Vishnu Vishal
Vishal at Velainu Vandhutta Vellaikaaran Press Meet
Born
Vishal Kudawla

(1984-07-17) 17 July 1984 (age 39)[1]
Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India
Occupations
  • Actor
  • producer
Years active2009–present
Spouses
  • Rajini Natraj
    ​
    ​
    (m. 2010; div. 2018)​
  • ​
    (m. 2021)​
Children1

Vishal Kudawla (born 17 July 1984), known professionally as Vishnu Vishal, is an Indian actor and producer who appears in Tamil film industry. After a brief career in cricket, he started his acting career in the year 2009 playing the lead role in the sports film Vennila Kabadi Kuzhu, winning acclaim for his portrayal. Vishnu won further acclaim for his role in Neerparavai (2012), portraying a fisherman. He rose to fame with the psychological thriller film, Ratsasan (2018).[2]

Early life and family

Vishnu Vishal was born on 17 July 1984[3] to Ramesh Kudawla, a high-ranking Tamil Nadu police officer.[4][5] He finished his schooling in Holy Cross Matriculation Higher Secondary School in Vellore. After completing his MBA in marketing from SRM Institute of Science and Technology,[6] he went on to become a cricketer, playing in TNCA league games.[4] However, a leg injury ended his cricket career and the actor noted that during the time he was bedridden, he started watching films and began an interest in an acting career. His father's uncle had been an actor in several small films and he shaped Vishnu's interest in the industry.[4] He entered the film industry changing his name to Vishnu to which he later added his birth name.[3]

Career

2009–2014

After being offered a role by Anand Chakravarthy in Suseenthiran's directorial debut Vennila Kabadi Kuzhu, Vishnu spent months preparing for the role. He had to tan his body sitting for hours in the sun to get dark and look like a player and then for 3 months he trained for kabbadi matches under a coach, for five hours a day.[4] The film opened to very positive reviews, with Vishnu earning a nomination from the Vijay Awards for Best Debut Actor.[7] He had two releases in 2010, portraying an action role in the comedy Bale Pandiya and then played a rowdy from Royapuram in Drohi.[8] Featuring alongside Srikanth in the latter, Vishnu had to put on 15 kg (33 lb) to look mature for the role.[9] He subsequently worked on the comedy, Kullanari Koottam, After a year without any releases, he had two releases in 2014: the romantic comedy Mundasupatti under Thirukumaran Entertainment and the sports drama Jeeva for which he collaborated with Suseenthiran again. Both films won positive reviews and performed well at the box office.[10]

2015–2018

In 2015, he appeared in the science and fiction comedy Indru Netru Naalai directed by R.Ravikumar. The movie was a super hit at the box office.[11] Vishnu had two releases in 2016. His first release of the year was also his first production venture, the comedy film Velainu Vandhutta Vellaikaaran directed by Ezhil, with Nikki Galrani in the female lead. The movie was one of the most profitable ventures at the box office. His final release of the year was Maveeran Kittu, a period drama set in the 1980s. Despite receiving positive reviews, the movie did well at the box office. He finished shooting for Seenu Ramasamy's Idam Porul Yaeval.[12] His next films are Katha Nayagan (2017), Raatchasan (2018) and Silukkuvarupatti Singam (2018) directed by a first time film maker, Chella.

2021–present

In 2021, the Prabhu Solomon's Kaadan has received mixed reviews from the audience and critics alike.[13] He played a Muslim in the film FIR (2022), which touched upon the sensitive issue of branding Muslims as terrorists.[14] The film was banned in Malaysia, Kuwait and Qatar.[15] In the same year, the actor played a wrestler in the family entertainer Gatta Kusthi co-starring Aishwarya Lekshmi and co-produced by Ravi Teja.[16]

Personal life

Vishnu Vishal was married to Rajini Natraj, daughter of the actor K. Natraj. The two were college-mates and were in a relationship for four years before getting married.[6] Their wedding took place on 2 December 2010 at Hotel Asiana in Chennai,[17] and their son was born in 2017.[18] In November 2018, the couple divorced due to undisclosed reasons.[19]

Vishnu got engaged to badminton player Jwala Gutta in September 2020.[20] Their wedding took place on April 22, 2021 in Hyderabad.[21]

