Karan (actor)
{{Short description|Indian actor}}
{{EngvarB|date=August 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Karan
| image =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1967|08|19|df=y}}
| birth_place = Erode, Tamil Nadu, India
| death_date =
| birth_name =
| othername = Shashi Karan, Master Raghu
| occupation = Actor
| yearsactive = 1972–1980 (Child artist)
1982–2016 (Lead actor)
}}
Karan (born 19 August 1967) is an Indian former actor who appeared predominantly in Tamil and Malayalam films. He started his career as a child actor (under the stage name Master Raghu). In the 1990s he started to act in leading and villain roles. In the mid-2000s, after a sabbatical, Karan chose to prioritise appearing in films where he would portray the lead role following the relative success of Kokki (2006).
Career
Karan started his career as child artist under the name Master Raghu for more than 70 films in Malayalam and Tamil. In 1992, he made his Tamil debut as an adult in Annamalai starring alongside Rajinikanth in an uncredited role, before making a breakthrough with his performance as a rogue college student in Nammavar (1994) alongside Kamal Haasan.
In 2004, Karan became a solo hero with the Malayalam film Isra. He has continued with films like Kokki (2006), Karuppusamy Kuththagaithaarar (2007) and Kathavarayan (2008).{{cite web | url=https://www.behindwoods.com/News/7-4-05/karan_vindhya.htm | title=Behindwoods : Karan & Vindhya come together | access-date=1 November 2023 | archive-date=1 November 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231101063956/https://www.behindwoods.com/News/7-4-05/karan_vindhya.htm | url-status=live }} His recent films are Sooran (2014) and Uchathula Shiva (2016).
In 2018, a clip from his film Coimbatore Mappillai went viral online, prompting internet users to associate the word "Shroov" with the actor.{{Cite web|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/2018/oct/09/something-like-shroov-now-trending-really-shows-power-of-cinema-karan-1882816.html|title=Something like 'Shroov' now trending really shows power of cinema: Karan|website=The New Indian Express|date=9 October 2018 |access-date=8 April 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190908021542/http://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/2018/oct/09/something-like-shroov-now-trending-really-shows-power-of-cinema-karan-1882816.html|archive-date=8 September 2019|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/wherever-i-go-people-say-shroov-shroov/article25121610.ece|title=Wherever I go, people say, Shroov, Shroov|newspaper=The Hindu |date=4 October 2018|access-date=8 April 2020|via=www.thehindu.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181004131423/https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/wherever-i-go-people-say-shroov-shroov/article25121610.ece|archive-date=4 October 2018|url-status=live}}
Other work
Karan made his advertisement debut in a 45-second Mahindra Duro advertisement with Bollywood actress Kareena Kapoor.{{cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/regional/news-interviews/Kareena-Kapoor-has-no-ego-hassles-Karan/articleshow/11485438.cms|title=Kareena Kapoor has no ego hassles: Karan|work=The Times of India|date=14 January 2012|access-date=8 February 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921053311/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-01-14/news-interviews/30627063_1_ego-hassles-ad-films-karan-shot|archive-date=21 September 2013|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/slideshows/advertising-marketing/why-south-indian-characters-are-replacing-punjabi-mundas-in-ads/impact-of-the-media-from-south/slideshow/19379862.cms|title=Why South Indian characters are replacing Punjabi Mundas in ads|work=The Economic Times|access-date=19 May 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180922175219/https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/slideshows/advertising-marketing/why-south-indian-characters-are-replacing-punjabi-mundas-in-ads/impact-of-the-media-from-south/slideshow/19379862.cms|archive-date=22 September 2018|url-status=live}}
Personal life
Karan's father died in 2014, aged 90.{{Cite news |last=Selvaraj |first=A |date=2014-12-17 |title=Decomposed body of Tamil film actor Karan's father recovered in Chennai |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/decomposed-body-of-tamil-film-actor-karans-father-recovered-in-chennai/articleshow/45534812.cms |access-date=2024-05-04 |work=The Times of India |archive-date=25 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220925222727/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/decomposed-body-of-tamil-film-actor-karans-father-recovered-in-chennai/articleshow/45534812.cms |url-status=live }}
