Rahman (actor)


Rahman is an Indian film actor who has starred in over 150 films, primarily Malayalam, Tamil and Telugu films.At 90's Rahman is a superstar of Malayalam film industry. In Tamil and Telugu cinema, he is also known by the screen names Raghuman and Raghu'.
Rahman made his debut in Koodevide'', for which he won his first Kerala State Award for Best Supporting Actor. He was a popular teen idol in Malayalam cinema during the 1980s, later on he became a lead actor in Tamil cinema during the late 1980s and early 1990s. He eventually shifted to Tamil and Telugu films during the 1990s. He did make a comeback in Malayalam films since 2004 and has been acting in leading and supporting roles in Tamil and Telugu films after the 2000s.

Personal life

He was born on 23 May 1967 in Abu Dhabi. His family originally hails from Nilambur, Malappuram. He is born as eldest among two children to K. M. A. Rahman and Savi. He has a younger sister Shameema.He was educated at Baldwin Boys' High School, Bangalore, St Joseph's School in Abu Dhabi and Rex Higher Secondary School, Ooty and pursued a pre-university degree at M.E.S. Mampad College, Malappuram.
He has two children. His wife Meherunnisa is the sister of music director A. R. Rahman's wife Saira Banu.

Film career

Malayalam films

Rahman's first Malayalam film was Koodevide, which became a big hit. He acted in the films of almost all the major Malayalam directors at that time. Other popular films in which he appeared are Kanamarayathu, Chilambu, Thammil Thammil, Pappan Priyappetta Pappan, Uyarangalil, Vaartha, Upaharam, Poomukhappadiyil Ninneyum Kathu, Ee Thanalil Ithiri Nerum, Ee Lokam Evide Kure Manushyar, Kandu Kandarinju, Mukthi, Charithram, Kaalal Pada, Veena Meettiya Vilangukal and Aparatha.
He was absent from the Malayalam film industry in the early 1990s as he concentrated on Tamil and Telugu films. After a long absence, he acted in Mazhavilkoodaram, King Soloman and Hitlist. After another interval, he came back with the movie Dreams, playing the role of a police officer. Another of his comeback movies was Black, alongside Mammootty. In 2008, he completed his silver jubilee as an actor. After Black, he acted in films such as Rajamanikyam, Mahasamudram and Bhargavacharitham Moonam Khandam. He was the hero in films such as Abraham & Lincoln and Nanma, along with Kalabhavan Mani. He also acted in director Kamal's film Goal and Ranjith's Mohanlal film Rock & Roll. Another one was Moss & Cat, directed by Fazil with Dileep as his co-star.
Rahman appeared in the film Kerala Cafe, in the segment titled "Island Express", under the debutant director Shankar Rama Krishnan. Musafir, produced by Pramod Pappan, was one of Rahman's biggest productions and most expensive ventures to date.
His latest Roshan Andrews movie Mumbai Police was a big success in Kerala. Prithviraj was another hero of this film.

Tamil and Telugu films

Rahman's first Tamil film was Nilave Malare, which was released in 1986; the director of the film was S. A. Chandrasekhar. He subsequently appeared in Kanne Kaniyamuthe, Vasantha Raagam and Anbulla Appa. In 1989, after appearing in Pudhu Pudhu Arthangal, Puriyaadha Pudhir and Nee Pathi Naan Pathi, he shifted completely to Tamil and Telugu. He is known with the screen name Raghu in Telugu movies. Bharath Band is one of his big hits in Telugu. Rasaleela was the first Telugu movie Rahman acted in; it was released in 1986. In January 1987, Rahman moved from Kozhikode to Bangalore. In 1990, he moved from Bangalore to Chennai.
In 1999, he acted in the Tamil film Sangamam, directed by Suresh Krishna, which depicted the story of a feud between classical and folk dance. The music of the film was composed by A. R. Rahman. Rahman then performed in the Tamil films Raam and Thoothukudi, which were released in 2005 and 2006 respectively. The Tamil film Ethiri was the first film Rahman dubbed in his own voice. He was the villain in the Tamil film Billa, released in December 2007. In 2005, after a long gap in Telugu, Rahman acted in the Telugu film Dhariyam. The Telugu version of the Malayalam film Abraham Lincoln was released in Andhra Pradesh and was well received. Rahman's next Telugu film was Aalayam, directed by Muthyala Subbaiah.
His Tamil film Vaamanan, directed by Ahmed, did well throughout South India. He acted in the Telugu movie Sri Srimathi Satyabhaama. He also acted in the Telugu remake of Billa, which released on 27 March 2009. Rahman's latest Telugu film is Balam, directed by Muralikrishna. Suhasini, his first heroine from the film Koodevide, appeared alongside him in this film after a gap of 25 years.
Rahman's next Telugu film Simha, was released worldwide on 30 April 2010. Simha went on to become the highest grosser of 2010, and the 5th highest-grossing movie in the Telugu Film Industry. He appeared in Oosaravelli and Vanthaan Vendraan. He is set to star with Balakrishna.
Dhuruvangal Pathinaaru is his latest Tamil movie which is an investigation thriller in genre. The film won high reviews and became a blockbuster at the box office.