Filmography

Key
† Denotes films that have not yet been released
Year Film Role Notes Ref(s)
2009 Vennila Kabadi Kuzhu Marimuthu credited as Vishnu
Won—Edison Award for Best Debut Actor
Nominated, Vijay Award for Best Debut Actor		 [22]
2010 Bale Pandiya Pandiyan credited as Vishnu [23]
Drohi Karunakaran credited as Vishnu [24]
2011 Kullanari Koottam Vetri credited as Vishnu [25]
2012 Neerparavai Arulappasamy credited as Vishnu
Nominated, SIIMA Award for Best Actor		 [26]
2014 Mundasupatti Gopi [27]
Jeeva Jeeva [28]
2015 Indru Netru Naalai Elango [29]
2016 Velainu Vandhutta Vellaikaaran Murugan Also producer [30]
Maaveeran Kittu Krishnakumar (Kittu) [31]
2017 Katha Nayagan Thambidurai Also producer [32]
2018 Ratsasan Arun Kumar Nominated - Norway Tamil Film Festival Awards [33]
Silukkuvarupatti Singam Sathyamoorthy (Sakthi) Also producer [34]
2021 Kaadan Maaran Bilingual film (Tamil, Telugu) [35]
Aranya Singa [36]
2022 FIR Irfan Ahmed / FIR Also producer [37]
Gatta Kusthi Veera Also producer [38]
2024 Mohandas † TBA Post-production [39]
Aaryan † TBA Filming [40]
Lal Salaam † TBA Post Production [41]