Awards
- 1974 – Best Child Artist – Rajahamsam
- 1975 – Best Child Artist – Prayanam, Swami Ayyappan
Filmography
= As child artist: Credited as Master Raghu =
= As actor =
==Films==
| class="wikitable sortable" | ||||
| Year | Film | Role | Language | class="unsortable" |Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| rowspan="1"|1982 | Ina | Vinod | Malayalam | credited as Raghu, first lead role |
| rowspan="1"|1983 | Kuyiline Thedi | Shyam | Malayalam | credited as Raghu |
| 1985 | Idanilangal | Malayalam | Uncredited | |
| 1987 | January Oru Orma | Appu | Malayalam | credited as Raghu |
| 1990 | Chuvanna Kannukal | Malayalam | credited as Raghu | |
| 1990 | Mridula | Anirudh | Malayalam | credited as Raghu |
| rowspan="3"|1991 | Neelagiri | Malayalam | credited as Raghu | |
| Mahassar | Suresh | Malayalam | credited as Raghu | |
| Theechatti Govindhan | Henchman (uncredited role) | Tamil | ||
| rowspan="2"|1992 | Annamalai | Deepak, Ashok's son | Tamil | |
| Apaaratha | Hari | Malayalam | ||
| rowspan="1"|1994 | Nammavar | Ramesh | Tamil | First film credited as Karan |
| rowspan="2"|1995 | Thottil Kuzhandhai | Murali | Tamil | |
| Chandralekha | Jamal | Tamil | ||
| rowspan="4"|1996 | Coimbatore Mappillai | Mahesh | Tamil | |
| Vaikarai Pookkal | Shankar | Tamil | ||
| Kadhal Kottai | Siva | Tamil | ||
| Gokulathil Seethai | Mohan | Tamil | ||
| rowspan="7"|1997 | Kaalamellam Kaathiruppen | Raja | Tamil | |
| Kaalamellam Kadhal Vaazhga | Prakash | Tamil | ||
| Love Today | Peter | Tamil | ||
| Kaadhali | Tamil | |||
| Raman Abdullah | Abdullah | Tamil | ||
| Nerukku Ner | Muthukumaraswamy | Tamil | ||
| Kaduva Thomas | Malayalam | |||
| rowspan="10"|1998 | Suswagatham | Peter | Telugu | |
| Ponmanam | Kumar | Tamil | ||
| Kangalin Vaarthaigal | Tamil | |||
| Kaadhal Mannan | Ranjan | Tamil | ||
| Color Kanavugal | Bharani | Tamil | ||
| Thulli Thirintha Kalam | Raghu | Tamil | ||
| Sollamale | Vikram | Tamil | ||
| Kannedhirey Thondrinal | Shankar | Tamil | ||
| Kannathal | Chinna Durai | Tamil | ||
| Kaadhal Kavidhai | Tamil | |||
| rowspan="8"|1999 | Unnaithedi | Prakash | Tamil | |
| Ullathai Killathe | Col. Major Prakash | Tamil | ||
| Poovellam Kettuppar | Director | Tamil | ||
| Sneha | Vijay | Kannada | ||
| Minsara Kanna | Ashok | Tamil | ||
| Maravathe Kanmaniye | Tamil | |||
| Kannupada Poguthaiya | Subramaniyam | Tamil | ||
| Manam Virumbuthe Unnai | Chandru | Tamil | ||
| rowspan="6" |2000 | Thirunelveli | Varadappan | Tamil | |
| Rajakali Amman | Seemadorai / Kannayiram | Tamil | ||
| Vallarasu | Seshadri | Tamil | ||
| Koodi Vazhnthal Kodi Nanmai | Sivaraman | Tamil | ||
| Ilayavan | Tamil | |||
| Budget Padmanabhan | Abishek | Tamil | ||
| rowspan="8"|2001 | Nageswari | Easwar | Tamil | |
| Engalukkum Kaalam Varum | Ramesh | Tamil | ||
| Paarvai Ondre Pothume | Manoj | Tamil | ||
| Sonnal Thaan Kathala | Inspector Inbaraj | Tamil | ||
| Kunguma Pottu Gounder | Siva | Tamil | ||
| Kabadi Kabadi | Sivaprakash | Tamil | ||
| Hoo Anthiya Uhoo Anthiya | Karan | Kannada | ||
| Kottai Mariamman | Eashwar | Tamil | ||
| rowspan="2"|2002 | Alli Arjuna | Kishore | Tamil | |
| Sri Bannari Amman | Vaanamaalai | Tamil | ||
| rowspan="1"|2003 | Nee Varum Paathaiyellam | Tamil | ||
| rowspan="2"|2004 | Arasatchi | Prakash | Tamil | |
| Isra | Mukthi Muhammed Isra/Aravindan | Malayalam | Dubbed and released in Tamil as Kombu | |
| rowspan="1"|2006 | Kokki | Kokki | Tamil | |
| rowspan="2"|2007 | Karuppusamy Kuththagaithaarar | Karuppusamy | Tamil | |
| Thee Nagar | Murugan | Tamil | ||
| rowspan="1"|2008 | Kathavarayan | Kathavarayan | Tamil | |
| rowspan="1"|2009 | Malayan | Malayan | Tamil | Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actor |
| rowspan="2"|2010 | Kanagavel Kaaka | Kanagavel | Tamil | |
| Irandu Mugam | Parthasarathy | Tamil | ||
| rowspan="1"|2011 | Thambi Vettothi Sundaram | Sundaram | Tamil | |
| 2013 | Kantha | Kantha | Tamil | |
| 2014 | Sooran | Sooran | Tamil | |
| 2016 | Uchathula Shiva | Shiva | Tamil |
==Television==
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|id=1093959|name=Karan}}
{{Tamil Nadu State Award for Best Actor}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Karan}}
Category:20th-century Indian male actors
Category:Male actors in Kannada cinema
Category:Male actors in Malayalam cinema
Category:Indian male film actors
Category:Kerala State Film Award winners
Category:Male actors from Tamil Nadu
Category:21st-century Indian male actors
Category:Tamil Nadu State Film Awards winners
Category:Male actors in Tamil cinema
Category:Indian male child actors
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