Karunakaran (actor)


Karunakaran Kalidasan Pillai is a Tamil film actor, who has appeared in character or comedian roles. He made his breakthrough in Soodhu Kavvum portraying the role of Arumai Pragasam, before playing roles in Yaamirukka Bayamey and Jigarthanda.

Career

Karunakaran's father is a former RAW agent and he grew up in New Delhi, before moving to Trichy with his parents, where he met short film maker and friend Nalan Kumarasamy. He completed his secondary schooling at Sri Akilandeswari Vidyalaya, Trichy. He initially made a career as chemical engineer, graduating from SASTRA University, and then as an IT professional at Accenture, before Nalan approached him to feature in a short film he was making for the reality television show, Naalaya Iyakkunar. Karunakaran had featured in such short film ventures at school and Nalan had cast him in Nenjuku Neethi, which went on to win the first place award that season. Sundar C gave him brief roles in two of his ventures, while he made his first breakthrough portraying Vijay Sethupathi's friend in Karthik Subbaraj's Pizza, after which he left work and concentrated on a career in films.
Nalan subsequently cast him in his feature film debut Soodhu Kavvum, for which Karunakaran won rave reviews. His appearance in the "Kasu Panam Thuttu" song also was well received and prompted several further offers for the actor. His performance in Yaamirukka Bayamey was appreciated by critics. The Times of India wrote, "A large part of the credit should go to Karuna, who manages to make Sharath both ambivalent and funny", while Sify wrote that he was "a scream" and The Hindu called it an "exceptional performance"..

Filmography

YearFilmRoleNotes
2012KalakalappuKumar
2012PizzaRaghavan
2012Maalai Pozhudhin MayakathilaeyDevendran
2013Soodhu KavvumArumai PragasamNominated, Vijay Award for Best Supporting Actor
2013Theeya Velai Seiyyanum KumaruHimselfAlso writer
2014Yaamirukka BayameySharathNominated, Vijay Award for Best Comedian
2014JigarthandaOorni
2014Aindhaam Thalaimurai Sidha Vaidhiya SigamaniPaalpaandi
2014Aadama JaichomadaCall Taxi Panneer
2014YaanShaji
2014LingaaKothandam
2014KappalKanagasabhapathi
2015MahabalipuramKumar
2015NanbendaThangadurai
2015Inimey Ippadithan
2015Indru Netru NaalaiPulivetti Arumugam
2015Vasuvum Saravananum Onna PadichavangaGautham
2015Uppu KaruvaaduChandran
2016GethuKanagu
2016Navarasa ThilagamAlangaram
2016KanithanBalaji
2016Hello Naan Pei PesurenDr. Saravanan
2016Ko 2Kumaran
2016IraiviRamesh
2016Oru Naal KoothuRaghavendran
2016Jackson DuraiVeera
2016Iru MuganPeter
2016ThodariVairam
2016Parandhu Sella VaaArun
2017Enakku Vaaitha AdimaigalRamesh
2017Adhagappattathu Magajanangalay
2017ThiriJeeva's Friend
2017VivegamArumai Prakasam aka "APS"
2017Hara Hara MahadevakiKumaru
2018Vidhi Madhi UltaaRajamani
2018NimirVigadakavi
2018VeeraPachamuthu
2018Iruttu Araiyil Murattu KuththuGirish Kalyan
2018Semma Botha AagatheyNandhu
2018GhajinikanthKaruna
2018NOTARocky
2018Kadikara ManithargalShiva
2018LakshmiAzhagu
2018RatsasanKarunaGuest appearance
2018SeethakaathiAdvocate
2018Silukkuvarupatti SingamBhaskar
2019Podhu Nalan KarudhiPoovarasan
2019KalavuGauthamdirect-to-video
2019MonsterRavi
2019JiiviMani
2019RK NagarCameo Appearance