Showing all artists born in 1954

S. Manivannan Rajagopal popularly known mononymously as Manivannan, was an Indian film actor and director. In a career spanning three decades, Manivannan went from being a story and dialogue writer for veteran director Bharathiraja from 1980-82 to a successful director who thrived in experimenting with different genres, before becoming an actor.  With over 400 films to his name, Manivannan was one of the most experienced actors in the field and has directed exact 50 films.  Manivannan was mainly a supporting actor in films and often played the comedian or the villain's role.

Manivannan's 50th directorial and last appearance before his death

Manivannan attended the Sulur Government Boys’ High School and later enrolled at Kovai Government Arts College.  While completing his pre-university course in Kovai, he became acquainted with Sathyaraj and became friends. According to Sathyaraj, he provided poor guidance to Manivannan and made him pursue a degree in history in advanced English, which made him struggle with topics such as Shakespeare, forcing him to drop out later.  While still at college, Manivannan was bitten by the stage-bug and consequently he staged a few performances. Inspired by the impact the film Kizhake Pogum Rail(1978) made on him, he wrote a fan mail to the film-maker Bharathiraja and the letter ran to more than a hundred pages.  Bharathiraja took him under his fold as an apprentice. Manivannan joined Bharathiraja's camp around 1979, when the director was acting in and was directing by P. S. Nivas, Kallukkul Eeram.

He penned the story and dialogues for some of his mentor’s films between 1980-82 like Nizhalgal, Tick Tick Tick, Alaigal Oivathillai and Kaadhal Oviyam.

Manivannan assisted Bharathiraja in a handful of films like Koththa Jeevithaalu (Telugu), Red Rose (Hindi) starring Rajesh Khanna and Lovers (Hindi).He learned trade hard and fast within two years under Bharatiraja and by 1982 made his directorial debut. He had also penned the story and dialogues for a bunch of other films like Lottery Ticket acted by Mohan and Prabhu, Agaya Gangai acted by Karthik, Nesam acted by Ajith Kumar. In Kodi Parakuthu, directed by Bharathiraja, Manivannan did the villain’s role.

Although Manivannan has directed 50 films in Tamil and had around 34 films as box-office hits, he was most known for his acting skills among public. He was considered unique in the industry for his wisdom and his character roles. He had acted alongside many a star including Sivaji Ganesan, Kamal Haasan, Rajinikanth, Sathyaraj, Karthik, Mohan, Madhavan, Ajith Kumar, Vijay, Surya and among others. He has starred in over 400 films. Amaidhi Padai, directed by Manivannan, is believed to have given him headway as an actor. He started getting plush offers and was seen acting in as many as thirty films a year from 1990-2011.

Manivannan directed fifty films including a few ventures in Telugu, Malayalam and Hindi.  As a director, he made films in different genres – from romance to thriller to drama.  He made his directorial debut with Gopurangal Saivathillai in 1982.  The Hindu wrote that his film Amaidhi Padai (1994) "has set the standards for political satire in Tamil cinema".  In 2013 he directed his 50th and last film Nagaraja Cholan MA, MLA, a sequel to Amaidhi Padai.  Manivannan directed his best friend Sathyaraj in a good 25 films and gave 12 successive hits as the director of Tamil films with Satyaraj as the lead hero - Jallikattu, Chinna Thambi Periya Thambi, Ganam Kortaar Avargale, Manidhan Marivittan, Ullathil Nalla Ullam, Vazhkkaichakkaram, Pudhu Manithan, Therku Theru Machan, Government Mapillai, Amaidhipadai.

His protégés have proved themselves as successful directors. Vikraman, R. K. Selvamani, Sundar C., Seeman, K. Selva Bharathy, Radhabharathi, C. V. Sasikumar, E. Ramadoss, Jeeva Balan and Rasu Madhuravan once took orders for Manivannan.  Withering irony, and a very cool way of delivering the dialogues is Manivannan’s motif and style in films.

Manivannan was first a staunch supporter of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) as his father R S Maniam was the DMK town secretary of Sulur, which made Manivannan develope an interest in the ideology of the Dravidian movement. However, later he became a Marxist and an activist in the Marxist-Leninist (Naxalite) movement.  He had political differences even with his father.

Manivannan was a Tamil patriot and joined the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam(MDMK) political party and campaigned for them during the 2006 Assembly elections.  He later joined Naam Tamilar Katchi and has been as supporter of Tamil Eelam.  Manivannan once said: "If I were born in Tamil Eelam, I would have certainly joined the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam as a warrior and sacrificed my life for the Eelam, since I am born in Tamil Nadu, there is Eelam feeling in me.

Manivannan hails from a small town called Sulur in Coimbatore District.  He was born to R.S. Maniam, a rice merchant, textile trader and a well known politician in Coimbatore and Maragatham who has contested in the elections and won a seat in the panchayat. Manivannan married Sengamalam, has a daughter and a son Raghu, who is acting in the movies and is popularly known as Raghuvannan.  Two months after his death, his wife Sengamalam died on 15 August 2013.

Manivannan died shortly after the release of his 50th directorial venture Nagaraja Cholan MA, MLA due to a cardiac arrest (heart attack) on June 15, 2013 at the age of 58 in his Nesapakkam residence at Chennai.  His body was wrapped in the flag of Tamil Eelam as he wished.

Pradeep Shakthi (July 25, 1954 – 20 February 2016) was an Indian Telugu actor, director and businessman.

