Showing all artists born in 1954

Dindigul I. Leoni has revolutionised "patti mandram", deftly handling an alloy of humour and awakening people from all walks of life towards one common responsibility - upholding values with a sense of fraternity and equality.

Dindigul I. Leoni is an Indian orator who participates in debates and appears in television shows.  He is a comedy debate judge and a teacher.

He was born in Dindigul in Tamil Nadu. He belongs to a big family with nine siblings. He started doing mimicry during his childhood days just to attract the attention of his parents. He also liked singing cine songs.

He is personally interested in mimicry, singing, pattimandram, teaching and reading psychology related books. He belongs to DMK political party and campaigned for it in 2011 elections. He has received Kalaimamani Award from the Government of Tamil Nadu.

Kamal Haasan (born 7 November 1954) is an Indian film actor, screenwriter, producer and director, considered to be one of the leading method actors of Indian cinema. He is widely acclaimed as an actor and is well known for his versatility in acting. Kamal Haasan has won several Indian film awards, including four National Film Awards and numerous Filmfare Awards, and is known for having starred in the largest number of films submitted by India in contest for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. In addition to acting, screenwriting and directing, he has also featured in films as a songwriter, playback singer and choreographer. His film production company, Rajkamal International, has produced several of his films. In 1990, he was awarded the Padma Shri for his contributions to Indian cinema. Kamal Haasan is also a recipient of an Honorary doctorate by Sathyabama University. In 2009, he became one of very few Indian actors to have completed 50 years in cinema.

After several projects as a child artist, Kamal Haasan's breakthrough into lead acting came with his role in the 1975 drama Apoorva Raagangal, in which he played a rebellious youth in love with an older woman. He secured his second Indian National Film Award for his portrayal of a guileless school teacher who tends a child-like amnesiac in 1982's Moondram Pirai. He was particularly noted for his performance in Mani Ratnam's Godfatheresque Tamil film Nayagan (1987), which was ranked by Time magazine as one of the best films of all time. Since then he has gone on to appear in other notable films such as Anbe Sivam and his own productions, Hey Ram and Virumaandi, as well as Dasavathaaram, in which he appeared in ten distinct roles.

Ramarajan is a Tamil film actor who specialised in acting films on village-based subjects. He is also known as Makkal Nayagan or Pasu Nesan or Panju Mittai Sattai kaaran. He was called as the rural box office emperor in the late 1980s, his movies used to do well in rural centres. He is known for his colourful gaudy costumes and excessive makeup.

Career

Ramarajan hails from a small town Melur situated near Madurai. He grew up from a Cinema entrance ticket validator and plantain seller to a cinema producer. Known for his movies with rustic simplicity, he had disappeared from filmdom following a string of failures. His films were so popular and made big at box-offices that they were equally competent to Superstar Rajinikanth's films. Considered as the man of the rural audiences, he was nicknamed Vasool Chakravathi. He proclaimed himself as the Next MGR in the industry. Many of his films based on village-based subjects were a big hit in B and C centers. He is known for his dark shirts and colorful costumes. His movie Karagattakkaaran was a block buster which ran for 365 days not only in Chennai but also in Madurai. He fell in love with actress Nalini and they got married. However, they divorced citing differences in their relationship.

He took a plunge in politics and managed to become an MP. He was elected to the Lok Sabha from the Tiruchendur constituency on the AIADMK ticket in 1998. His film and political career both failed for a certain period. His new low budget movie Medhai got released on 2012 which largely went unnoticed and failed. He also very busy with his new upcoming movie titled "Adida Avala".

Political career

He was elected to 12th Lok Sabha as an All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam candidate from Tiruchendur Lok Sabha constituency in 1998...

Personal life

Ramarajan married actress Nalini and 13 years later they divorced. They have 2 kids. After divorce, Nalini is active starring in a line of Tamil TV soaps. Nalini acted as a mother-in-law in soaps like Kolangal and Idhayam which were two very famous serials that were broadcast in Sun TV network.

