Vineeth Kumar (born on 11 November 1977) is an Indian actor, director and screenwriter known for his work in the Malayalam film industry. He has had a career spanning decades, transitioning from a child artist to an accomplished director.
He made his acting debut in 1988 as a child artist in the movie Padippura. The same year, he earned critical acclaim and the Kerala State Film Award for his performance in the epic historical drama Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha. Directed by Hariharan and written by M.T. Vasudevan Nair, this film featured him as the younger version of Mammootty's iconic character Chandu Chekavar.
He made his directorial debut with Ayal Njanalla (2015), a romantic comedy entertainer, starring Fahad Faasil.
Personal life Vineeth was born on 11 November 1977 to Karunan and Yamuna in Pazhayangadi, Kannur. He had his primary education from Koodali Higher Secondary School. After pre-degree from Government Brennen College, Thalassery, he pursued a BSc degree in Mathematics.
He started learning Bharatanatyam at the age of six and quickly became known for his talent. As a student, he won several dance prizes, including the top "Kalaprathibha" title at the Kerala School Kalolsavam in 1988.
He married Sandhya on 19 August 2010. They have two daughters, Maitreyi and Mathangi.
Film career As a child actor During his early years, Kumar played significant roles in several notable films, including Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha (1989), Bharatham (1991), Sargam (1992), Midhunam (1992), and Adwaitham (1993). These performances established him as a versatile child actor in Malayalam cinema.
After he transitioned into adult roles, Kumar gained recognition for his performances in films such as Devadoothan (2000), Kanmashi (2002), Sethurama Iyer CBI (2004), Aparichithan (2004), The Tiger (2005), Vegam (2014), and Simon Daniel (2022)
As director Vineeth Kumar ventured into direction with his debut film Ayal Njanalla (2015), starring Fahadh Faasil. He also wrote the screenplay for this film which explored themes of self-discovery and relationships.
His second directorial venture, Dear Friend (2022), starring Tovino Thomas in the lead, premiered in theaters on 10 June 2022. The film received widespread acclaim and was subsequently released on the Netflix OTT platform in July 2022, where it continued to garner positive reviews. The movie delved into the lives of a group of friends searching for their missing companion, who is later revealed to be a con artist. The film received praise for its engaging narrative and character development.
His latest movie was Pavi Caretaker (2024) starring Dileep.
Filmography + Film credits as an actor Year TitleRoleNotes1989 Oru Vadakkan VeeragathaYoung ChanduChild actor Mudra Padippura Anagha DasharathamJoseph1991 BharathamAppu Inspector BalramJithu1992 Sargam Adhwaytham1993 MithunamYoung Sethu1994 Vishnu1996 Azhakiya RavananSanthosh1997 Krishnagudiyil Oru PranayakalathuBalan2000 DevadoothanNikhil Maheshwar Thottam2001 Sharja to SharjaKannan2002 PranayamanithoovalBalagopal KanmashiVishnu2003 Melvilasom SeriyanuNandu Mazhanoolkkanavu2004 AparichithanChacko Sethurama Iyer CBIGanesh Kottaaram Vaidyan2005 The TigerKishore2006 Pulijanmam Baba KalyaniSanthosh2007 FlashArunkumar2008 Thirakkatha2010 Sufi Paranja KathaWriter2011 SevenesAravindan Ithu Nammude KathaMahesh2012 ChaptersArun Face2FaceAnwar2013 Oru Yathrayil2014 VegamSidharth2015 Oru Vadakkan SelfiehimselfCameo2016 Sahapadi 19752017 CarefulBijoy2018 Oru Kuttanadan BlogCameo2019 Krishnam2022 Simon DanielSimon Daniel2023HiguitaGoon 2024 Pavi Caretaker Abhishek Krishna Also Director Rifle Club Shahjahan 2026 Sambhavam Adhyayam Onnu +Short FilmsYearTitle2012The Spark2020Oru Nurungu Samsayam (The Little Riddle)
+ Film credits as director Year Title Notes 2015 Ayal Njanalla 2022 Dear Friend 2024 Pavi Caretaker
+ Television credits as judge Year Title Channel 2026-presentDance DhamakaFlowers TV
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