Kuladeivam Rajagopal

{{Infobox person

| name = Kuladeivam Rajagopal

| birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1931|04|22}}

| other_names = Chinna Kalaivanar

| birth_name = V. R. Rajagopal

| birth_place = Kandramanickam, Sivagangai, India

| death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|1995|10|30|1931|04|22}}

| nationality = Indian

| occupation = Film Actor, Stage Actor, Singer

| years_active = 1954–1995

| spouse = Gokilambigai

| children = 4

}}

V. R. Rajagopal, known professionally as Kuladeivam Rajagopal, was an Indian actor and comedian who worked predominantly in Tamil films and plays. He was popular in the 1950s and 1960s. Rajagopal made his film debut in Kaveri (1955). He acted in more than 200 films in five decades. Rajagopal got a title 'Chinna Kalaivanar' Madurai fans presented to him in 1961. He was an admirer of 'Kalaivanar' N. S. Krishnan.

Early career

Rajagopal was born in Kandramanickam, a small town in Sivagangai district. Father Veerasamy Naidu and Mother Deivani Ammal The Father Village Bhagavathar and Building Stackcher. He started acting in Terukkuttu from an early age and joined the Boys Theater Company in trichy at the age of 12. He joined the Kalamani Theater Company in Madurai at the age of 16. On a trip to Salem, Rajagopal met N. S. Krishnan, who became close to him. Rajagopal later joined Krishnan's theatrical company.{{Cite web|url=https://antrukandamugam.wordpress.com/2013/09/02/kuladeivam-v-r-rajagopal/|title=Kuladeivam V.R.Rajagopal|date=2013-09-02|website=Antru Kanda Mugam|language=en|access-date=2020-02-07}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.filmibeat.com/celebs/kuladeivaam-rajagopal-old-tamil-actor.html|title=All you want to know about #kuladeivaamRajagopal(OldTamilActor)|website=FilmiBeat|language=en|access-date=2020-02-07}}

Film career

Rajagopal made his film debut in Pudhu Vazhvu which was produced and directed by M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar. As the film was delayed, Rajagopal acted in the Nalla Kaalam movie directed by K.Vembu in 1954. In 1955, Rajagopal acted in Padmini Pictures's Mudhal Thethi and Krishna Pictures's Kaveri. In 1956, Rajagopal acted one of the four heroes in the film Kula Deivam. Rajagopal was named after the success of the film with the title of Kula Deivam. He left the film industry after starring in films in the late 1970s and early '80s.{{Cite web|url=https://www.hindutamil.in/news/supplements/hindu-talkies/12821-.html|title=அன்று வந்ததும் அதே நிலா: நான் கடைசி சீடன்|website=Hindu Tamil Thisai|language=en|access-date=2020-02-07}}

Death

Rajagopal died of cardiac arrest on 30 October 1995.{{citation needed|date=July 2020}} His sons Sampath and Selvam worked as a music composing duo.{{Cite news |date=28 November 1986 |title=Less violence, please |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=sYRlAAAAIBAJ&sjid=tZ4NAAAAIBAJ&pg=432%2C1138334 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240425112820/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=sYRlAAAAIBAJ&sjid=tZ4NAAAAIBAJ&pg=432%2C1138334 |archive-date=25 April 2024 |access-date=25 April 2024 |work=The Indian Express |pages=14 |via=Google News Archive}}