Mahendran (actor)

Mahendran
Other namesMaster Mahendran, Solar Star Mahendran
OccupationActor
Years active1994-present

Mahendran is an Indian actor, who works predominantly in Tamil and Telugu-language films apart from a few Malayalam 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. 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.

Career

Mahendran made his debut with K. S. Ravikumar's Nattamai (1994). He twice won the Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Child Artist, for Thaikulame Thaikulame (1995) and Kumbakonam Gopalu (1998). He also twice won the Nandi Award for Best Child Actor, for Devi (1999) and Little Hearts (2001).

The actor made his breakthrough as a hero when he starred alongside Malavika Menon in Vizha (2013), directed by Barathi Balakumaran. 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. The film opened to positive reviews in December 2013. His first Telugu film, First Love (2014) opposite Amrita Rao released on the same day, with a low key release. His other acting credits include Vindhai (2015), Viraivil Isai (2015), Thittivasal (2017) and Naadodi Kanavu (2018). He played the lead role in Telegu film, Asalu Em Jarigindhante (2020).

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). He was seen in the Disney+ Hotstar web series Label (2023). Mahendran plays a gangster in the action thriller, Amigo Garage (2024).

Filmography

Child artist

List of Mahendran child artist film credits
Year Film Role Language Notes
1994NattamaiBoy at panchayat TamilUncredited
1995PedarayuduBoy at panchayat Telugu
Thaikulame ThaikulamePandiyan's biological son and Janaki's adopted son TamilWon—Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Child Artist
MuthuTribalUncredited
1996MahaprabhuYoung boy in the slum
ParambaraiYoung Paramasivan
Coimbatore MappillaiSumithra's neighbor
Senathipathi
1997Vaimaye VellumYoung Raja
Mappillai GounderYoung Subramani
Pelli Chesukundam Telugu
Aahaa..!Ajay Tamil
1998KondattamMahendran
Thulli Thirintha KaalamMarket worker
Kaathala KaathalaOrphan child
NatpukkagaYoung Chinnaiyya
En Uyir Nee ThaaneRajasekhar's son
Aahaa..!Ajay Telugu
Kumbakonam GopaluL. Krishna/Ramakrishnan/Rajasekhar TamilWon—Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Child Artist
Sivappu NilaMuthu Manikkam
1999Suriya PaarvaiVijay
DeviYoung Dantra Telugu Won—Nandi Award for Best Child Actor
Padayappaguest at Anitha's wedding TamilUncredited
Poomagal OorvalamSaravanan
Nee Varuvai Ena
Minsara KannaVetri
Mudhalvan
Thirupathi Ezhumalai VenkatesaUdayappa
PaattaliYoung Shanmugam
2000Sudhandhiram
MaayiYoung Maiyaandi
MugavareeA child on the beach
2001NageswariNanjappa
Ammayi KosamTea supplier boy Telugu
MohanayanangalThe Young Evil Monk Malayalam
SimharasiYoung Narasimharaju Telugu
Viswanathan RamamoorthyMahendran Tamil
AsokavanamRahul
Little HeartsDeva Telugu Won—Nandi Award for Best Child Actor
2002Nee SnehamBoy running in backgroundUncredited
2003Magic Magic 3DIndrajeet's friend Tamil
SimhadriBlind Shoeshiner Telugu
Aalukkoru AasaiSaravanan Tamil
2006Nenjirukkum VaraiMurugan

Adult actor

Key
† Denotes films that have not yet been released
List of Mahendran adult film credits
Year Film Role Language Notes
2010JaggubhaiMohan Tamil
Mudhal Kadhal MazhaiAanjaneyar Kumar
2013VizhaSundaram
2014First Love Telugu
Endrume AnandhamSubbu Tamil
2015VindhaiKarthi
Viraivil IsaiSusi
2017ThittivasalMuthu
2018Naadodi KanavuMarudhu
2020Asalu Em JarigindhanteVasu Telugu
2021MasterYoung Bhavani Tamil
Chidambaram Railway GateVelu
Namma Oorukku Ennadhan AchuNalla Thambi
2022MaaranBharath
2023RipupburySathyaraj
Kathar Basha Endra MuthuramalingamYoung Kaluvan
2024Amigo GarageRudra
Super ZindagiJavedMalayalam
2025Karmanye VadhikarasteJaiTelugu
UnpaarvaiyilAjay (Anil)TamilReleased on Sun NXT
2026NilakantaNilakantaTelugu
29SanthoshTamil
Trikala Shiva Telugu
Srinivasa Mangapuram

Television

List of Mahendran television credits
Year Series Role Notes
1997Mayavi MarichanManikandanSun TV
2009Masthana MasthanaContestant
2023LabelVeerasekarDisney+ Hotstar

References

  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. ↑ "Master Mahendran to headline Amigo Garage". Cinema Express. Retrieved 25 July 2021.
  17. ↑ "'అసలు ఏం జరిగిందంటే..' మూవీ రివ్యూ". Chitrajyothy. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  18. ↑ "Mahendran: Filmmakers are making stars today, not films". Cinema Express. Retrieved 14 March 2024.
  19. ↑ "Amigo Garage Trailer: Mahendran plays a gangster in this action thriller". Cinema Express. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
  20. ↑ "Karthi releases Master Mahendran's Namma Oorukku Ennadhan Achu trailer". The Times of India. 18 January 2021. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 27 November 2023.
  21. ↑ "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.
  22. ↑ மலர், மாலை (9 May 2021). "சினிமாவில் 28 ஆண்டுகளை நிறைவு செய்த மகேந்திரன்... குவியும் வாழ்த்துக்கள்". www.maalaimalar.com.
  23. ↑ "Master Mahendran is back with 'Vizha'". Deccan Chronicle. 18 December 2013. Archived from the original on 13 March 2022. Retrieved 13 March 2022.
  24. ↑ "Srinivasa Mangapuram Official Trailer | Jai Krishna | Rasha Thadani | Mohan Babu | Ajay Bhupathi". 12 July 2026 – via YouTube.