Rekha born Bhanurekha Ganesan on 10 October 1954 in Tamil Nadu, India, is an Indian actress who has appeared in Bollywood films. 

Noted for her versatility as an actress, Rekha was particularly recognised for playing female-oriented characters, such as that of the school-girl in Khubsoorat and the decisive avenger in Khoon Bhari Maang, both of which earned her the Filmfare Best Actress Award. Her portrayal of a classical courtesan in Umrao Jaan won her the National Film Award for Best Actress and was followed by numerous critically acclaimed performances. Throughout the 1970s and onwards she has been featured as a sex symbol in the Indian media. 

Rekha has acted in over 180 films in a career that has spanned 40 years.  She has reinvented herself numerous times in her career and is known for her ability to sustain her status. Taking part in both Indian mainstream and art cinema, known in India as parallel cinema, she has achieved commercial success, as well as critical praise for her performances throughout the years. 

Early life 
Born on 10 October 1954 in Chennai, India, she is the daughter of renowned Tamil actor Gemini Ganesan and the Telugu actress Pushpavalli. Her father enjoyed considerable success as an actor and Rekha was to follow in his footsteps. 

Rekha's parents were not married, and her father did not acknowledge his paternity during her childhood. It was during the early 1970s, when she was looking for a footing in the Bollywood film industry, that she revealed her origins. Later, at the peak of her career, Rekha told a magazine interviewer that her father's neglect still rankled and that she had ignored his efforts at reconciliation. 

Film career 
Rekha appeared as a child actor in the Telugu film Rangula Ratnam (1966). Rekha made her debut as heroine in the successful Kannada film Goadalli CID 999 with Dr. Rajkumar in 1969. In that same year, she starred in her first Hindi film, Anjana Safar (later retitled Do Shikari). She later claimed that she was tricked into a kissing scene with the leading actor Biswajit for the overseas market, and the kiss made it to the Asian edition of "Life" magazine. The film ran into censorship problems, and would not be released until a decade later. She had two films released in 1970: the Telugu film Amma Kosam and the Hindi film Sawan Bhadon, which was considered her acting debut in Bollywood. She had to Learn Hindi language, as her naturally spoken language was Tamil. Sawan Bhadon became a hit, and Rekha — a star overnight. She subsequently got several offers but nothing of substance. Her roles were mostly used to be just of a glamour girl. She appeared in several commercially successful films at the time, including Kahani Kismat Ki, Raampur Ka Lakshman and Pran Jaaye Par Vachan Na Jaaye, yet she was not as regarded for her acting abilities. 

Her first performance-oriented role came in 1976 when she played an ambitious woman in Do Anjaane, co-starring Amitabh Bachchan. The film became a hit as well as a critical success, and she was widely noticed for her performance. 

Her most significant turning point, however, came in 1978, when she portrayed the role of a rape victim in the movie Ghar, alongside Vinod Mehra. The film was considered her first notable milestone, as she got critical acclaim for her performance, and received her first nomination for Best Actress at the Filmfare Awards. In that same year, she first attained fame with Muqaddar Ka Sikander, in which she co-starred once again with Amitabh Bachchan. The movie was the biggest hit of that year, as well as one of the biggest hits of the decade, and Rekha was set as one of the most successful actresses of these times. The film opened to positive critical reception, and Rekha's performance as a courtesan earned her a Best Supporting Actress nomination at the Filmfare. 

1980s 
Following her success with Muqaddar Ka Sikandar, Rekha went on to star opposite Bachchan in a number of films, most of which were hits. She had not only a successful on-screen pair with him, but a real-life relationship, which was widely reported in the media, as well as sharply criticised, as he was a married man. This relationship was ended and concluded in 1981, when they starred in Yash Chopra's drama Silsila. The film was the most scandalous of their films together, as it was based on their real-life relationship; Rekha played Bachchan's love interest, while Bachchan's real-life wife, Jaya Bhaduri, played his wife. This was their last film together, and they never have collaborated again. 

