Mahendran (actor)

Indian film actor

Mahendran

Other names| Master Mahendran (former)
Occupation| Actor
Years active| 1994-present

Mahendran is an Indian actor who works in Tamil and Telugu language films. He started acting at the age of 3 and has appeared in over 100 films in six languages as a child actor, a record in India.[1][2] He is a recipient of two Nandi Awards and two Tamil Nadu State Film Awards.

In 2013 he played the lead in Vizha, which was his breakthrough as an adult actor.[3][4][5][6]

## Career

[edit]

Mahendran made his debut with K. S. Ravikumar's Nattamai (1994).[7] He twice won the Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Child Artist, for Thaikulame Thaikulame (1995) and Kumbakonam Gopalu (1998).[8] He also twice won the Nandi Award for Best Child Actor, for Devi (1999) and Little Hearts (2001).[9][10] He also appeared on the Sun TV dance show Masthana Masthana as a participant in 2009.[citation needed]

The actor made his breakthrough as a hero when he starred alongside Malavika Menon in Vizha (2013), directed by Barathi Balakumaran.[11][12]

The film is based on the award-winning short film Uthiri, and portrays the love story of Mahendran's character Sundaram, who plays the thappu instrument at funerals, and Rakkamma (Malavika), an oppari singer.[13] The film opened to positive reviews in December 2013.[14] His first Telugu film, First Love opposite Amrita Rao released on the same day, with a low key release.[15]

## Filmography

[edit]

* Note: all films are in Tamil, unless otherwise noted.

### Child artist

[edit]

List of Mahendran child artist film credits  Year  | Film  | Role  | Notes

|
|
|

1994 | Nattamai | Boy at panchayat | Uncredited[16]
1995 | Pedarayudu | Boy at panchayat | Telugu film
Thaikulame Thaikulame | Pandiyan's biological son and Janaki's adopted son | Won—Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Child Artist
Muthu | Tribal | Uncredited[17]
1996 | Mahaprabhu |  |
Parambarai | Young Paramasivan |
Coimbatore Mappillai | Sumithra's neighbor |
Senathipathi |  |
1997 | Vaimaye Vellum | Raja |
Mappillai Gounder | Young Subramani |
Pelli Chesukundam |  | Telugu film
Aahaa..! | Ajay |
1998 | Kondattam | Mahendran |
Thulli Thirintha Kaalam | Market worker |
Kaathala Kaathala | Orphan child |
Natpukkaga | Young Chinnaiyya |
En Uyir Nee Thaane | Rajasekhar's son |
Aahaa..! | Ajay | Telugu film
Kumbakonam Gopalu |  | Won—Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Child Artist
Sivappu Nila | Muthu Manikkam |
1999 | Suriya Paarvai | Vijay |
Devi | Young Dantra | Telugu film
Won—Nandi Award for Best Child Actor
Padayappa | guest at Anitha's wedding | Uncredited[18]
Poomagal Oorvalam | Saravanan |
Nee Varuvai Ena |  |
Minsara Kanna | Vetri |
Thirupathi Ezhumalai Venkatesa | Udayappa |
Paattali | Young Shanmugam |
2000 | Sudhandhiram |  |
Maayi | Young Maiyaandi |
Mugavaree | A child on the beach |
2001 | Ammayi Kosam | Tea supplier boy | Telugu film
Mohanayanangal | The Young Evil Monk | Malayalam film
Simharasi | Young Narasimharaju | Telugu film
Viswanathan Ramamoorthy | Mahendran |
Asokavanam | Rahul |
Little Hearts | Deva | Telugu film
Won—Nandi Award for Best Child Actor
2002 | Nee Sneham |  | Telugu film
2003 | Magic Magic 3D | Indrajeet's friend |
Simhadri | Young Simhadri | Telugu film
Aalukkoru Aasai | Saravanan |
2006 | Nenjirukkum Varai |  |

### Adult actor

[edit]

