Murali Siddalingaiah (19 May 1964 – 8 September 2010), known professionally as Murali, was an Indian actor who worked predominantly in Tamil cinema, where he was known as Puratchi Nayagan. He has mainly acted in Tamil films as well as few Kannada films. He was famous for roles that portrayed him as a perceptive singer or a tragic lover. His son, Atharvaa, debuted as an actor in the 2010 film Baana Kaathadi.

Early life Murali Siddalingaiah was born on 19 May 1964 in Madras to a Tamil mother and Kannadiga father. Murali had two siblings; a younger brother Suresh (who worked as a child actor) and a sister Santhi. He lived and studied up to his 5th Standard in Chennai, and from 6th Standard to 10th Standard he studied in Bangalore. When he was 14 years old, he joined as an assistant director to his father, film director and writer S. Siddalingaiah. For some time, he worked as an editing assistant.

Career Murali started his acting career as a lead with the Kannada film Prema Parva (1983) directed by his father; however, Geluvina Hejje (1982) directed by Eranki Sharma was released first. Bili Gulabi, Ajeya, Prema Gange, Thayikotta Thali, Sambhavami Yuge Yuge, and Ajay Vijay are the Kannada films he did; however, he only gained fame after entering into Tamil film industry through the film Poovilangu (1984). He earned a good name with that film. He then acted in Pagal Nilavu, along with actress Revathi and directed by Mani Ratnam who made his directorial debut in Tamil cinema. Though this film garnered Murali great recognition, he could not sustain his success much longer. His films started failing at the box-office one after another and during that period, he even acted in double hero subjects : Vanna Kanavugal (1987) with Karthik, Thangamani Rangamani (1989) with S. Ve. Shekher and Ninaivu Chinnam (1989) with Prabhu.

In 1990, he starred in Vikraman's Pudhu Vasantham along with Sithara and Anand Babu, where he plays one amongst four friends who find themselves unexpectedly saddled with a young woman. The film was successful and set off a trend of "friendship" based movies and also propelled his career. In 1991, he acted in Idhayam, where he portrayed the soft hero who was incapable of expressing his love due to his inferiority complex. Soon, Murali found himself playing in rural drama films: Chinna Pasanga Naanga (1992), Manikuyil (1993), Manju Virattu (1994), Adharmam (1994), En Aasai Machan (1994) and Poomani (1996).

In 1997, he acted in three films including the romantic-drama Kaalamellam Kadhal Vaazhga and the rural drama Porkkaalam directed by Cheran. The two films received critical acclaim and were blockbusters at the box-office. The next year, he acted in eight films including the long-delayed Veera Thalattu, the romantic-drama films, Kaadhale Nimmadhi, Poonthottam, Unnudan, the village drama films Rathna and En Aasai Rasave. The six films flopped at the box office. Dhinamdhorum was an average grosser while the much-hyped Desiya Geetham, despite positive reviews, bombed at the box office. In 1999, his flop streak continued with Ooty, the fictional biography Iraniyan, based on the life of the freedom fighter Vattakudi Iraniyan and Kanave Kalaiyadhe becoming box office failures.

In 2000, he acted in Vetri Kodi Kattu alongside Parthiban. The movie was a success at the box-office enabling Cheran to develop his own style of film-making. The film also won critical acclaim as well winning a State Award and a National Award in the process. Followed by drama movies, Kannukku Kannaga and Manu Needhi. In 2001, he appeared in five films. He plays in multi-starrers including Sonnal Thaan Kathala, Aanandham, Samudhiram, Alli Thandha Vaanam and Kadal Pookkal. Murali received the Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actor for this film. In 2002, the drama, Kamarasu, the comedy, Sundhara Travels as well as the family film, Namma Veetu Kalyanam was released. The next is Kadhaludan (2003), produced by Devayani and directed by her husband Rajakumaran.

In the early 2000s, Murali lost his appeal at the box office and several of his films, where he collaborated with new directors, subsequently became delayed or shelved. This included project such as Pandian's Kalvettu, Olichandran's Oli, Ramanan's Entrum Sugamae, Abhimanyu's Thala, Paattu Chatham Ketkuthamma and Lovers.

In 2006, he starred in the film, Pasa Kiligal alongside Prabhu, written by M. Karunanidhi. Murali was last seen in a cameo role in Baana Kaathadi (2010), in which his son Atharvaa made his film debut as an actor. His 100th film was the unreleased Kavasam, after which he died at the age of 46 due to cardiac arrest.

