Samuthirakani


Samuthirakani is an Indian film actor and director who predominantly works in the Tamil film industry besides appearing in a number of Malayalam and Telugu films. He worked as an assistant to director K Balachander. His 2009 directorial Naadodigal was a runaway hit, which was later remade in three languages. He has acted in several films as well and is best known for his performances in Subramaniapuram, Easan, Saattai and Oppam. He won the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor in 2016 for Visaranai.

Career

Samuthirakani studied school in T.N.P.M.M.N.Hr.Sec School and B.Sc., in Rajapalayam Rajus College, and Bachelor of Law from Ambedkar Law College, Chennai. He entered cinema with dreams of making it as an actor. "People said I don't have the looks or the physique for it. I was unfazed. ‘Insults are a part of life,' I told myself and persevered. So when did he finally get a chance to don the greasepaint? "Pandiarajan's Padikkira Vayasu in which I had just a line to say! And to squeeze myself into the scene I had to cringe and crawl before the assistant director!" Not a tinge of self-pity! "Why at all? Slights can't hold me back."
In 1997, he joined as an assistant director under K. Vijayan. Samuthirakani who always used to keep himself busy with work was noticed by K. Balachander and was roped in as assistant director for his 100th film Paarthale Paravasam. He also assisted Balachander in the mega-serial Anni telecasted by Jaya TV. The director recalls that the work experience he gained under his mentor helped him in many ways while shooting Arasi and Selvi, the mega-serial telecasted in Sun TV, which were massive hits among housewives.
And that's bharath writing out scenes and dialogue which he would enact within the confines of his room. Soon it led to the discovery that inside him was a capable storyteller.
M. Sasikumar's Subramaniapuram showcased Samuthirakani as an actor with potential and his own Nadodigal helped him prove his mettle as a director. From maker of megas to director of films that began with Unnai Charan Adaindhain, Kani has always been busy, primarily because he's absolutely ego-less. The lukewarm response to his début film and the disaster erodidn't deter him. "If the film is a hit everyone vies for the laurels. And if the result is negative, it's the director who has to bear the onus," he shrugs. He went back to television, joined his mentor K Balachander's unit, worked as an assistant of Ameer for Paruthiveeran and kept himself as busy as ever. "I continued working till better things came my way". And the best did happenSasikumar gave him that solid role in Subramaniapuram, followed it up with another in Easan, played hero under Sasikumar's direction, and is back with him for Porali. His performance in Vetrimaaran's Visaranai fetched him the Best Supporting Actor Award at the 63rd National Film Awards.

Filmography

As director

;Films
YearFilmLanguageNotes
2003Unnai CharanadaindhenTamilTamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Story Writer
2004Neranja ManasuTamil
2004NaaloTelugu
2009NaadodigalTamilVijay Award for Favourite Director
Nominated, Filmfare Award for Best Director – Tamil
Nominated, Vijay Award for Best Director
Nominated, Vijay Award for Best Story, Screenplay Writer
2010Shambo Shiva ShamboTelugu
2011PoraaliTamilVijay Award for Best Dialogue Writer
2012Yaare KoogadaliKannada
2014Nimirndhu NilTamil
2015Janda Pai KapirajuTelugu
2016AppaTamil
2017ThondanTamil
2017AakashamittayeeMalayalamCo-directed with M. Padmakumar
2020Naadodigal 2Tamil
TBAKitnaTamil
Malayalam
Telugu
Kannada		Delayed

;Television
YearTitleLanguageNotes
2001Adi Ennadi Asathu PenneTamil
2001Idho BoopalamTamil
2003AnniTamilTV Serial
2005ThangavettaiTamilGame Show
2007ArasiTamilTV Serial

As Actor

;Television
YearSerialRoleChannelNotes
1998Jannal - Sila Nijangal Sila NyayangalReporterSun TVTV series
2000Kadavulukku Kobam VanthathuSmoking guy in theatreDD PodhigaiTV series
2001Marmadesam - Edhuvum NadakkumA tribal manRaj TVTV Series
2001Ramany vs Ramany Part IISales person,Census taker, bride groomRaj TVTV series
2001GuhanRishi's assistantRaj TVTV series
also Co-director
20127CStar VijayTV Serial
2020Chithi 2HimselfSun TVTV Serial