Key  †  | Denotes films that have not yet been released

|

List of Mahendran adult film credits  Year  | Film  | Role  | Notes

|
|
|

2010 | Jaggubhai | Mohan |
Mudhal Kadhal Mazhai | Aanjaneyar Kumar |
2013 | Vizha | Sundaram | [19]
2014 | First Love |  | Telugu film
Endrume Anandham | Subbu |
2015 | Vindhai | Karthi |
Viraivil Isai | Susi |
2017 | Thittivasal | Muthu |
2018 | Naadodi Kanavu | Marudhu |
2020 | Asalu Em Jarigindhante | Vaasu | Telugu film
2021 | Master | Young Bhavani |
Chidambaram Railway Gate | Velu |
Namma Oorukku Ennadhan Achu | Nalla Thambi |
2022  | Maaran | Police officer |
2023  | Ripupbury | Sathyaraj |
Kathar Basha Endra Muthuramalingam | Young Kaluvan |
2024 | Amigo Garage | Rudra |
TBA | Musasi † |  |
TBA | Coolie † | TBA |

### Television

[edit]

List of Mahendran television credits  Year  | Series  | Role  | Notes

|
|
|

1997 | Mayavi Marichan | Manikandan | Sun TV
2023 | Label | Veerasekar | Disney+ Hotstar

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Acted in Most Number of Movies as a Child Artist (Male)". India Book of Records. 9 April 2013. Archived from the original on 15 July 2014.
2. ^ "Meet Mahendran, the stellar actor who shined as Kutti Bhavani in Master". Onmanorama. 15 January 2021. Archived from the original on 24 February 2021. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
3. ^ "Master Mahendran is back with 'Vizha'". Deccan Chronicle. 18 December 2013. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 5 April 2015.
4. ^ "Mahendran's next is a Tamil-Telugu bilingual". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 22 April 2023. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
5. ^ "Mahendran's next 'Namma Ooruku Ennadhaan Aachu', a rural thriller". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 13 March 2022. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
6. ^ Joseph, Raveena; Ramanujam, Srinivasa (13 November 2015). "Child stars on the big screen". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 6 April 2020. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
7. ^ Prasad, Shiva. "KS Ravikumar uncle is a huge inspiration for me on how to approach cinema: Master Mahendran". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 15 September 2020. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
8. ^ "Master Mahendran's first meeting with Ajith". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 1 August 2022. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
9. ^ "Venkatesh, Maheshwari get Nandi awards". The Hindu. 8 December 2000. Archived from the original on 31 January 2002. Retrieved 2 March 2014.
10. ^ "Film awards announced". The Hindu. 18 July 2000. Archived from the original on 30 December 2013. Retrieved 2 March 2014.
11. ^ S. R. Ashok Kumar (10 November 2013). "Audio Beat: Vizha — Tunes that will touch a chord". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 16 December 2013. Retrieved 23 December 2013.
12. ^ "'Master' actor Mahendran thanks fans on social media for their love and support to the film". The Times of India. 7 May 2020. Archived from the original on 8 May 2020. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
13. ^ "Vizha: storytelling with a difference". The Times of India. 1 January 1970. Archived from the original on 24 December 2013. Retrieved 23 December 2013.
14. ^ "I had complete belief in Vizha's script: Barathi". The Times of India. 8 December 2013. Archived from the original on 24 December 2013. Retrieved 23 December 2013.
15. ^ "First Love Telugu Movie Review". IndiaGlitz. Archived from the original on 30 December 2013. Retrieved 2 March 2014.
16. ^ "Karthi releases Master Mahendran's Namma Oorukku Ennadhan Achu trailer". The Times of India. 18 January 2021. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 27 November 2023.
17. ^ "தலைவர் கூட டான்ஸ், அத விட வேற என்ன வேணும் ? \- தளபதி விஜய்யின் மாஸ்டர் பிரபலம் கமெண்ட்" ["Even the leader dances, what else do you want?" - Thalapathy Vijay's Master Popularity Comment]. Behindwoods (in Tamil). 30 March 2020. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
18. ^ மலர், மாலை (9 May 2021). "சினிமாவில் 28 ஆண்டுகளை நிறைவு செய்த மகேந்திரன்... குவியும் வாழ்த்துக்கள்". www.maalaimalar.com.
19. ^ "Master Mahendran is back with 'Vizha'". Deccan Chronicle. 18 December 2013. Archived from the original on 13 March 2022. Retrieved 13 March 2022.

## External links

[edit]

* Mahendran at IMDb

*[†]: Film has not yet been released
*[TBA]: To be announced