The film-column gossip may have contributed to her success. However, even critics had to admit that she had worked hard to perfect her Hindi and her acting, and that she had transformed herself from a "plump" duckling to a "swan" in the early 1970s. Rekha's credits to this transformation were yoga, a nutritious diet, and a regular, disciplined life. 

In 1981, she starred in the Urdu film Umrao Jaan. The film tells the story of a young girl, Amiran, who is kidnapped and sold in a brothel, and follows her life story there as Umrao. Her portrayal of a sensitive courtesan has been considered one of her career best performances, and she received the National Film Award for Best Actress for it. Overall, she played a courtesan with a heart of gold in several of her films; Muqaddar Ka Sikandar and Umrao Jaan were followed by a number of films which had her playing similar roles. 

Rekha's post-Bachchan era marked a new stage in her career; it was the time when she turned her career professionally. She was willing to work with independent and art film directors, and throughout the 1980s, regularly worked in parallel cinema, a term that refers to the new wave, realistic cinema in India. Her venture into this particular genre started off with Umrao Jaan, and was followed by other 1981 such releases as Shyam Benegal's award-winning drama, Kalyug; Ramesh Talwar's Baseraa, which saw her playing a woman who marries her sister's husband, after the latter loses her mental balance; and the commercially successful Ek Hi Bhool, opposite Jeetendra, with Rekha playing the role of a betrayed wife who leaves her husband. Her performances in these films were highly praised by critics. Other notable arthouse films during the 1980s included Jeevan Dhaara, Utsav and Ijaazat. 

Apart from parallel cinema, Rekha took on other increasingly serious, even adventurous roles; she was among the early actresses to play lead roles in heroine-oriented films, delivering films such as Khubsoorat, Khoon Bhari Maang and Mujhe Insaaf Chahiye. She won Filmfare trophies for her roles in Khubsoorat (1980) and Khoon Bhari Maang (1988). One critic wrote of her performance in Khoon Bhari Maang, "Rekha as Aarti is just flawless and this is one of her best performance ever! In the first half as the shy and not so sexy Aarti she is excellent and after the plastic surgery as the model and femme fatale she is excellent too. Some scenes show that we are watching an actress of a very high calibre here." 

1990s onwards

The 1990s saw drop in her success and she almost lost her stardom. She was part of some commercially and critically unsuccessful films, in spite of doing even more challenging roles. Unlike most actresses of her generation like Hema Malini and Raakhee, who began making supporting roles as the mother or the aunty, Rekha was still playing the leading roles, at the same time when heroines Madhuri Dixit and Raveena Tandon rose to fame. 

The foreign film, Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love and the commercially successful Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi (1996) were some of her most notable films during the decade. The former, which was directed by Mira Nair was known for its controversial topic (many felt that staring would damage her career), as Rekha played a Kama Sutra teacher in the film. On the other hand, the latter was a major grosser and earned her several awards, including the Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award and the Star Screen Award for Best Villain for her first villain role of a gangster woman. 

In recent years, she has appeared in relatively few movies, usually as a mother or a widow rather than a glamour queen. In 2001, she starred as Ramdulari in Rajkumar Santoshi's Lajja, along with an ensemble cast that included Manisha Koirala, Madhuri Dixit and Anil Kapoor. She received several nominations for her portrayal; critic, Taran Adarsh, wrote of her performance, "... it is Rekha who walks away with the glory, delivering one of the finest performances the Indian screen has seen in the recent times." In that same year she acted alongside Karisma Kapoor in Shyam Benegal's Zubeidaa. Upperstall.com wrote, "Rekha has a stunning screen presence exuding grace and comes up with an expertly adept performance leaving her stamp on the film." She next starred alongside Preity Zinta in Kundan Shah's Dil Hai Tumhaara, playing the role of Sarita, a betrayed woman who takes under her custody the extramarital daughter of her husband. In 2003, she played Hrithik Roshan's mother in Rakesh Roshan's Koi... Mil Gaya, a performance which won her the Bollywood Movie Award - Best Supporting Actress. The film was the biggest hit of that year. 