Death Murali died in the early hours of 8 September 2010 from a sudden massive heart attack in Chennai. His death was a big shock to the Tamil film industry and all his fans alike, even to this day. He was 46.

Filmography Tamil films Year Film RoleNotes1984 Poovilangu Pandiyan Remake of Prema Parva Ingeyum Oru Gangai Kathamuthu Pudhiavan Manohar / Kishore 1985Elan Kandru Velan Pagal Nilavu Selvam Geethanjali James Anthasthu Murali 1986 Puthir Vijay / Azhagu Tamil version of Ajeya Oru Malarin Payanam Moorthy Kaalamellaam Unn Madiyil Murali Mannukkul Vairam Mayilsamy 1987 Kudumbam Oru Koyill Raja Valayal Satham Sundar Vanna Kanavugal Moorthy Aval Mella Sirithal Murali Meendum Mahaan Murali Puyal Paadum Paattu Student leader Thulasi Sivalingam 1989 Thangamani Rangamani Rangamani Ninaivu Chinnam Muttikaal "Muthu" Raj Kai Veesamma Kai Veesu Balu Dharma Devan Arun 1990 Paalam Jeeva Pudhu Vasantham Balu Vetri Malai Bhaskar Chilambu Marudhu Naanum Indha Ooruthan Muthu Nangal Puthiyavargal Gowri Sirayil Sila Raagangal Vijay Pudhiya Kaatru Jeeva Namma Ooru Poovatha Ponarasu Got title 'Puratchi Nayagan'1991 Sami Potta Mudichu Kathirvelan Iravu Sooriyan Vijay Idhayam Raja Nominated, Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Tamil Kurumbukkaran Muthurajah 1992 Thanga Manasukkaran Murugesh (Murugan) Thangarasu Thangarasu Chinna Pasanga Naanga Muthukaalai Thaali Kattiya Raasa Pandiyan Endrum Anbudan Thyagu 1993 Manikuyil Muthuvelu Thangakkili Moorthy 1994 Adharmam Arjuna En Aasai Machan Subramani Sathyavan Diwakar Manju Virattu Pandian 1995 Thondan Jeeva Also singer for song "Nattu Nadu Center" Aakaya Pookal Siva 1996 Poove Unakkaga Murali Special appearance in song "Machini Vara Neram" Poomani Poomani 1997 Kaalamellam Kadhal Vaazhga Jeeva Porkkalam Manikkam Roja Malare Kannan 1998 Kaadhale Nimmadhi Mohan Dhinamdhorum Aadhi Veera Thalattu Pandian Rathna Rathna / Muthuvel Poonthottam Moorthy En Aasai Rasave Muthumani Unnudan Santhosh Desiya Geetham Pandian 1999 Poo Vaasam Kanna Kanave Kalaiyadhe Anand Ooty Balakumar Iraniyan Iraniyan 2000 Vetri Kodi Kattu Sekhar Kannukku Kannaga Dharma Manu Needhi Chinnakannu 2001 Sonnal Thaan Kathala Murali Aanandham Madhavan Samuthiram Thangarasu Alli Thandha Vaanam Madhavan Guest appearance Kadal Pookkal Karuthayya Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actor2002 Kamarasu Kamarasu Sundhara Travels Gopikrishnan Namma Veetu Kalyanam Ravi 2003 Kadhaludan Kalyan 2004 Arivumani Arivumani 2006 Pasa Kiligal Sevathayya 2009 Enga Raasi Nalla Raasi Vijay Nee Unnai Arindhaal Gopal 2010 Baana Kaathadi 'Idhayam' Raja Guest appearance

Kannada films Year Film RoleNotes 1980 Biligiriya Banadalli Lakshmana Child actor1982 Geluvina Hejje Manchu 1983 Prema Parva Sadhguru 1984 Bili Gulabi Suresh 1985 Ajeya Ajey Also producer 1986 Prema Gange Krishna Remake of Ingeyum Oru Gangai 1987 Thayi Kotta Thaali Sevu 1988 Sambhavami Yuge Yuge 1989 Padma Vyuha Kiran 1990 Ajay Vijay Ajay Partially re-shot in Tamil as Puthiya Natchathiram

Shelved films Year Film LanguageNotesRef 1988 Chithiram Pesuthadi Tamil 1989 Nal Valthukkal 1992 Santharppam Sooriya Namaskaaram 1995 Karutha Machan 1997 Contractor Mappillai Irulum Oliyum 1998 Vaazhthukkal Kaadhal Chinnam 2000 Oli 2010 Kavasam 100th Film

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