Mahendran | |
|---|---|
| Other name | Master Mahendran |
| 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.12 He is a recipient of two Tamil Nadu State Film Awards and two Nandi Awards.
In 2013 he played the lead in Vizha, which was his breakthrough as an adult actor.3456
Career
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).910
The actor made his breakthrough as a hero when he starred alongside Malavika Menon in Vizha (2013), directed by Barathi Balakumaran.1112 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 (2014) opposite Amrita Rao released on the same day, with a low key release.15 His other acting credits include Vindhai (2015), Viraivil Isai (2015), Thittivasal (2017) and Naadodi Kanavu (2018).16 He played the lead role in Telegu film, Asalu Em Jarigindhante (2020).17
He gained renewed prominence when he played a young Bhavani in Lokesh Kanagaraj’s Master (2021). He pushes boundaries and works on films that show him in a different light. He have worked on a love story in Vizha (2013), a comedy drama in Namma Oorukku Ennadhan Achu (2021), and a horror film in Ripupbury (2023).18 He was seen in the Disney+ Hotstar web series Label (2023). Mahendran plays a gangster in the action thriller, Amigo Garage (2024).19
Filmography
Child artist
| Year | Film | Role | Language | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Nattamai | Boy at panchayat | Tamil | Uncredited20 |
| 1995 | Pedarayudu | Boy at panchayat | Telugu | |
| Thaikulame Thaikulame | Pandiyan's biological son and Janaki's adopted son | Tamil | Won—Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Child Artist | |
| Muthu | Tribal | Uncredited21 | ||
| 1996 | Mahaprabhu | Young boy in the slum | ||
| Parambarai | Young Paramasivan | |||
| Coimbatore Mappillai | Sumithra's neighbor | |||
| Senathipathi | ||||
| 1997 | Vaimaye Vellum | Young Raja | ||
| Mappillai Gounder | Young Subramani | |||
| Pelli Chesukundam | Telugu | |||
| Aahaa..! | Ajay | Tamil | ||
| 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 | ||
| Kumbakonam Gopalu | L. Krishna/Ramakrishnan/Rajasekhar | Tamil | Won—Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Child Artist | |
| Sivappu Nila | Muthu Manikkam | |||
| 1999 | Suriya Paarvai | Vijay | ||
| Devi | Young Dantra | Telugu | Won—Nandi Award for Best Child Actor | |
| Padayappa | guest at Anitha's wedding | Tamil | Uncredited22 | |
| Poomagal Oorvalam | Saravanan | |||
| Nee Varuvai Ena | ||||
| Minsara Kanna | Vetri | |||
| Mudhalvan | ||||
| Thirupathi Ezhumalai Venkatesa | Udayappa | |||
| Paattali | Young Shanmugam | |||
| 2000 | Sudhandhiram | |||
| Maayi | Young Maiyaandi | |||
| Mugavaree | A child on the beach | |||
| 2001 | Nageswari | Nanjappa | ||
| Ammayi Kosam | Tea supplier boy | Telugu | ||
| Mohanayanangal | The Young Evil Monk | Malayalam | ||
| Simharasi | Young Narasimharaju | Telugu | ||
| Viswanathan Ramamoorthy | Mahendran | Tamil | ||
| Asokavanam | Rahul | |||
| Little Hearts | Deva | Telugu | Won—Nandi Award for Best Child Actor | |
| 2002 | Nee Sneham | Boy running in background | Uncredited | |
| 2003 | Magic Magic 3D | Indrajeet's friend | Tamil | |
| Simhadri | Blind Shoeshiner | Telugu | ||
| Aalukkoru Aasai | Saravanan | Tamil | ||
| 2006 | Nenjirukkum Varai | Murugan |
Adult actor
| † | Denotes films that have not yet been released |
| Year | Film | Role | Language | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Jaggubhai | Mohan | Tamil | |
| Mudhal Kadhal Mazhai | Aanjaneyar Kumar | |||
| 2013 | Vizha | Sundaram | 23 | |
| 2014 | First Love | Telugu | ||
| Endrume Anandham | Subbu | Tamil | ||
| 2015 | Vindhai | Karthi | ||
| Viraivil Isai | Susi | |||
| 2017 | Thittivasal | Muthu | ||
| 2018 | Naadodi Kanavu | Marudhu | ||
| 2020 | Asalu Em Jarigindhante | Vasu | Telugu | |
| 2021 | Master | Young Bhavani | Tamil | |
| 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 | ||
| Super Zindagi | Javed | Malayalam | ||
| 2025 | Karmanye Vadhikaraste | Jai | Telugu | |
| Unpaarvaiyil | Ajay (Anil) | Tamil | Released on Sun NXT | |
| 2026 | Nilakanta | Nilakanta | Telugu | |
| 29 | Santhosh | Tamil |
Television
| Year | Series | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Mayavi Marichan | Manikandan | Sun TV |
| 2009 | Masthana Masthana | Contestant | |
| 2023 | Label | Veerasekar | Disney+ Hotstar |
References
References
- "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.
- "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.
- "Master Mahendran is back with 'Vizha'". Deccan Chronicle. 18 December 2013. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 5 April 2015.
- "Mahendran's next is a Tamil-Telugu bilingual". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 22 April 2023. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
- "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.
- 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.
- 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.
- "Master Mahendran's first meeting with Ajith". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 1 August 2022. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
- "Venkatesh, Maheshwari get Nandi awards". The Hindu. 8 December 2000. Archived from the original on 31 January 2002. Retrieved 2 March 2014.
- "Film awards announced". The Hindu. 18 July 2000. Archived from the original on 30 December 2013. Retrieved 2 March 2014.
- 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.
- "'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.
- "Vizha: storytelling with a difference". The Times of India. 1 January 1970. Archived from the original on 24 December 2013. Retrieved 23 December 2013.
- "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.
- "First Love Telugu Movie Review". IndiaGlitz. Archived from the original on 30 December 2013. Retrieved 2 March 2014.
- "Master Mahendran to headline Amigo Garage". Cinema Express. Retrieved 25 July 2021.
- "'అసలు ఏం జరిగిందంటే..' మూవీ రివ్యూ". Chitrajyothy. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
- "Mahendran: Filmmakers are making stars today, not films". Cinema Express. Retrieved 14 March 2024.
- "Amigo Garage Trailer: Mahendran plays a gangster in this action thriller". Cinema Express. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
- "Karthi releases Master Mahendran's Namma Oorukku Ennadhan Achu trailer". The Times of India. 18 January 2021. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 27 November 2023.
- "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.
- மலர், மாலை (9 May 2021). "சினிமாவில் 28 ஆண்டுகளை நிறைவு செய்த மகேந்திரன்... குவியும் வாழ்த்துக்கள்". www.maalaimalar.com.
- "Master Mahendran is back with 'Vizha'". Deccan Chronicle. 18 December 2013. Archived from the original on 13 March 2022. Retrieved 13 March 2022.