She next took part in a number of films, such as Parineeta. In 2006, she was seen in the sequel to Koi... Mil Gaya, Krrish, one of the most successful films of the year. In 2007, she once again portrayed a courtesan in Gautam Ghose's Yatra. Unlike the initial success she had in playing such roles in the early stages of her career, this time the film failed to do well. 

Personal life 

Rekha has had various unsuccessful relationships with fellow Bollywood stars including Amitabh Bachchan, Vinod Mehra and in 1990 she married Delhi-based businessman Mukesh Aggarwal, who committed suicide in 1991. She was rumored to have been married to actor Vinod Mehra in 1973, but in a 2004 television interview with Simi Garewal she denied being married to him referring to him as a "well-wisher". Rekha currently lives along with her secretary Farzana in her Bandra home in Mumbai.

Sathyaraj is a Tamil film actor and media personality in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. A Tamil activist and political influence, he has acted in over 100 films, ranging from action and drama to comedy. In 2007, he played the award-winning role of Periyar E. V. Ramasamy in the Tamil Nadu government-sponsored film Periyar. As of 2007, he has produced one film, which was Lee, starring his son Sibiraj. He has also directed a movie Villadhi Villain acted by himself in three different roles which also starred actress Nagma. After earning good fortunes though films, he became an atheist.

Sathyaraj completed his primary school education in Tamil at St Marys Convent, Coimbatore. He completed the equivalent of the tenth standard in Suburban High School, Ramnagar, Coimbatore. He joined the Government Arts College, Coimbatore and completed a Bachelor of Science degree in botany. Tamil actor/director Manivannan was a co-student in PUC (Class 12 Junior college), and the two began a friendship while there. he is a bold actor never hides himself.

Sathyaraj went to see the shooting of the film Annakkili, where he met actor Sivakumar and producer Thiruppur Manian He joined the drama troupe of Komal Swamynathan.Sathyarajs first film was Kodugal Illaatha Kolangal. Then he worked as production manager for the film Kannan Oru Kaikkuzhanthai. In addition to his managerial role, he also had a small acting part in the film. On the title credits of this film, his name was shown on screen with the description: "Aluvalaga Nirvaagam (Official Management): S.N. Rangaraj, B.Sc." and later still in the credits as "Sathyaraj" for his minor acting role.

Director Santhana Bharathi says that he was the person who introduced Sathyaraj as a hero in the film Kadamai Kanniyam Kattuppadu. It was a film produced by the veteran actor Kamal Hassan. Kamal Haasan had faith in Sathyaraj which made him to introduce him as a hero for his home production."

He is a strong follower of Thanthai Periyar E. V. Ramasamy. He frequently expresses his views about the god in his movies. Due to this motivation, he also acted in the movie called Periyar in a leading role as E.V.R. 

Sathyaraj (born Rangaraj Subbaiah 3 October 1954) is an Indian film actor and media personality who has predominantly appeared in Tamil films. He started his career in villainous roles and later played lead roles. The latter part of his career consisted of supporting and character roles; one such role was his performance as Periyar E. V. Ramasamy in the Tamil Nadu government-sponsored film Periyar. He was also the director of the film Villadhi Villain (1995), starring himself in three different roles.

Apart from his film career, Sathyaraj has been vocal in the media about various issues, such as Sri Lankan Tamil nationalism and water rights in Tamil Nadu. In 2011, he had a brief career as a television host for the game show Home Sweet Home on STAR Vijay. He has also served as a brand ambassador for Pothys and Kumaran Jewelry Shop.

