Karthik (actor)

Early life and background

Karthik was born as Murali Karthikeyan Muthuraman on 13 September 1960 in Ooty to veteran actor R. Muthuraman and Sulochana. He has two sons, Gautham and Ghayn, from his first marriage with Ragini, and another son, Thiran, from his second marriage with Rathi.

Film career

Debut and success (1981–1986)

Karthik was first introduced in cinema by Bharathiraja in the Tamil film Alaigal Oivathillai (1981). Bharathiraja gave him the stage name, Karthik. He received the Best New Face Award from the Tamil Nadu Government in 1981. He starred in the Telugu version of the film Seethakoka Chilaka that same year under the stage name Murali. He collaborated with leading film directors such as Mani Ratnam, Bharathiraja, Visu, R. Sundarrajan, Ameerjan, R. V. Udayakumar, Priyadarshan, Fazil, Vikraman, Agathiyan, Sundar C, K. S. Ravikumar, P. Vasu and K. V. Anand.

During the earlier stages of his career, Karthik worked three times with R. V. Udaya Kumar. Later, he formed a partnership with Goundamani in many comedy films. He was also well received by the Tamil audience for his performance in Nallavanukku Nallavan (1984) in a role against Rajinikanth. During the early to mid '80s he did many films of which Bhagavathipuram Railway Gate (1983), Pei Veedu (1984) and Raja Thanthiram (1984) were typical low budget masala films and failed to make a mark. His onscreen pairing with Radha was appreciated in the early '80s. He garnered acclaim for his role in the Telugu thriller Anveshana by Vamsy and his cameo in Mouna Ragam (1986) was well received by the audience.

Golden years (1987–1991)

Post his rivetting performance in Mani Ratnam's, 1986 classic Mouna Ragam Karthik, acted in numerous performance-oriented films. To begin with Vanna Kanavugal (1987) was a super hit and marked beginnings of Karthik as an amazing performance artist . He captured the soul of the audience with his subtle yet powerful acting style. He collaborated with several leading directors since 1987 and gave several successful films. He acted in the Telugu film Abhinandana (1988) for which he won the Nandi Special Jury Award. He pursued strong performance-oriented characters in commercial successes like Agni Natchathiram (1988), Varusham Padhinaaru (1989), Idhaya Thamarai (1990), Kizhakku Vaasal (1990) and culminated with the black comedy Gopura Vasalile (1991).

Ups and downs (1992–1995)

This was period when Karthik took considerable risks in choosing scripts. Amaran (1992) was an action film where Karthik plays an orphan who eventually becomes a don. When it released, it performed below expectations; however, the song sung by Karthik became a huge rage: 'Vethala Potta Sokkula', one of the super hit songs that Adithyan tuned was sung in his signature style very similar to his dialogue delivery. The song is a 'love at first sight' kind and its simplicity and very hummable lyrics is what endeared it to many when it was first released. Nadodi Thendral (1992) was a period film helmed by Bharathiraja. Ponnumani (1993) was a village-based melodrama, which was a super hit at the box office and fetched Karthik his fourth Filmfare award. Karthik also spent a considerable amount of time shooting for a Telugu film co-starring Vijayashanti in Maga Rayudu (1994). This period also witnessed films like Marumagan (1995), Chakravarthy (1995), Nandhavana Theru (1995) and an average success Thotta Chinungi (1995).

Breakout and consolidation years (1996–1999)

In 1996, Karthik acted in Kizhakku Mugam. In the same year, he acted in his biggest commercial success: the full-length comedy Sundar C's Ullathai Allitha, alongside Rambha and Goundamani. Due to the success, he collaborated with the director again in another profitable venture, Mettukudi. He went on to win critical acclaim for his role in Gokulathil Seethai. The film went on to win the Tamil Nadu State Film award for showcasing women in good light, crediting actors for their empathetic performance. Karthik may not have won an award for his performance, but his ability to play a drunk, ruthless playboy and with relative ease segueing in to a role that respects women. He appeared in K. S. Ravikumar's Pistha (1997), which also received good reviews. Karthik carried on his good streak at the box office in 1998, while also winning accolades for his performances in Vikraman's Unnidathil Ennai Koduthen (1998) (100th film), Cheyyar Ravi's Harichandra (1998) and Selva's Pooveli (1998), and won a Tamil Nadu State Award for Best Actor for both Pooveli and Unnidathil Ennai Koduthen In 1999, he appeared in drama films like Chinna Raja, Nilave Mugam Kaattu, Anandha Poongatre, Suyamvaram and Rojavanam. He acted in medium-budget comedy films, notably in four further Sundar C ventures including the successful blockbuster film, Unakkaga Ellam Unakkaga (1999). His pairing with Rambha was a hit with the audience as the pair provided good hits in the late 1990s.

