Goundamani

Goundamani was born as Subramaniyan on 25 May 1939 in Vallakundapuram, a village near Udumalaipettai in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India. His father is Karuppaiya and his mother is Annammal. He married Shanthi in 1963 and has 2 daughters.{{cite web |last=Palaniappan |first=P |title=Comedian Kavundamani's wedding photo – A Rare Picture! |url=http://www.southdreamz.com/41225/Kavundamanis-wedding-photo/ |work=SouthDreamz |date=24 February 2012|access-date=16 December 2013|archive-date=11 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201011142029/https://www.southdreamz.com/41225/goundamanis-wedding-photo/|url-status=usurped}}{{cite web |title=Comedian Kavundamani's Daughter Wedding |url=http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/tamil/events/9886.html |work=Indiaglitz.com|access-date=16 December 2013|archive-date=17 December 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131217022421/http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/tamil/events/9886.html|url-status=live}}

On having interest in acting, he went to Chennai and initially started acting in theatre dramas and then entered into the Tamil film industry (Kollywood) due to his strong theatrical background.

He made his film acting debut in Server Sundaram where he featured in a minor and uncredited role as a driver. He made his full-fledged debut in 1977 film 16 Vayathinile where he played the role of Rajinikanth's sidekick. His role in the 1977 P. Bharathiraja directorial was also Goundamani's first credited role in his film career.

Goundamani has played lead roles in a few films during his career, but is predominantly a supporting actor playing comedy roles. While performing roles of a solo comedian in films, he often co-starred with Senthil to form a comedy duo.{{Cite web |date=May 25, 2015 |title=Tamil comedian Goundamani turns 76, fans storm Twitter |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/regional-cinema/story/goundamani-tamil-comedian-and-actor-turns-76-birthday-twitter-vaaimai-254560-2015-05-25|access-date=2021-09-01 |website=India Today |language=en|archive-date=1 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210901121209/https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/regional-cinema/story/goundamani-tamil-comedian-and-actor-turns-76-birthday-twitter-vaaimai-254560-2015-05-25|url-status=live}} The pair was described as "Tamil cinema's Laurel and Hardy" and have performed slapstick humour in many Tamil films from the mid-1980s until the early 2000s.{{Cite web |date=2021-08-24 |title='With the legend': Sivakarthikeyan on meeting veteran comedian Goundamani |url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/legend-sivakarthikeyan-meeting-veteran-comedian-goundamani-154321|access-date=2021-09-01 |website=The News Minute |language=en|archive-date=1 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210901121220/https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/legend-sivakarthikeyan-meeting-veteran-comedian-goundamani-154321|url-status=live}}{{Cite news |author=The Hindu Net Desk |date=2018-12-13 |title=Cinema quiz: Senthil and Goundamani |language=en-IN |work=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/cinema-quiz-senthil-and-goundamani/article25734186.ece|access-date=2021-09-01 |issn=0971-751X|archive-date=1 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210901115706/https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/cinema-quiz-senthil-and-goundamani/article25734186.ece|url-status=live}} Both of them are also remembered as partners-in-crime and also known for their chemistry.{{Cite web |title=Goundamani will always be my favourite comedian: Senthil |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/2019/jan/24/goundamani-will-always-be-my-favourite-comedian-1929205.html|access-date=2021-09-01 |website=The New Indian Express|archive-date=14 October 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221014162250/https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/2019/jan/24/goundamani-will-always-be-my-favourite-comedian-1929205.html|url-status=dead}}

Both Goundamani and Senthil were critically acclaimed for their career defining performance in Gangai Amaren's directorial Karakattakkaran (1989). Karakattakaran also coincidentally marked Goundamani and Senthil's 100th film as comedians together. Senthil and Goundamani both reportedly spent full 28 days on set during the shooting of the film.{{Cite news |title=The Word View: That Vazhappazham scene |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/the-word-view-that-vazhappazham-scene/articleshow/63557361.cms|access-date=2021-09-01 |website=The Times of India |date=April 2018 |language=en}} Goundamani's phrases in one of the comedy scenes featured in Karakattakaran, "Adhu enda enna pathu andha kelvi ketta?" ({{Translation|Why did you look at me and ask that question}}) when Senthil asked him "Intha cara vachiruntha Sopanasundhariya yaaru vaichiruka" ({{Translation|If you had this car, who has Soppanasundari}}) became the highlight of the film and later became viral internet memes.{{Cite web |title=Happy Birthday Goundamani: 25 iconic Counters that defined the legend |url=https://www.cinemaexpress.com/photos/slideshows/2019/may/25/happy-birthday-goundamani-25-iconic-counters-that-defined-the-legend-220.html|access-date=2021-09-01 |website=Cinema Express |language=en|archive-date=1 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210901115707/https://www.cinemaexpress.com/photos/slideshows/2019/may/25/happy-birthday-goundamani-25-iconic-counters-that-defined-the-legend-220.html|url-status=live}}

Goundamani's comedy scene from Thangamana Raasa (1989) is also best remembered by critics for dreaming of singing under the music of Ilaiyaraja when he was spending a jail term for petty crime. His one line phrases "Start the music", "Arasiyal la ithellam saatharnamappa" ({{Translation|This is all normal in politics}}) and "Kosu thollai thaanga mudiyala pa" ({{Translation|Can't deal with mosquito's annoyance}}) which featured in the 1992 film Suriyan also later became a viral meme and trendsetter in Internet.

After recuperating from diabetes and respiratory illnesses during the late 2000s, he featured in Vaaimai and also played the lead role in 49-O, which began productions in 2013. It was directed by debutant Arokiadoss, a former assistant of Gautham Vasudev Menon.{{cite web |title=Kavundamani is back as Hero with 49 O |url=http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/tamil/article/101149.html |work=Indiaglitz.com|access-date=16 December 2013|archive-date=16 December 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131216214540/http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/tamil/article/101149.html|url-status=live}}{{cite news |last=Lakshmi |first=Venketeswaran |title=Goundamani starts shooting for 49-O |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/regional/tamil/news-interviews/Goundamani-starts-shooting-for-49-O/articleshow/27431593.cms|access-date=16 December 2013 |date=16 December 2013|archive-date=17 December 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131217021110/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-12-16/news-interviews/45216829_1_goundamani-film-arokiadoss |newspaper=The Times of India|url-status=live}} In 2019, he was approached by film director R. Kannan and actor Santhanam to cast him in a supporting role for their film project but Goundamani reportedly turned down the offer as he was sceptical about the role.{{Cite web |title=Goundamani in talks for Santhanam-R Kannan project |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/2019/jun/20/goundamani-in-talks-for-santhanam-r-kannan-project-1992597.html|access-date=2021-09-01 |website=The New Indian Express |date=20 June 2019|archive-date=1 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210901115706/https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/2019/jun/20/goundamani-in-talks-for-santhanam-r-kannan-project-1992597.html|url-status=live}}{{Cite news |title=Will Santhanam and Goundamani team up for an action entertainer? |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/will-santhanam-and-goundamani-team-up-for-an-action-entertainer/articleshow/69810286.cms|access-date=2021-09-01 |website=The Times of India |date=16 June 2019 |language=en}}

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Category:Tamil comedians

Category:Living people

Category:Male actors in Tamil cinema

Category:People from Coimbatore district

Category:1938 births

Category:Indian male film actors