R. Sarathkumar

Sarathkumar Ramanathan (born 14 July 1954) is an Indian actor, politician, filmmaker and former bodybuilder who works predominantly in Tamil cinema in addition to Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada films.

He has acted in more than 145 films and won two Tamil Nadu State Film Awards and three Filmfare Awards South.

R. Sarathkumar was born on 14 July 1954 to Ramanathan and Pushpaleela, a Tamil family in New Delhi.

His father Ramanathan worked at the All India Radio before joining the Press Information Bureau of India, while his mother Pushpaleela was a housewife.

Sarathkumar is the youngest child in his family, he had two siblings; an elder brother, the late Sudarshan Ramanathan and an elder sister Mallika Kandaswamy.

He was one of the cadets who marched in the Republic Day Parade of 1970.

After completing his pre-university levels at Loyola College, he was subsequently graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics from The New College.

He later became a bodybuilder and earned the "Mr. Madras University" title in 1974.

He then moved to Bangalore to work for the newly started Tamil newspaper Dinakaran, he started as a cycle boy distributing newspapers to shops and later graduated to become a reporter for the same newspaper.

After successfully establishing the circulation, he moved on to Chennai.

He shifted his energies towards running his own business, a travel agency in Chennai and meeting Kannadasan who elevated him to become a producer.

He is fluent in all major South Indian languages and is quite proficient in Russian.

Originally a bodybuilder and later journalist, in 1986, Sarathkumar started his acting career in the Telugu film Samajamlo Sthree.

He first acted in negative roles, and later played supporting roles before establishing himself as a lead actor in subsequent years, earning him the titles Supreme Star and Super Hero in Tamil cinema.

Sarathkumar made his acting debut in 1986, in the Telugu film Samajamlo Sthree at the behest of a producer friend.

Sarathkumar was originally cast to play the lead role in Chinna Poove Mella Pesu (1987) directed by Robert–Rajasekar but the producers insisted on having one familiar face and he was replaced by actor Prabhu.

In 1988, while running his travel agency in Chennai, Sarathkumar got an opportunity to act as well as produce in the Tamil film Kan Simittum Neram.

The film was directed by Kannadasan and he co-starred with Karthik and Ambika.

In 1989, R. Sarathkumar was spotted by Raju, the personal make-up man of actor Vijayakanth, who recommended him to the Pulan Visaranai's team.

Finally, R. Sarathkumar acted as a villain in Pulan Visaranai and the film turned out to be a blockbuster.

He won a Cinema Express Award for Best Villain for his role, which brought him more film offers.

In 1990, he teamed up for the second time with Kannadasan for the film Mr. Karthik, which flopped at the box office.

Thereafter, he appeared in antagonist roles in Tamil films such as Pudhu Padagan, Velai Kidaichuduchu, Raja Kaiya Vacha, Enkitta Mothathe, Jagathalaprathapan and in Telugu films such as Vishnu, Magaadu and Balachandrudu.

He acted in few Tamil films in supporting roles such as Salem Vishnu, Sirayil Sila Raagangal, Mounam Sammadham and Puriyaadha Pudhir.

Puriyaadha Pudhir marked the first collaboration with Sarathkumar and director K. S. Ravikumar.

He also acted in his first venture as a hero in Palaivana Paravaigal under Senthilnathan's direction, who at that time gave consecutive hits.

In 1991, he acted in twelve Tamil films and three Telugu films, mostly in supporting roles and four films in lead roles, but he continued to act in few films as a villain.

In the start of 1991, he acted in negative roles in the Telugu film Stuartpuram Police Station, starring Chiranjeevi and Vijayashanti, Namma Ooru Mariamma, Vetri Padigal and Pudhu Manithan.

He acted as a retired military officer in Chithirai Pookkal and played the second hero role in the blockbuster film Captain Prabhakaran.

In May 1991, he appeared in lead roles in Senthilnathan's Kaaval Nilayam and K. S. Ravikumar's rural drama film Cheran Pandiyan, and starred as Chiranjeevi's brother in the Telugu film Gang Leader, the three were commercially successful.

In July 1991, he acted in Archana IAS, co-starring Sithara and acted in the role of the father Vaidehi Kalyanam.

At the end of 1991, he played a small role in the Telugu film Surya IPS, a negative role in Pavithran's Vasanthakala Paravai and starred in a lead role in Senthinathan's Thangamana Thangachi.

He served as the president of the Nadigar Sangam from 2006 to 2015 for three consecutive terms.

In 2007, he launched a new political party All India Samathuva Makkal Katchi (AISMK) in Tamil Nadu, claiming to carry out the ideals of K. Kamaraj.

He is the former Member of Legislative Assembly of Tenkasi constituency.

His mother Pushpaleela died on 26 October 2013.

Sarathkumar started his schooling at the Raja Muthiah High School, after his family relocated from Delhi to Chennai.

He then moved on to the Central School in the Indian Institute of Technology Madras, and finished at St. Patrick's Anglo Indian Higher Secondary School.

Being an avid sports enthusiast, he played football, cricket and hockey, representing his school and college teams.

He also joined the NCC, becoming an Air Wing Cadet.