Pradeep Shakthi, born as Raja Vasireddy, was from the Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh. He was known for his negative and character roles in many movies from 1980 like Nayakudu, Guna, etc. He directed a politically controversial movie, 'Kaliyuga Viswamithra'. He migrated to the US in 1993 and settled in Staten Island, New York, where he became a full-time restaurateur.

Sarathkumar Ramanathan is an Indian journalist, film actor, politician, body builder and the current president of the South Indian Film Artistes Association. He is the present Member of Legislative Assembly of Tenkasi constituency.He was born on July 14th 1954 to M. Ramanathan and Pushpa Leela in New Delhi.Sarath Kumar is currently married to Raadhika Sarathkumar who is also a South Indian movie star of great repute.
Sarath has acted in about a hundred and thirty films over a period of more than a couple of decades. 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 three Filmfare Awards South. He also began a new political party in Tamil Nadu claiming to carry out the ideals of K. Kamaraj.  With a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics from The New College in Chennai, Sarathkumar Ramanathan started his career as a journalist before achieving super stardom in the movie industry.

Murali (Malayalam:25 May 1954 – 6 August 2009) was an Indian film, stage, and television actor and author. He mainly appeared in Malayalam and Tamil films. He won the National Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of a communist freedom fighter and professional weaver in the film Neythukaran (2002). Regarded by film critics as one of the greatest actors in Indian cinema, he was known for his powerful portrayal of character roles, lead roles, and negative roles. His last film was Aadhavan.

Murali started his film career playing villain roles and soon turned into a character actor. The 1992 film Aadhaaram, in which he played the lead role, gave a 'break' to his career.The film was well received in the box office and Murali ascended to the status of a star in Malayalam film, which he enjoyed for a couple of years. Besides acting, he was the chairman of the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Academy from 2006 until his death. He also authored five books, and was also a Sangeetha Nataka Academy award winner. He contested the 1999 Lok Sabha polls as a communist candidate without success. He was also the Director of the CPI(M) promoted television company Malayalam Communications, which runs Malayalam TV channels Kairali TV, People TV and WE TV.

Murali was born on 25 May 1954 as the first of five children to P. Krishna Pillai and K. Devaki Amma at Kudavattoor, Kollam, Kerala, India.

He has four siblings, Harikumar, Ravikumar, Sudha and Raji. He did his schooling from Kudavattoor L. P. School and Thrikannamangalam S. K. V. High School. He passed the pre-degree from M.G. College, Thiruvananthapuram and his Degree from Devaswom Board College, Sasthamkotta. He was an active member of the Students Federation of India. He took an Ll. B degree from the Thiruvananthapuram Law Academy. After studies, he worked for some years as Lower Division Clerk in the Department of Health, Government of Kerala and as Upper Division Clerk in the office of Kerala University. He was married to Mini and has a daughter Karthika.

Murali debuted in films with the lead role in Njattadi, directed by Bharath Gopi. But the film was never released. He then got chance to act in Chidambaram, directed by the National Award-winning filmmaker Aravindan. He then acted in Meenamasathile Sooryan and Panchagni, directed by Lenin Rajendran and Hariharan, respectively. Panchagni got released first and it gave him the break in his acting career. He soon established himself as a powerful actor in the Malayalam film industry. Aadhaaram, directed by George Kittu, was the first film to be released with Murali in a lead role. He acted in a variety of roles, ranging from lead roles to villain roles, and won accolades. Some of his other notable films include Nee Ethra Dhanya, Dhanam, The King, Pathram, Chakoram, Veeralippattu, Achan Kombathu Amma Varambathu, Meenamasathile Sooryan, Swarnam, Kaarunyam and The Truth.

Murali acted in the longest TV commercial ever on Indian TV, spanning 150 seconds. This was for Air Deccan in 2005.

Murali was actively involved with Natyagriham, a drama venture started by actor Narendra Prasad. Murali won critical acclaim for his portrayal of Ravana in the Malayalam play Lanka Lakshmi, which was based on C. N. Sreekantan Nair's novel of the same name.

He was also associated with G. Sankara Pillai in doing theatre plays.

Murali authored five books. His book on Kumaranasan, Abhinethavum Asante Kavithayum (Actor and Asan's Poetry) won him the Sangeetha Nataka Academy award. One of his other critically acclaimed books was Abhinyathinte Rasathanthram (Chemistry of Acting).

Murali contested the 1999 Lok Sabha polls from the Alappuzha constituency as a Left Democratic Front candidate, but lost to V. M. Sudheeran of Indian National Congress.

Murali died in Thiruvananthapuram on 6 August 2009 at the age of 55, due to acute diabetes which led to a heart attack at 8.20 PM IST. He was cremated with full state honours at his home in Aruvikkara, which he had bought some years prior to his death.

Sathyapriya is an Indian film actress in the Tamil film industry. She has acted in over 300 films, 50 of which she played the heroine. She made her heroine debut in Manjal Mugame Varuga opposite Vijayakumar which was released on 1975. Some of her memorable films are Roja, Baashha, Pudhea Paadhai which gave her a big second round in the field, Chinna Gounder and Solla Marandha Kadhai.

Chandrasekhar (born 1954), also known as Vagai Chandrasekhar, is a Tamil stage, film and television actor known for his histrionics. 

He played lead or supportive roles in Tamil films of the 1980s.

He won the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the 2002 film Nanba Nanba.

N. Azhagam Perumal is a Tamil film director and actor.


Azhagam Perumal had initially announced his directorial debut in 1998 as Mudhal Mudhalaaga, a romantic film featuring Arvind Swamy and Karisma Kapoor in the lead roles.