Vinayakan
Vinayakan in 2022
Born
Vinayakan T. K.

Ernakulam, Kerala, India
Occupations
  • Actor
  • composer
Years active1995–present
RelativesVijayan (Brother)
AwardsKerala State Film Award for Best Actor (2016)

Vinayakan is an Indian actor, former dancer, and composer who predominantly works in Malayalam and Tamil language films.[1][2][3] He started his career with a cameo appearance in the 1995 film Maanthrikam.

Vinayakan won the Kerala State Film Award for Best Actor in the year 2016 for his leading role of Ganga in Rajiv Ravi's Kammatipaadam.[4] His recognized roles include Edakochi Dude in Aadu - Oru Bheegara Jeevi Aanu and its successor film Aadu 2, and as Ayyappan in Lijo Jose Pellissery's Ee.Ma.Yau.

He achieved wider attention by playing the antagonist Varman in Nelson Dilipkumar's Tamil-language action thriller film Jailer (2023) starring Rajinikanth.[5]

Career

Acting

Vinayakan began his career as a dancer and had a dance troupe named Black Mercury with Fire dance being his forte. Director Thampi Kannanthanam introduced him in Maanthrikam and later in Onnaman. He was noticed for his performances in Stop Violence, Vellithira, Chathikkatha Chanthu, Chotta Mumbai and Thottappan. Also, he appeared in a couple of Bollywood movies.[2][3]

Vinayakan was appreciated for his performance as Ganga in Rajeev Ravi' s 2016 film Kammatipaadam,[6][7] and nominated for a national award.[8] It also brought him the Best Actor Award of the Kerala State Film Awards, The North American Film Award for Outstanding performance in a film and Best Actor Award (2016) of the Cinema Paradiso Club Cine Awards.[9] In the same film, he made his debut as a music director.[10]

Ee.Ma.Yau. was included in The Hindu's top 25 Malayalam films of the decade and is widely regarded as one of the defining movies of the New Wave Movement.[11]

His upcoming projects include Gautham Vasudev Menon's Dhruva Natchathiram:Chapter One - Yuddha Kaandam.[12]

Music

Vinayakan composed the song "Puzhu Pulikal" for the movie Kammatipaadam.[13] He has also composed the music for the title track of Trance (2020).[14] He has also sung songs for Rafi's film Role Models and another one for Ordinary, Sugeeth's movie.[10]

Controversies

On 24 October, 2023, he was arrested for creating a ruckus at the Ernakulam Town North police station in Kochi. The incident was from a family dispute and he was later released on bail after a medical examination. MLA of Thrikkakara, Uma Thomas, publicly criticized the quick release, suggesting it was related to Vinayakan's political associations [15][16]

Filmography

Key
† Denotes films that have not yet been released

Malayalam

Year Title Role Notes
1995 Maanthrikam Michael Jackson dupe Debut
2001 Onnaman Friend 5
2002 Stop Violence Montha
2003 Vellithira
Ivar Vinayakan
2004 Chathikkatha Chanthu Romy
Greetings Hari
Quotation Maya
2005 By the People Porter
Makalkku Mental Patient
Junior Senior Sivan
Udayon Thoma's helper
2006 Thanthra Mayan
Chinthamani Kolacase Uchandi
Jayam Saheer
2007 Chotta Mumbai Satheeshan
Big B Pandi Asi
2008 Pachamarathanalil Mad Man
2009 Nammal Thammil Unknown
Swapnangalil Haisal Mary Muthalamada Martin Unreleased Film
Daddy Cool Shelvam
Sagar alias Jacky Reloaded Style
2010 Best Actor Pottan
2011 The Train Githu
2012 Thalsamayam Oru Penkutty Alex
Bachelor Party Fakeer
2013 Police Maman Manu
5 Sundarikal Chandran Segment - Aami
Daivathinte Swantham Cleetus Sayippu
2014 Masala Republic Bengali Babu
Njan Steve Lopez Prathaapan
Iyobinte Pustakam Chemban
Seconds Thampi
2015 Aadu - Oru Bheegara Jeevi Aanu Dude
Chandrettan Evideya Rajaraja Cholan Extended cameo
Any Time Money
2016 Kali Johnettan
Kammattipaadam Gangadharan (Ganga) Best Actor - Kerala State Film Award
2017 Role models Jyothish Narayanan
Aadu 2 Dude
2018 Diwanjimoola Grand Prix Vareedh
Swathandriam Ardharathriyil Simon
Ee.Ma.Yau Ayyappan [17]
2019 Thottappan Ithaq
Pranaya Meenukalude Kadal Hyder
Valiyaperunnal Himself Cameo
2020 Trance Thomas Also composed title track
2021 Operation Java Ramanathan
2022 Pada Balu
Oruthee Sub Inspector Antony
Panthrandu Andhro
2023 Kasargold Alex [18]
TBA Karinthandan † Karinthandan Filming