References

  1. ^ "Vishal Kudawla – Profile". ESPNcricinfo. 5 January 2000. Archived from the original on 5 August 2015. Retrieved 31 December 2016.
  2. ^ Rao, Subha J. (4 October 2018). "What made Vishnu Vishal act in the thriller 'Ratchasan'?". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Archived from the original on 11 October 2020. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
  3. ^ a b Rinku, Gupta (30 April 2014). "Vishnu Says Mundasupatti brings out his Lighter Side". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 31 December 2016. Retrieved 31 December 2016.
  4. ^ a b c d "Vishnu – A new hero in Kollywood". Sify. 5 February 2009. Archived from the original on 4 October 2015. Retrieved 31 December 2016.
  5. ^ Srinivasa, Ramanujam (12 September 2014). "Three cheers to cinema!". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 5 December 2014. Retrieved 31 December 2016.
  6. ^ a b Shilpa Kappur, Vasudevan (6 October 2014). "Introvert Turned Lover Boy in College". The New Indian Express. Chennai. Archived from the original on 31 December 2016. Retrieved 31 December 2016.
  7. ^ Malathi, Rangarajan (6 February 2009). "The winning team – Vennila Kabbadi Kuzhu". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 9 February 2009. Retrieved 31 December 2016.
  8. ^ "Vishnu is back in action". Sify. 21 August 2010. Archived from the original on 4 October 2015. Retrieved 31 December 2016.
  9. ^ "Drohi will be different: Vishnu". Sify. 7 September 2010. Archived from the original on 12 January 2014. Retrieved 31 December 2016.
  10. ^ Subha, J Rao (29 November 2014). "What a shot!". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 5 December 2014. Retrieved 31 December 2016.
  11. ^ "Vishnu's next is Indru Netru Naalai". The Times of India. 3 October 2014. Archived from the original on 4 October 2014. Retrieved 31 December 2016.
  12. ^ "Vishnu joins Vijay Sethupathi". The Times of India. 14 October 2013. Archived from the original on 31 December 2016. Retrieved 31 December 2016.
  13. ^ "Kaadan first reviews out. Netizens call Rana Daggubati film well-intentioned". Archived from the original on 7 April 2022. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
  14. ^ "FIR review. FIR Tamil movie review, story, rating". Archived from the original on 7 April 2022. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
  15. ^ "FIR: Vishnu Vishal-Led Action Thriller Gets Banned In Malaysia, Kuwait & Qatar". Koimoi. 11 February 2022. Archived from the original on 16 April 2022. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  16. ^ S, Srivatsan (29 November 2022). "Vishnu Vishal on 'Gatta Kusthi': I want to expand my market in Malayalam and Telugu". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Archived from the original on 29 November 2022. Retrieved 29 November 2022.
  17. ^ "Vishnu weds Rajini". Sify. Archived from the original on 4 October 2015. Retrieved 31 December 2016.
  18. ^ Vishnu Vishal [@TheVishnuVishal] (31 January 2018). "HAPPY 'FURST' BDAY TO MY SON 'ARYAN' :):) SPECIAL DAY :) thnx @maanavicky for d super cake:)" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  19. ^ "Vishnu Vishal is officially divorced!". The Times of India. 13 November 2018. Archived from the original on 11 October 2020. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
  20. ^ "Vishnu Vishal got engaged with badminton player". KollyInsider.com. 7 September 2020. Archived from the original on 29 September 2020. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  21. ^ "Jwala Gutta and Vishnu Vishal get hitched in an intimate ceremony". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 22 April 2021. Retrieved 22 April 2021.
  22. ^ "Vishnu Vishal's Next Will Be Bankrolled By Dhanush's Wunderlust Films". Desimartini. 19 July 2018. Archived from the original on 22 April 2021. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
  23. ^ Srinivasan, Pavithra. "Bale Pandiya could have been better". Rediff. Archived from the original on 18 April 2021. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
  24. ^ "DROHI MOVIE REVIEW - TAMIL MOVIE DROHI MOVIE REVIEW". www.behindwoods.com. Archived from the original on 28 July 2021. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
  25. ^ Srinivasan, Pavithra. "Review: Kullanari Koottam's a feel-good love story". Rediff. Archived from the original on 22 April 2021. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
  26. ^ "Neerparavai Movie Review neerparavai". www.behindwoods.com. Archived from the original on 24 February 2020. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
  27. ^ "Mundasupatti (aka) Mundasupatti review". www.behindwoods.com. Archived from the original on 9 March 2021. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
  28. ^ "Jeeva (aka) Jeeva review". www.behindwoods.com. Archived from the original on 21 September 2021. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
  29. ^ "Indru Netru Naalai (aka) Indru Naetru Naalai review". Behindwoods. 26 June 2015. Archived from the original on 14 November 2021. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
  30. ^ "Velainu Vandhutta Vellaikaaran (aka) Vishnu review". Behindwoods. 3 June 2016. Archived from the original on 22 April 2021. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
  31. ^ "Maaveeran Kittu (aka) Maaveeran Kittu review". Behindwoods. 2 December 2016. Archived from the original on 8 July 2020. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
  32. ^ "Kathanayagan review: This Vishnu Vishal film produces intermittent smiles rather than laughs". 4 July 2020. Archived from the original on 22 April 2021. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
  33. ^ "Ratsasan movie review: Vishnu Vishal's cop act is superlative but this thriller could've done with some trimming". Firstpost. 6 October 2018. Archived from the original on 24 August 2019. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
  34. ^ "Silukkuvaarupatti Singam (aka) Silukkuvaarpatti Singam review". Behindwoods. 22 December 2018. Archived from the original on 20 July 2022. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
  35. ^ Kaadan review: Watch it for Rana's earnest performance
  36. ^ "Aranya Movie Review: An engaging ride". Archived from the original on 25 March 2021. Retrieved 26 March 2021 – via timesofindia.indiatimes.com.
  37. ^ "FIR: Release date and time for Vishal's hit movie on Amazon Prime Video". 11 March 2022. Archived from the original on 12 March 2022. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  38. ^ "Vishnu Vishal shares BTS pictures from 'Gatta Kusthi'". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 6 August 2022. Retrieved 6 August 2022.
  39. ^ "Vishnu Vishal's 'Mohandas' teaser is here and is highly intriguing - Tamil News". 16 March 2022. Archived from the original on 16 March 2022. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  40. ^ "Vishnu Vishal's next, A.A.R.Y.A.N." The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 29 November 2022. Retrieved 29 November 2022.
  41. ^ "Vishnu Vishal confirms he plays a cricketer in Aishwarya Rajinikanth's Lal Salaam". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 29 November 2022. Retrieved 29 November 2022.

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