthuraman, a popular Tamil actor. He is the fourth child to "Navarasa Thilagam" R.Muthuraman. He studied in St. Bede's Anglo Indian Higher Secondary School in Chennai and at New College, Chennai and received a Bachelor of Arts degree.

Film career

Karthik was first introduced by Bharathiraja in the film Alaigal Oivathillai. He received the Best New Face Award from the Tamil Nadu Government in 1980. His film "Vanna Kanavugal" was a super hit at the box office and K.Balachander praised his performance in the film.He collaborated with leading film directors like Mani Ratnam, K. Balachander, Bharathiraja, Visu, R. Sundarrajan, Ameerjan, R. V. Udayakumar, Priyadarshan, Fazil, Vikraman, Agathiyan, Sundar C., K. S. Ravikumar, P. Vasu and K. V. Anand.

He is a celebrated actor of Tamil Nadu and was awarded the title "Navarasa Nayagan" (multi-talented). He is popular with the audience for sense of humor and was involved with several small comedy scenes in most of his movies. His cameo in Mouna Ragam was very well received by the audience. During his later years, he formed a partnership with Goundamani in many comedy movies. His pairing with Rambha was a hit with audience as the pair provided good hits in the nineties.

Noteworthy performances include Alaigal Oivathillai, Vanna Kanavugal, DharmaPathini, Naallavanukku Nallavan, Mouna Raagam, Oomai Vizhigal, En Jeevan Paduthu, Agni Natchathiram, Varsham 16, Kizhakku Vaasal, Ponnumani, Nadodi Thendral, Ullathai Allitha, Mettukudi, Gokulathil Seethai, Unnidathil Ennai Koduthen, Pooveli, Ananda Poongatre.

In 2009, Karthik signed on to play a supporting role in Mani Ratnam's Raavanan, thus making a comeback in Tamil cinema. His first release of the innings was however in Maanja Velu, in which he played a police officer alongside Arun Vijay, though the film became a financial failure. He received critical acclaim for his portrayal of Gnanapragasam in Raavanan featuring Vikram, Aishwarya Rai and Prithviraj. He also went on to feature in a supporting role in Puli Vesham directed by P. Vasu, although the film went largely unnoticed.

Political career

Karthik entered politics ahead of the 2006 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election. He joined the All India Forward Bloc, and was appointed as the Secretary of the Tamil Nadu state unit of the party. He led the party during its electoral campaign on 24 September 2006. He later started his own party Ahila India Naadalum Makkal Katchi in 2009 before the Lok Sabha Elections. He contested from Virudhunagar constituency. Allegedly he never campaigned and was routed in the election.^{[citation needed]}

2011 Assembly elections

His party tried alliance with AIADMK for the 2011 Assembly elections^[1] but AIADMK supremo denied tickets for his party. Karthik announced his party will contest alone in 25 to 40 seats after it was not alloted any seat in the AIADMK coalition.^[2][3] Karthik sat on a fast in Madurai demanding Madurai Airport be renamed as Pasumpon Thevar Airport.^[4][5] His party with sizeable Thevar votes in southern Tamil Nadu is believed to eat into the AIADMK votebank. In 2006, former AIADMK minister Nainar Nagendran lost by 2,000 votes in Tirunelveli, where Karthik's party polled more than the margin. Two weeks later he split from ADMK and announced his party will contest independently in 19 constituencies and support DMK in 213 constituencies.^[6]

Awards

Filmfare Awards South

• 1988 – Filmfare Award for Best Actor - Telugu for Abhinandana
• 1989 – Filmfare Award for Best Actor - Tamil for Agni Natchathiram
• 1990 – Filmfare Award for Best Actor - Tamil for Varusham Padhinaaru
• 1991 – Filmfare Award for Best Actor - Tamil for Kizhakku Vasal
• 1994 – Filmfare Award for Best Actor - Tamil for Ponnumani

Tamil Nadu State Film Awards

• 1981 – Best Male Debut Award for Alaigal Oivathillai
• 1988 – Special Prize for Best Actor for Agni Natchathiram
• 1990 – Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actor for Kizhakku Vasal
• 1998 – Special Prize for Best Actor for Pooveli and Unnidathil Ennai Koduthen
• Kalaimamani

Cinema Express Awards

• 1998 – Cinema Express Award for Best Actor – Tamil for Unnidathil Ennai Koduthen

Nandi Awards

• 1988 – Nandi Special Jury Award for Abhinandana

Personal life

Karthik is a bigamist, married to sisters Ragini and Rathi. He married Ragini his co-star in the film Solai Kuyil in 1988 with whom he has two sons Gautham & Ghayn. Later he married to Ragini's sister Rathi in 1991 with whom he has son called Thiran. His eldest son Gautham has entered the Tamil film industry by starring in the movie Kadal directed by Mani Ratnam.^[7][8][9]

Filmography

As actor

As singer

References

External links

• Karthik at the Internet Movie Database
• Profile of karthik at jointscene