Tamil

Year Title Role Notes
2006 Thimiru Easwari's sidekick
2008 Silambattam Tamizh’s best friend
Ellam Avan Seyal Beggar
Kaalai Mokkai
2009 Madurai Sambavam Anand aka Mandaiyan
2011 Siruthai Henchman
2013 Maryan Theekkurissi
2023 Jailer Varman
TBA Dhruva Natchathiram† TBA Post-Production

Other languages

Year Title Role Language Notes
2005 James Shanti Narayan's henchman Hindi
2006 Asadhyudu Thambu Telugu

Awards

Year Award Category Film(s) Result
2016 Kerala State Film Award Best Actor Kammatipaadam Won
2016 Movie Munshi Cine Awards Best Actor Kammatipaadam Won
2017 Filmfare Awards South Best Supporting Actor Kammatipaadam Won
2017 CPC Cine Awards Best Actor Kammatipaadam Won
2018 CPC Cine Awards Best Character Actor Ee.Ma.Yau. Won
2019 Filmfare Awards South Best Supporting Actor Ee.Ma.Yau. Won

References

  1. ^ "List of Malayalam Movies acted by Vinayakan". Malayala Chalachithram. Retrieved 20 September 2016.
  2. ^ a b Anand, Shilp Nair (6 June 2013). "On the superhero trail". The Hindu. Retrieved 20 September 2016.
  3. ^ a b നായർ, അനീഷ്. "വിനായകന്റെ അസൂയയും അഹങ്കാരവും". Mathrubhumi. Retrieved 20 September 2016.
  4. ^ "Kerala State Film Awards 2016: Vinayakan and Rajisha Vijayan are the Best Actor and Actress". The Times of India. 7 March 2017. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
  5. ^ "Performance in 'Jailer' is Vinayakan's sublime comeback at detractors". OnManorama. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
  6. ^ VS, Goutham (21 May 2016). "Dulquer Salmaan shines in a raw and realistic cut into the brutally buried history of Dalits". The Indian Express. Retrieved 20 September 2016.
  7. ^ "Kammatti Paadam Movie Review". India Glitz. 21 May 2016. Retrieved 20 September 2016.
  8. ^ "Vinayakan was not in the final four for Best Actor". The Times of India. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
  9. ^ Beat, Filmi (30 January 2017). "Nivin Pauly And Manju Warrier Bag Top Honours At NAFA 2017!". filmibeat.com.
  10. ^ a b "I never felt I was inferior and that empowered me: Vinayakan". The Times of India. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
  11. ^ Nagarajan, Saraswathy (19 December 2019). "The 25 best Malayalam films of the decade: 'Premam', 'Maheshinte Prathikaram', 'Kumbalangi Nights' and more". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
  12. ^ "Vinayakan to lock horns with Vikram in 'Dhruva Natchathiram'". The Times of India. 17 April 2018. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
  13. ^ "Vinayakan to do composing, choreography". 10 March 2017.
  14. ^ "The most requested title track composed by Vinayakan from 'Trance'". 27 February 2020.
  15. ^ "Vinayakan released on bail after medical exam, MLA Uma Thomas questions 'weak charges'". OnManorama. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
  16. ^ "'Jailer' actor Vinayakan arrested for creating a ruckus at police station". The Indian Express. 24 October 2023. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
  17. ^ "Vinayakan is Ayyappan in 'Ee Ma Yau'". The Times of India. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
  18. ^ "Asif Ali's 'Kasargold' all set to unleash breathtaking thrills upon its release on September 15". The Times of India. 29 July 2023. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 19 August 2023.

External links

Kerala State Film Award for Best Actor
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