;Films
YearFilmRoleLanguageNotes
2001Parthale ParavasamA back-pain patientTamil
2004Neranja ManasuVillagerTamilCameo appearance
2006PoiTamilCameo appearance
2007ParuthiveeranTamilCameo appearance
2008SubramaniapuramKanuguTamilNominated, Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor – Tamil
2010Shambo Shiva ShamboCar driverTeluguCameo appearance
2010ShikkarAbdullahMalayalam
2010EasanACP SangayyaTamilTamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Character Artiste
2012MastersMalayalamCameo appearance
2012Thiruvambadi ThambanRamuMalayalam
2012SaattaiDayalanTamil
2012NeerparavaiUduman GaniTamil
2012The Hit ListMalayalamCameo appearance
2013D CompanyChaukidarMalayalam
2014Ninaithathu YaaroHimselfTamilGuest appearance
2014Nimirndhu NilA car driverTamilGuest appearance
Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Film
2014Velaiyilla PattathariRaghuvaran's fatherTamilNominated, Vijay Award for Best Supporting Actor
Nominated, Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor – Tamil
2014Vasanthathinte Kanal VazhikalilP. Krishna PillaiMalayalam
2014Poovarasam PeepeeTamilGuest appearance
2014KaaduNandhaTamil
2015SandamaruthamInspector ThirumalaiTamil
2015The ReporterParthasarathyMalayalam
2015Massu Engira MasilamaniRadha Krishnan Tamil
2015Buddhanin SirippuVettriTamil
2015KaavalInspector ChandrasekarTamil
2015KamarajTamil
2015AdhibarRajaTamil
2015Paayum PuliSelvaraj Tamil
2015StrawberryAathiTamil
2015Pasanga 2FatherTamilGuest appearance
2016TharkappuIraianbuTamil
2016Rajini Murugan"Ezhrai" MookanTamil
2016VisaranaiInspector MuthuvelTamilNational Film Award for Best Supporting Actor
Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor – Tamil
Nominated, SIIMA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role
2016Kadhalum Kadandhu PogumKumarTamil
2016VetrivelTamilCameo appearance
2016Amma KanakkuPrincipal RanganathanTamil
2016AppaDhayalanTamil
2016Karinkunnam 6'SSaravananMalayalamCameo appearance
2016OppamVasudevanMalayalamNominated, 19th Asianet film awards for Best actor in a negative role
IIFA Utsavam for performance in a negative role Malayalam
2016AchamindriInspector SathyaTamil
2017Malayalam
2017ThondanMaha VishnuTamil
2017Kootathil OruthanSathyamurthy Tamil
2017Velaiilla Pattadhari 2Raghuvaran's fatherTamil
Telugu
2018NimirVellaiyappanTamilalso dialogue writer
2018Madura VeeranRathnaveluTamil
2018YemaaliInspector AravindhTamil
2018Keni
Kinar		Malayalam
Tamil
2018KaalaVaaliyappanTamil
2018Goli Soda 2NatesanTamil
2018Maniyaar KudumbamS.NallavanTamilCameo appearance
201860 Vayadu MaaniramRangaTamil
2018Aan DevathaiElangoTamil
2018Vada ChennaiGunaTamil
2018WalterBalaTamil
2019PeranbuDr. DhanapalTamilCameo appearance
2019PettikadaiTamil
2019KolanjiAppasamyTamil
2019JackpotFilm DirectorTamilSpecial Appearance
2019KaappaanJoseph SelvarajTamil
2019Namma Veettu PillaiChandraboseTamil
2019Adutha SaattaiDayalanTamilalso producer
2019Sillu KarupattiDhanapalTamil
2020Ala VaikunthapurramlooAppala NaiduTelugu
2020Naadodigal 2Bus driverTamilSpecial appearance; also voice-over
2020Ettuthikkum ParaAmbedkarTamil
2020KrackTelugu
2020AelayTamilcompleted
20202 DaysMalayalamdelayed
2020Vellai YaanaiTamilcompleted
2020Sanga ThalaivanTamilFilming
2020Ka. Pae RanasingamTamilfilming
2020RRRTeluguFilming
2021Indian 2TamilFilming

Dubbing artist

Singer