Karan (born 19 August 1967) is an Indian former actor who appeared predominantly in Tamil and Malayalam films. He started his career as a child actor (under the stage name Master Raghu). In the 1990s he started to act in leading and villain roles. In the mid-2000s, after a sabbatical, Karan chose to prioritise appearing in films where he would portray the lead role following the relative success of Kokki (2006).

Karan
Born (1967-08-19) 19 August 1967 (age 57)
Other namesShashi Karan, Master Raghu
OccupationActor
Years active1972–1983 (Child artist)
1989–2016 (Lead actor)

Career

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Karan started his career as child artist under the name Master Raghu for more than 70 films in Malayalam and Tamil. In 1992, he made his Tamil debut as an adult in Annamalai starring alongside Rajinikanth in an uncredited role, before making a breakthrough with his performance as a rogue college student in Nammavar alongside Kamal Haasan.

In 2004, Karan became a solo hero with the Malayalam film Isra and continued with films like Kokki, Karuppusamy Kuththagaithaarar and Kathavarayan.[1] His recent films are Sooran (2014) and Uchathula Shiva (2016).

In 2018, a clip from his film Coimbatore Mappillai went viral online, prompting internet users to associate the word "Shroov" with the actor.[2][3]

Other work

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Karan made his advertisement debut in a 45-second Mahindra Duro advertisement with Bollywood actress Kareena Kapoor.[4][5]

Personal life

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Karan's father died in 2014, aged 90.[6]

Awards

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Kerala State Film Awards
Tamil Nadu State Film Awards

Filmography

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As child artist: Credited as Master Raghu

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Year Title Role Notes
1972 Achanum Bappayum Young Devadas
Pulliman
Punarjanmam Young Aravindan
1973 Thekkan Kattu Joy
1974 Rajahamsam Rajan Kerala State Film Award for Best Child Artist
1975 Prayanam Appu Kerala State Film Award for Best Child Artist
Kannappanunni Ambu
Swami Ayyappan Manikandan Kerala State Film Award for Best Child Artist
Babumon Babu
Mattoru Seetha
Manishada Young Kareem
Pravaham Chandru
Ayodhya Gopi
Kalyaanappanthal
Chattambikkalyaani Young Vaasu
Ashtamirohini
Enga Pattan Sothu Murugan Tamil
1976 Panchami Chinnan
Themmadi Velappan Young Velappan
Ammini Ammaavan
Agnipushpam
Mallanum Mathevanum
Chennaaya Valarthiya Kutty
Aayiram Janmangal Young Rajan
1977 Sreemurukan
Sridevi
Aparaadhi Raju
Anugraham Young Rajan
Murugan Adimai Saravana
Achaaram Ammini Osharam Omana Raghu
Jagadguru Aadisankaran Young Aadisankaran
Tholkan Enikku Manassilla
Oonjaal Rajan
Vezhambal
1978 Velluvili Pappan
Raghuvamsham
Kudumbam Namukku Sreekovil Reghu
Avalude Ravukal Sudhakaran
1979 Choola
Puthiya Velicham Kochu Govindan
1980 Avan Oru Ahankaari
Chandrahasam
Theenalangal Ramu