P. Vasu ( born Vasudevan Peethambharam) is an Indian film director, writer, and actor who works in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam films. In a career spanning three decades, Vasu has directed over 50 films.

Vasu's father Peethambaram Nair worked as a make-up man for M. G. R. and N. T. R. in their films in older days. He was one of the leading make up artists during his period and was elected as the president of make-up-union, Tamil Nadu for 30 years. He later went on to become a producer. He produced about 25 films in Tamil and Telugu and went on to become one of the leading producers in the south. He produced along with his brother M.C.Sekhar who was a cinematographer. M.C.Sekhar had worked as a cinematographer for more than 150 films. Peethambharam died on 21 February 2011 at the age of 89. Vasu is married to Shanthi and has a son, Sakthi Vasu who is an actor and a daughter Abhirami Vasudevan. His mother is Kamala. Vasu's brothers are Vidyasagar, Vimal and his sisters are Vijaylakshmi,Vasantha and Vanaja.

Director Shri. P. Vasu entered filmdom at the young age of 19. He served as Asst to the then reigning supremo Director B.Shridhar. He ventured into direction as Bharathi Vasu at the early age of 24. Shortly after their marvelous debut - Panner Pushpangal, Vasu set out on his own to script and direct movies.

Vasu joined director Sridhar as an assistant. Director Sridhar was one of the leading directors of his period and he is one of the directors who has won a number of accolades for his natural way of directing films. Vasu started his career with Santhana Bharathi as a co-director and made films like Panneer Pushpangal, Mella Pesungal, Sahasame Jeevitham, Neethiyin nizhal, Madhumalar. They both shared a good success record and had won a lot of appreciations. After a certain period they started building up their career on an individual basis.

Ever since, he’s been riding an illustrious journey, having directed more than 60 movies spanning several languages which include Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Hindi. Although he has had his share of unsuccessful films, his spell of success is unique and matchless. More than 35 of his films were hits having crossed the 100th day mark, while more than a dozen were super hits having surpassed the 25 weeks mark. Further, his Aptha Mitra went on to cross the one year mark, while legendary Chandra mukhi has had a record run of 800 days and more. In addition, several movies credited with his stories have also been runaway hits in other languages.

P. Vasu (born Vasudevan Peethambharam) is an Indian director, writer, and actor who works in Tamil, Kannada, Telugu and Malayalam films. In a career spanning three decades, Vasu has directed over 50 films.

Vasu's father Peethambaram Nair worked as a make-up man for M.G.R. and N.T.R. in their films in older days. He was one of the leading make-up artists during his period and was elected as the president of the make-up union, Tamil Nadu for 30 years. He later went on to become a producer.

He produced about 25 films in Tamil and Telugu and became one of the leading producers in the south. He produced with his brother M.C. Sekhar who was a cinematographer. M.C. Sekhar had worked as a cinematographer for more than 150 films. Peethambharam died on 21 February 2011 at the age of 89.

Vasu is married to Shanthi and has a son, Sakthi Vasu, who is an actor and a daughter, Abhirami Vasudevan.His mother is Kamala. Vasu's brothers are Vidyasagar, Vimal and his sisters are Vijaylakshmi,Vasantha and Vanaja

The Tamil community, spread across the continents, extols Kalai Maa Mani Mr. Suki Sivam as ‘Sol Vendher’ – ‘the King of Words’!

Suki (Suhi / Sugi) Sivam is a popular orator and a scholar in Tamil. His motivational, religious and philosophical speeches are famous among Tamil Hindus.  He hosts a TV show Indha naal iniya naal on Sun TV. He has also written numerous novels and is highly regarded in India and neighbouring countries.

He was awarded the Kalaimamani award by the Indian state government for his contributions towards Tamil literature.