Downfall begins (2000–2001)

During the early 2000s, Karthik experienced a difficult period as he began to lose his popularity at the box office and new actors began to emerge in the Tamil film industry. H. Many family films came but nothing different were noticed or not one performance was talked about. Such films include Thai Poranthachu (2000), Sandhitha Velai (2000), Kannan Varuvaan (2000), Kuberan (2000) and Seenu (2000). Films including Prabhu Nepal's Kadhale Swasam alongside Meena, Sundar C's Kadhal Solla Vandhen with Isha Koppikar and Gowri Manohar's Kashmir with Priyanka Trivedi had audio release events but failed to have a theatrical release. Likewise, other ventures including Mahesh's Manathil alongside Kausalya, Soundarrajan's Click co-starring Prabhu, and Selva's Kai Korthu Vaa progressed before being halted. Similarly, other projects in the early 2000s, such as Gurudeva with Rimjim, Muthalaam Santhippil with Kausalya again and Enrum Unnai Naesippaen were dropped soon after filming had begun. Potential home productions such as Tension and Avan Appadithaan under his banner Aalamara Films also did not materialise. In 2001, his films were Ullam Kollai Poguthae, Lovely and Azhagana Naatkal.

Years in wilderness (2002–2007)

He starred in an action film, Devan with Vijayakanth and Arun Pandian, followed by Game. During the nadir of 2002, Karthik was signed on by producer Keyaar to make a film titled Enna Peyar Veikalaam directed by Vincent Selva. Despite travelling to Pollachi for the shoot, the actor refused to emerge from his hotel room, and following an extended period of confusion, the film was called off and the Nadigar Sangam began legal proceedings against the actor. He acted in the crime film, Indru (2003). The film was a disaster.

Towards the nadir of 2005, he signed on to appear in a negative role in Sathyaraj's Sivalingam IPS, but the film was shelved. In 2004, Karthik suggested that "his acts and habits" had landed him in trouble and was looking to make a comeback. He subsequently appeared in "comeback" films such as Kusthi (2006) and Kalakkura Chandru (2007), both of which had delayed releases and went unnoticed at the box office. Other ventures that the actor described as "comeback projects", such as Kicha's Unnidathil and Raj Kapoor's Sivalingam IPS, were shelved mid-production. Later in 2006, he revealed that he had quit taking drugs and was keen to make another attempt at returning to the film industry.

Renewal (2010–2013)

Karthik opted to make a comeback into acting in 2010 and chose to appear in supporting rather than leading roles, much like his contemporaries Prabhu and Sathyaraj. He was first seen portraying a caring police officer in Maanja Velu, before winning positive reviews for his small role as a forest guard in Mani Ratnam's Raavanan. He subsequently went on to play roles in P. Vasu's Puli Vesham (2011) and the Telugu film Om 3D (2013), both of which failed at the box office.

Revival and comeback (2015–present)

He acted in as the main antagonist in K. V. Anand's Anegan, where he appears alongside Dhanush. He acted with Suriya in Thaanaa Serndha Koottam (2018), and his son Gautham Karthik in Mr. Chandramouli (2018). He made a guest appearance with actor Karthi in the film, Dev (2019). He played a supporting role as veteran actor with his same name, old movie posters, songs, background montages and movie scenes in the Prashanth starrer movie Andhagan in 2024 and got good acclaims for his performance.

Political career

Karthik entered politics ahead of the 2006 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election. He joined the All India Forward Bloc and was appointed as the Secretary of the Tamil Nadu state unit of the party. He led the party during its electoral campaign on 24 September 2006. He later launched his own party Ahila India Naadalum Makkal Katchi in 2009 before the Lok Sabha elections. He contested from Virudhunagar constituency and got only 15,000 votes. He started another party named Manitha Urimaigal Kaakkum Katchi on 15 December 2018 at Tirunelveli before the Lok Sabha elections and he voiced his support for AIADMK alliance.

2011 Assembly elections

Karthik's party tried an alliance with AIADMK for the 2011 Assembly elections, but AIADMK supremo denied tickets for his party. Karthik announced his party will contest alone in 25 to 40 constituencies after it was not allotted any seat in the AIADMK coalition. Karthik sat on a fast in Madurai demanding Madurai Airport be renamed as Pasumpon Thevar Airport. His party with sizeable Thevar votes in southern Tamil Nadu is believed to eat into the AIADMK votebank. In 2006, former AIADMK minister Nainar Nagendran lost by 2,000 votes in Tirunelveli, where Karthik's party polled more than the margin. Two weeks later, he split from AIADMK and announced his party will contest independently in 19 constituencies and support DMK in 213 constituencies.

Awards

;Filmfare Awards South

• 1988 – Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Tamil – Agni Natchathiram
• 1989 – Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Tamil – Varusham Padhinaaru
• 1990 – Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Tamil – Kizhakku Vasal
• 1993 – Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Tamil – Ponnumani

;Tamil Nadu State Film Awards

• 1981 – Best Male Debut Award – Alaigal Oivathillai
• 1988 – Special Prize for Best Actor – Agni Natchathiram
• 1990 – Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actor – Kizhakku Vasal
• 1998 – Special Prize for Best Actor – Pooveli and Unnidathil Ennai Koduthen

;Cinema Express Awards

• 1998 – Cinema Express Award for Best Actor – Tamil – Unnidathil Ennai Koduthen

;Nandi Awards

• 1988 – Nandi Special Jury Award – Abhinandana

Personal life

He married actress Ragini in 1989, his co-star in the film Solaikuyil and the couple has two sons, actor Gautham Karthik and Ghayn Karthik. He married her sister, Rathi, in 1992 and the couple has a son, Thiran Karthik.

Filmography

Tamil films

Telugu films

As singer

References

References

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