V. S. Raghavan (18 February 1925 – 24 January 2015) was an Indian actor, who acted both in Tamil films as well as television. He started his career as a dramatist and stage actor and went on to act as a character actor in films, starting with Vairamali (1954) and over 1000 films in all. He also acted in numerous television series.Memories of Madras: The golden age of theatre The Hindu, 8 December 2010. He died on 24 January 2015.
Early life and education Born in Vembakkam village, near Singaperumal Koil near Chengleput, where he spent early part of his childhood, later for three years he lived in Mylapore neighbourhood of Chennai, and studied at the P S High School. Subsequently, he studied at St Columbus Higher Secondary School, Chengalpattu, followed by two years in Madras Christian College, Chennai. However, as he finished his school the death of his father prompted his mother to shift from native village to move to Vellala Street in Purasawalkam, Chennai where his elder sister lived.
Career V S Raghavan started his career in 1942, as a sub-editor for Malathi magazine run by humourist Thumilan (N Ramaswamy), and after it closed he joined a printing press. At the press a group of fellow employees used to do amateur stage plays, which led him to act in some plays including some Hindi plays. Earlier, he had acted in YMIA Fine Arts' theatre group's play Vairamalai, written by Thottakara Viswanathan, staged at the YMCA, and when the production adapted the stage play into a film, he played the same role in it, thus made his film début in 1954. In the same year, he made his debut as a dramatist and started the Indian National Artists (INA) with four other friends like Malli, Vadiraj, Nataraj and K Balachander. The INA staged plays at reputed Sabhas in Chennai.
Veteran director K Balachander who has won several accolades for memorable films was part of his troupe where he acted and wrote scripts. The INA closed down a decade later and Raghavan entered the cinema world and acted in supporting roles. He has acted in around 1000 films and has also featured in many MGR films. He is also very well known for his role in the TV serial Anni created by K Balachander.
Partial filmography
As actor Year Title Role Notes1954Vaira Malai 1955Kalyanam Seydhukko 1956Kaalam Maari Pochu 1959Manaiviye Manithanin Manickam 1962Kaathirundha KangalDr. NairNenjil Or AalayamSeetha's fatherSumaithaangiRathnavelVanambadiSomasundaram1964Kalai Kovil BommaiJagadishKadhalikka NeramillaiSachidanandamKarnanVidurar1965Nadu IravilJambulingam1966Chitthi RamuDoctorMadras to Pondicherry Thanikasalam Gowri KalyanamVedhagiri1967Pesum DheivamDoctorAnubavam Pudhumai Ethirigal JakkirathaiDinathayalanKadhalithal PodhumaSomasundaramNenjirukkum VaraiNatarajanNinaivil NindravalUmapathiPattanathil BhoothamSabapathy1968 Kallum Kaniyagum Panama Pasama Shankar's fatherBommalattam Dr. Dhamodharan Neelagiri ExpressSabapathy Oli VilakkuCommissionerGalatta KalyanamMasilamaniLakshmi KalyanamRajankamMachan Uyarndha ManidhanMuruganEthir Neechal 1969Iru Kodugal Janaki's fatherAayiram PoiKanagasabai1970EthiroliPublic ProsecutorPenn Deivam Mudhalvar Mahatma Vilaiyaattu PillaiMaragatham's fatherEngal Thangam MaanavanCollege principal Balan 1971Savaale SamaliAyyakannuUyir Naangu Suvargal Punnagai ArunodhayamViswanathanAvalukendru Or ManamSathyamoorthyMoondru Dheivangalretired police officerIru ThuruvamJailerNootrukku NooruDavid1972Needhikku ThalaivananguRajasekaranRaman Thediya SeethaiKarmeghanSange MuzhanguDhayalanKanna NalamaLawyerVazhaiyadi Vazhai Nawab NaarkaliRaajaveluKurathi Magan Raja Dharmalingam Boopathy 1973Deivamsam1974UrimaikuralSabapathyEn MaganD.I.G. RamnathGumasthavin MagalRamaswamiSirithu Vazha VendumDe SelvaAthaiya MamiyaSachinthandhamSivagamiyin SelvanKavitha's father1975Ellorum Nallavare Pallandu VazhgaDharmarajNinaithadhai MudippavanRanjith's father Guest AppearanceIdhayakkaniJudgeNaalai NamadheSharma1976DasavatharamGuru SukracharyaMayor Meenakshi Needhikku ThalaivananguRajasekaranUzhaikkum KarangalSendhil Nadhan1977Sri Krishna LeelaUgrasenan1978Madhuraiyai Meetta SundharapandiyanMinisterVaruvan VadivelanUma's FatherVaazhkai Alaigal Aayiram JenmangalRavi's father1979KalyanaramanChinnaduraiAzhage Unnai Aarathikkiren Gnana KuzhandhaiSivapada Hrudiyar1980Devi Dharisanam Rishi Moolam Guest AppearanceSavithiri 1981Sathya Sundharam Bala NagammaKarunakaranKalthoon 1982Sangili Thyagi Hitler Umanath Guest AppearanceKrodham Deviyin Thiruvilaiyadal 1983 Villiyanur Matha 1984Rusi Simma Soppanam Thambikku Entha OoruChandrasekharKai Kodukkum KaiKaalimuthu's brother1985Nalla ThambiRaghavanSanthosha KanavukalKalyani's fatherNavagraha Nayagi Padikkadha Pannaiyar Poi Mugangal Naan Sigappu ManithanJudge VishwanathanSri RaghavendrarSrinivasacharya DevoteeNaam IruvarSomasundaram1986Naanum Oru ThozhilaliRammohan1987VeerapandiyanDharmalingam1988Unnal Mudiyum Thambi 1989Sattathin Marupakkam 1990Avasara Police 100Chitra's father1992Idhuthanda SattamVenugopal2000Hey RamK. T. Chari2001Love ChannelArumugamPoovellam Un VasamChinnasamy2004Kamaraj 2006Imsai Arasan 23m PulikesiPalace Astrologer2008Thodakkam Arai Enn 305-il Kadavul Cameo2009KudiyarasuRaghavan2010Irumbu Kottai Murattu SingamOld man in Jaishankar PuramCameoKola Kolaya MundhirikaMasilamaniMagizhchiThiravi's granduncleTamizh PadamJudgeNagaram MarupakkamSeth2012Nuvvekkadunte NenakkaduntaHari's grandfatherTelugu filmKalakalappuMaya's GrandfatherMudhalvar Mahatma Saguni Kamalakannan's Grandfather2013All in All Azhagu RajaSathyamoorthyAnna Nee En Deivam Idharkuthane Aasaipattai Balakumara Special appearance in the song "Prayer Song"2014Oru Kanniyum Moonu Kalavaanikalum 2015Indru Netru NaalaiVictim2018Kaathadi
TV serials Year Title Channel Role Notes2003Anni Jaya TVRamanathan's father2006Penn Sun TV Ranganayaki's father2008Rekha IPSKalaignar TV 2012Bhairavi Aavigalukku PriyamanavalSun TV Guest AppearanceEpisode 3ValliSwaminathan Subbu's grandfatherEpisode 16–449
Short films Alaivarisai (2013)
References
External links