His book,Vaazhthal Oru Kalai ("Living is an art"), deals with the subject of how to lead a better life, retaining our own ideologies and principles. The book Vaazhthal Oru Kalai may be similar to The Power of Now, by Eckhart Tole, though not as different and subjective as the later. His Guru is Pulavar Chidambaram Swaminathan, who was his Tamil teacher in Santhome Higher Secondary School.

Suki Sivam was mainly influenced by popular orators like Ki. Va. Jagannathan, Kirupanandha Variyar, Kundrakudi Adigalar, Avvai Natarajan, Chidambaram Swaminathan.

 “An orator par excellence, an inspirational writer, a spiritual scientist, a visionary and a social marketer”, are perhaps a few descriptions which may enable us to have an overview of his exquisite personality.

 His privileged lineage of being the son of the eminent writer couple, Kalai Maa Mani Mr.T.N. Suki Subramaniam and Smt. Gomathi Subramaniam, and the profound influence of his illustrious mentors - Mr.Thirumuruga Kripananda variyaar, Thavathiru Kundrakudi Adigalaar, Editor Mr.K.V.Jgannathan, Professor Mr. R.Radha Krishnan and orator Mr. Chidambaram Swaminathan - during his formative years have sculpted his personality and empowered him to emerge as the undisputed ‘Friend, Philosopher and Guide’ of the masses.

 “Mr.Suki Sivam is a double graduate in Economics and Law from the University of Madras and he has to his credit a lengthy list of awards and citations. Apart from the prestigeous State Government award of ‘Kalai Maa Mani’, he has been bestowed with various titles such as Sollin Selver, Sendhamizh Thendral, Soll Vendhar Muthamil Peraringar. etc. to name a few. These honours have been conferred upon him by various literary, social and cultural organizations from time to time. Throughout the year, he is flooded with global level invitations from several Tamil organisations which revere him as the ‘Twenty first century Tamil Cultural Icon .”

 For the past three decades, Mr.Suki Sivam has been waging a war as a ‘one man army’ against all forms of social degradations, cultural distortions and religious fanaticism... He has been playing the role of a ‘Social Change Agent’ and influencing public opinion by delivering innumerable lectures all over the globe, by writing columns in magazines and papers ,by publishing books, conducting workshops / training sessions and by releasing audio and video CDs in a continuous and consistent manner. In his works, he chooses to touch upon heterogeneous areas of public interest such as literature, spirituality, communal harmony, women empowerment, leadership traits, time management, parenting, marital harmony and sustainable development...

 In the pursuit of his dream mission of ‘ELEVATING HUMANITY TO THE ULTIMATE STATE OF DIVINITY’, Mr. Suki Sivam is proceeding and progressing as the personification of the ‘Sthitha Pragnya’ – the Steadfast and Selfless Crusader - as depicted in Bhagavad-Gita!

Rajkiran is a film actor, producer and director, who has acted in more than 150 Tamil films.Rajkiran began by producing two Ramarajan starrer films and in one of them he appeared in a brief role. 

In 1991, he produced and acted in lead role in Kasthuri Raja's drama film, En Rasavin Manasile which had a silver jubilee run. He won the Tamil Nadu State Film Award Special Prize and the Cinema Express - Best New Face Award for his performance. He directed, produced and acted in lead role in Aranmanai Kili (1993) and Ellame En Rasathan (1995), which also had silver jubilee runs.

In 1996, he acted in Manikkam which failed at the box-office. The following year, he worked in Pasamulla Pandiyare. The film turned out to be a failure. In the mid of 1998, he acted in Ponnu Velayira Bhoomi and made a guest appearance in Kasthuri Raja's Veera Thalattu. In the end of 1998, he acted in the critically well received Thalaimurai. 
Following a three-year hiatus, he returned as an actor in Bala's Nandha and in Cheran's Pandavar Bhoomi. Both were critical and commercial successes. He has won the Filmfare Best Tamil Supporting Actor Award for his performance in the film Thavamai Thavamirundhu (2005) and the Tamil Nadu government's Best Actor award for Pandavar Bhoomi.