As actor

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Films

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Year Film Role Language Notes
1982 Ina Vinod Malayalam credited as Raghu, first lead role
1983 Kuyiline Thedi Shyam Malayalam credited as Raghu
1985 Idanilangal Malayalam Uncredited
1987 January Oru Orma Appu Malayalam credited as Raghu
1990 Chuvanna Kannukal Malayalam credited as Raghu
1990 Mridula Anirudh Malayalam credited as Raghu
1991 Neelagiri Malayalam credited as Raghu
Mahassar Suresh Malayalam credited as Raghu
Theechatti Govindhan Henchman (uncredited role) Tamil
1992 Annamalai Deepak, Ashok's son Tamil
Apaaratha Hari Malayalam
1994 Nammavar Ramesh Tamil First film credited as Karan
1995 Thottil Kuzhandhai Murali Tamil
Chandralekha Jamal Tamil
1996 Coimbatore Mappillai Mahesh Tamil
Vaikarai Pookkal Shankar Tamil
Kadhal Kottai Siva Tamil
Gokulathil Seethai Mohan Tamil
1997 Kaalamellam Kaathiruppen Raja Tamil
Kaalamellam Kadhal Vaazhga Prakash Tamil
Love Today Peter Tamil
Kaadhali Tamil
Raman Abdullah Abdullah Tamil
Nerukku Ner Muthukumaraswamy Tamil
Kaduva Thomas Malayalam
1998 Suswagatham Peter Telugu
Ponmanam Kumar Tamil
Kangalin Vaarthaigal Tamil
Kaadhal Mannan Ranjan Tamil
Color Kanavugal Bharani Tamil
Thulli Thirintha Kalam Raghu Tamil
Sollamale Vikram Tamil
Kannedhirey Thondrinal Shankar Tamil
Kannathal Chinna Durai Tamil
Kaadhal Kavidhai Tamil
1999 Unnaithedi Prakash Tamil
Ullathai Killathe Col. Major Prakash Tamil
Poovellam Kettuppar Director Tamil
Sneha Vijay Kannada
Minsara Kanna Ashok Tamil
Maravathe Kanmaniye Tamil
Kannupada Poguthaiya Subramaniyam Tamil
Manam Virumbuthe Unnai Chandru Tamil
2000 Thirunelveli Varadappan Tamil
Rajakali Amman Seemadorai/Kannayiram Tamil
Vallarasu Seshadri Tamil
Koodi Vazhnthal Kodi Nanmai Sivaraman Tamil
Ilayavan Tamil
Budget Padmanabhan Abishek Tamil
2001 Nageswari Easwar Tamil
Engalukkum Kaalam Varum Ramesh Tamil
Paarvai Ondre Pothume Manoj Tamil
Sonnal Thaan Kathala Inspector Inbaraj Tamil
Kunguma Pottu Gounder Siva Tamil
Kabadi Kabadi Sivaprakash Tamil
Hoo Anthiya Uhoo Anthiya Karan Kannada
Kottai Mariamman Eashwar Tamil
2002 Alli Arjuna Kishore Tamil
Sri Bannari Amman Vaanamaalai Tamil
2003 Nee Varum Paathaiyellam Tamil
2004 Arasatchi Prakash Tamil
Isra Mukthi Muhammed Isra/Aravindan Malayalam Dubbed and released in Tamil as Kombu
2006 Kokki Kokki Tamil
2007 Karuppusamy Kuththagaithaarar Karuppusamy Tamil
Thee Nagar Murugan Tamil
2008 Kathavarayan Kathavarayan Tamil
2009 Malayan Malayan Tamil Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actor
2010 Kanagavel Kaaka Kanagavel Tamil
Irandu Mugam Parthasarathy Tamil
2011 Thambi Vettothi Sundaram Sundaram Tamil
2013 Kantha Kantha Tamil
2014 Sooran Sooran Tamil
2016 Uchathula Shiva Shiva Tamil

Television

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Year serials Role Language Notes
1995 Balachander in Chinnathirai - Mutham Tamil [7]
1995 Balachander in Chinnathirai - Oppanai Tamil [8]

References

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  1. ^ "Behindwoods : Karan & Vindhya come together". Archived from the original on 1 November 2023. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
  2. ^ "Something like 'Shroov' now trending really shows power of cinema: Karan". The New Indian Express. 9 October 2018. Archived from the original on 8 September 2019. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  3. ^ "Wherever I go, people say, Shroov, Shroov". The Hindu. 4 October 2018. Archived from the original on 4 October 2018. Retrieved 8 April 2020 – via www.thehindu.com.
  4. ^ "Kareena Kapoor has no ego hassles: Karan". The Times of India. 14 January 2012. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 8 February 2013.
  5. ^ "Why South Indian characters are replacing Punjabi Mundas in ads". The Economic Times. Archived from the original on 22 September 2018. Retrieved 19 May 2017.
  6. ^ Selvaraj, A (17 December 2014). "Decomposed body of Tamil film actor Karan's father recovered in Chennai". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 25 September 2022. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
  7. ^ "Mutham | Balachandarin Chinnathirai | Kavithalayaa - YouTube". YouTube. Archived from the original on 10 April 2022. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
  8. ^ "Oppanai | Episode-01 | Balachandarin Chinnathirai | Kavithalayaa - YouTube". YouTube. Archived from the original on 10 April 2022. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
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