Awards

Rahman received the State Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in his very first film; Koodevide. He also received the Film Critics Award and Chamber Award for this film.
In 1984, he received the Kerala Film Chamber Award for Best Actor for the film Ithiri Poove Chuvanna Poove.
Rahman received the Award for Trendsetter in the history of Malayalam cinema's 78 years at the Etisalat Everest Film awards held in Dubai in 2007. The public voted for Rahman for this award from the nominations including Kamal Hassan, Sreedevi, Manju Warrier and Nadhiya.
Rahman's Malayalam film Manjadikkuru, directed by Anjali Menon, received two awards at the 2008 International Film Festival in Kerala.

Malayalam films

Denotes films that have not yet been released

YearFilmCharacterNotes
1983KoodevideRavi Puthooran
1984Kaliyil Alpam KaryamBabu
1984Ithiri Poove ChuvannapooveUnni
1984KanamarayathuBaby
1984Parannu Parannu ParannuEmil
1984UyarangalilChandran
1984Ariyaatha VeethikalBabu
1984AdiyozhukkukalChandran
1984AduthaduthuRaju
1984Ivide ThudhagunnuBabu
1985Kandu KandarinjuKunjunni
1985AngadikkappurathuCharley
1985VarthaUnnikrishnan
1985UpaharamAjit Chandran
1985Ee Lokam Evide Kure ManushyarBalu
1985Orikkal OridathuSethu
1985Ivide Ee TheerathuGopinath
1985Ente KaanakkuyilSuresh
1985Koodum ThediRex
1985Katha IthuvareVinayan
1985Thammil ThammilVivek
1985Eeran SandhyaRaju
1985Ee Thanalil Ithiri Nerum
1985Punnaram Cholli CholliBiju
1986Ariyaatha Bandham
1986Aayiram Kannukal
1986Ennu Nathante NimmiNathan
1986ChilambuParamu
1986Poomukhappadiyil Ninneyum Kaathu
1986Koodanayum Kattu
1986Sunil Vayassu 20Sunil
1986Pappan Priyappetta PappanPappan
1986KariyilakkattupoleAnil Kumar
1986Onnam Prathi Olivil
1987Ithrayum KalamPappachan
1987Gaayathridevi Ente AmmaAppu
1987Aankiliyude TharattuBabu
1988Moonnam PakkamLopez
1988MukthiSudhakaran
1989CharithramRaju Manavalan and Albertdual role
1989Kaalal PadaSunny
1990Veena Meettiya VilangukalDileep
1992ApaarathaPrathapan
1995MazhavilkoodaramJithin Babu
1996King SolomanSoloman
1996HitlistSoloman/Hitler
2000DreamzPeter
2004BlackAshok Srinivas
2005RajamanikyamRaju
2006Mahha Samudram
2006Bhargava Charitham Moonam KhandamVinod
2007Rock & RollHenry
2007GoalVijay
2007NanmaNakulan
2007Abraham & LincolnLincoln George
2008Veruthe Oru BharyaPolice officer
2009Kerala Cafe / Island ExpressRanji
2009Bharya Onnu Makkal MoonnuRaju
2009Moss & CatSumesh Vasudev
2011TrafficSidharth Shankar
2012ManjadikuruRaghu Maaman
2012Bachelor PartyBenny
2013Lillies of MarchHimself
2013MusafirHumayoon/Musafir
2013Mumbai PoliceCP Farhan Aman
2015LavenderAyaan/Ajay
2016MarupadiEby
2018RanamDamodar Ratnam
2019VirusDr. Rahim
2020Ente Sathyanweshana Pareekshakal JoeFilming
2020Blue TBAAnnounced

