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 Annaamalai 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). 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.
Other work Karan made his advertisement debut in a 45-second Mahindra Duro advertisement with Bollywood actress Kareena Kapoor.
Personal life Karan's father died in 2014, aged 90.
Awards Kerala State Film Awards 1974 – Best Child Artist – Rajahamsam 1975 – Best Child Artist – Prayanam, Swami Ayyappan
Tamil Nadu State Film Awards 2009 -Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actor – Malayan
Filmography As child artist Note: Credited as Master Raghu. All films are in Malayalam, unless otherwise noted. Year Title Role Notes 1972 Achanum Bappayum Young Devadas Pulliman Punarjanmam Young Aravindan 1973 Thekkan Kattu Joy 1974 Rajahamsam Rajan Kerala State Film Award for Best Child Artist 1975 Prayanam Appu Kerala State Film Award for Best Child Artist Kannappanunni Ambu Swami Ayyappan Manikandan Kerala State Film Award for Best Child Artist Babumon Babu Mattoru Seetha Manishada Young Kareem Pravaham Chandru Ayodhya Gopi Kalyaanappanthal Chattambikkalyaani Young Vaasu Ashtamirohini Enga Pattan Sothu Murugan Tamil Film 1976 Panchami Chinnan Themmadi Velappan Young Velappan Ammini Ammaavan Agnipushpam Mallanum Mathevanum Chennaaya Valarthiya Kutty Aayiram Janmangal Young Rajan 1977 Sreemurukan Sridevi Aparaadhi Raju Anugraham Young Rajan Murugan Adimai Saravana Achaaram Ammini Osharam Omana Raghu Jagadguru Aadisankaran Young Aadisankaran Tholkan Enikku Manassilla Oonjaal Rajan Vezhambal 1978 Velluvili Pappan Raghuvamsham Kudumbam Namukku Sreekovil Reghu Avalude Ravukal Sudhakaran 1979 Choola Puthiya Velicham Kochu Govindan 1980 Avan Oru Ahankaari Chandrahasam Theenalangal Ramu
As actor
Films Year Film Role Language Notes1982 Ina Vinod Malayalam credited as Raghu, first lead role1983 Kuyiline Thedi Shyam Malayalam credited as Raghu1985 Idanilangal Malayalam Uncredited1987 January Oru Orma Appu Malayalam credited as Raghu1990 Chuvanna Kannukal Malayalam credited as RaghuKeli KottuMalayalamcredited as Raghu Mridula Anirudh Malayalam credited as Raghu1991 Neelagiri Malayalam credited as RaghuMahassar Suresh Malayalam credited as Raghu Theechatti Govindhan Henchman (uncredited role) Tamil 1992 Annaamalai Deepak, Ashok's son Tamil Apaaratha HariMalayalam 1994 Nammavar Ramesh Tamil First film credited as Karan1995 Thottil Kuzhandhai Murali Tamil Chandralekha Jamal Tamil 1996 Coimbatore Mappillai Mahesh Tamil Vaikarai Pookkal Shankar Tamil Kadhal Kottai Siva Tamil Gokulathil Seethai Mohan Tamil 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 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 1999 Unnaithedi Prakash Tamil Ullathai Killathe Col. Major Prakash Tamil Poovellam Kettuppar Director Tamil Sneha Vijay Kannada Minsara Kanna Ashok Tamil Maravathe Kanmaniye Marudhu Tamil Kannupada Poguthaiya Subramaniyam Tamil Manam Virumbuthe Unnai Chandru Tamil 2000 Thirunelveli Varadappan Tamil Rajakali Amman Seemadorai / Kannayiram Tamil Vallarasu Seshadri Tamil Koodi Vazhnthal Kodi Nanmai Sivaraman Tamil Ilayavan Tamil Budget Padmanabhan Abishek Tamil 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 2002 Alli Arjuna Kishore Tamil Sri Bannari Amman Vaanamaalai Tamil 2003 Nee Varum Paathaiyellam Tamil 2004 Arasatchi Prakash Tamil Isra Mukthi Muhammed Isra/Aravindan Malayalam Dubbed and released in Tamil as Kombu2006 Kokki Kokki Tamil 2007 Karuppusamy Kuththagaithaarar Karuppusamy Tamil Thee Nagar Murugan Tamil 2008 Kathavarayan Kathavarayan Tamil 2009 Malayan Malayan Tamil Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actor2010 Kanagavel Kaaka Kanagavel Tamil Irandu Mugam Parthasarathy Tamil 2011 Thambi Vettothi Sundaram Sundaram Tamil 2013 Kantha Kantha Tamil 2014 Sooran Sooran Tamil 2016 Uchathula Shiva Shiva Tamil
Television Year serials Role Language Notes1995 Balachander in Chinnathirai - Mutham Tamil 1995Balachander in Chinnathirai - Oppanai Tamil
References
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