Mahendran (actor)
Indian film actor
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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 Tamil Nadu State Film Awards and two Nandi Awards.
Mahendran | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Master Mahendran |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1994-present |
In 2013 he played the lead in Vizha, which was his breakthrough as an adult actor.[3][4][5][6]
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).[9][10]
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 (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 | Uncredited[20] |
| 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 | Uncredited[21] | ||
| 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 | Uncredited[22] | |
| 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 film or TV productions 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 | |
| Un Paarvayil | Ajay (Anil) | Tamil | Released on Sun NXT | |
| 2026 | Nilakanta | Nilakanta | Telugu |
Television
| Year | Series | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Mayavi Marichan | Manikandan | Sun TV |
| 2009 | Masthana Masthana | Contestant | |
| 2023 | Label | Veerasekar | Disney+ Hotstar |