Tamil films

Denotes films that have not yet been released

YearFilmRoleNotes
1986Nilave MalareVijay
1986Kanne Kaniyamuthe
1986Vasantha Raagam
1987Meendum MahanRaghu
1987Anbulla AppaMadhu
1988Oruvar Vazhum AalayamJeeva
1989Pudhu Pudhu ArthangalMani bharathi
1990Puriyaadha Pudhir
1990Aarathi Edungadi
1990Pattikattan
1990Pagalil Pournami
1990Pattanamdhan Pokalamadi
1990Manaivi Vantha Neram
1990SeethaVijay
1990Puriyaadha Pudhir
1991Pudhiya RaagamRaja
1991Paattondru Ketten
1992Thambi PondattiSomu
1992Naane Varuven
1992Mappillai Vanthachu
1993Pon Vilangu
1993Nam Nattu Rajakkal
1993AthmaRaghu
1993Udan PirappuViji
1993Karuppu Vellai
1994Athiradi Padai
1994Hero
1995Paattu PadavaRishi
1995Dear Son MaruthuMaruthu
1996KalkiParanjothi
1999SuryodayamBala
1999SangamamSelvam
2001Ninaikkatha NaalillaiArun
2004EthiriRaghavan
2005RaamUmar
2006Thoothukudi
2006KasuKaran
2007BillaJagdish/Gokulnath
2007KuttrapathirikaiArun
2009BalamAbhishek
2009VaamananJohn Vijay
2011Vandhan VendranCommissioner of Mumbai
2011LathikaAnthony
2012Billa IIJagdish
2013Singam IIThangaraj
2014Ennamo NadakkudhuBurma
201536 VayadhinileTamizhselvan
2016Kuttrame ThandanaiVijay Prakash
2016Dhuruvangal PathinaaruDeepak
2017Pagadi AattamDevendrakumar
2017Oru MugathiraiSathyamoorthy Rathnavel
2017Sathura Adi 3500
2019 SevenVijay Prakash
2020Operation Arapaima Naval OfficerFilming
2020Sarvadhikari TBAFilming
2020Jana Gana Mana TBAFilming
2020Naadaga Medai TBAAnnounced
2020Thupparivaalan 2 Filming
2020Ponniyin Selvan TBAFilming

Telugu films

YearTitleCharacterNotes
1984Manmadha Saamrajyam
1987rasa leela'hero'
1987Raputy Rowdy
1989Chinnari Sneham
1989Bharyalu Jagratha
1991Priyathama
1991Bharath Bandh
1991Samsara Veena
1993Repati Rowdy
1993Aadarsham
1994Samaram
1994Khaidi No. 1Dubbed into Tamil as Hero
2000Sri Srimathi Sathyabhaama
2005Dhairyam
2008Aaalayam
2009BillaDevil/Dharmendra
2010SimhaJagadish Prasad
2011OosaravelliDCP
2012AdhinayakuduRama Krishna Prasad's brother
2013ShatruvuMayor Aravind
2014Govindudu AndarivadeleDr. Chandrasekhar Rao
2016Janatha GarageShiva
2018Antariksham 9000 KMPHISC Director Chandra Kanth
2019 SevenPolice Officer Vijay Prakash
2021SeetimaarrTBAFilming;Gopichand Tamanna Film

TV serials

;Reality show as Judge
  1. Kerala State Film Award for Second Best Actor - 1983 - Koodevide
  2. Film Federation Chamber Award - 1984 - Ithiri Poove Chuvannapoove
  3. Kerala Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor - 1985 - Chilambu
  4. Etisalat Everest Film Awards - 2007 - Trendsetter in the History of Malayalam Cinema's 78 Years
  5. Padmarajan Award - 2015 - Lifetime Achievement
  6. MGR Sivaji Academy Award - 2016 - Dhuruvangal Pathinaaru
  7. Madras Television Award - 2017 - Dhuruvangal Pathinaaru
  8. Asianet film awards -2019- Ranam