1. Early life

2. Career

3. Death

4. Filmography

5. References

6. External links

(Younger brother)

Daniel Balaji (cousin)

Murali (19 May 1964 – 8 September 2010) was an Indian film actor who appeared in leading and supporting roles in Tamil and Kannada films.^[2]He is called Puratchi Nayakan (Revolutionary Hero). Murali was part of the mild and sensitive brigade of actors, more willing to shed a tear in honour of romance than indulge in fits of unruly violence.

Famous for roles that portrayed him as a perceptive singer or lover who pines away for his beloved, he had no airs about himself, either on-screen or off. In over a 100 films, Murali managed to entertain Tamil cinema fans with engaging performances that brought gentle romantic and unrequited love into fashion, over the 80s, 90s and early 2000s.^[3] His son, Adharvaa, debuted as an actor in the 2010 film Baana Kaathadi.

Early life

Murali was born on 19 May 1964 to Siddalingaiah and Dhanalakshmi in Chennai. His father was a film director and writer in the Kannada film industry. Murali had two siblings; a younger brother S.D.Suresh and a sister Santhi. He lived and studied up to his 5th Standard in Chennai, and from 6th Standard to 10th Standard he studied in Bangalore. When he was 14 years old, he joined as an assistant director to work under his father. For some time, he worked as an editing assistant.^[4][1]

Career

Murali started his acting career in 1982 with the Kannada film Geluvina Hejje, directed by director Eranki Sharma. Prema Parva, Bili Gulabi, Ajeya, Prema Gange, Thayikotta Thali, Sambhavami Yuge Yuge, Ajay-Vijay are the Kannada films he did before entering into Tamil film industry. Poovilangu was his first Tamil film.^[5] He earned a good name with that film. He then acted in Pagal Nilavu, along with actress Revathi and directed by Mani Ratnam who made his directorial debut in Tamil cinema. Though this film garnered Murali great recognition, he could not sustain his success much longer. His films started failing at the box-office one after another and during that period, he even acted in double hero subjects : Vanna Kanavugal (1987) with Karthik, Thangamani Rangamani (1989) with S. Ve. Shekher and Ninaivu Chinnam (1989) with Prabhu.^[6]

In 1990, he starred in Vikraman's Pudhu Vasantham along with Sithara and Anand Babu, where he played one among four friends who find themselves unexpectedly saddled with a young woman. The film was a big hit that it re-wrote Tamil film history, sparking a whole range of "friendship" films and also propelling his career.^[7] In 1991, he acted in Idhayam, where he portrayed the soft hero who was incapable of expressing his love due to his inferiority complex. This character appeared perfectly consistent with his image and many remember him as a hero of this film.^[8] Soon, Murali found himself playing in rural drama films: Chinna Pasanga Naanga (1992), Manikuyil (1993), Manju Virattu (1994), Adharmam (1994) and Poomani (1996).

In 1997, he acted in three films including the romantic-drama Kaalamellam Kadhal Vaazhga and the rural drama Porkkaalam directed by Cheran. The two films received critical acclaim and were blockbusters at the box-office.^[9][10] The next year, he acted in eight films including the long-delayed Veera Thalattu, the romantic-drama films Unnudan, Kaadhale Nimmadhi and Poonthottam, the village drama films Rathna and En Aasai Rasave. The six films flopped at the box office. Dhinamdhorum was an average grosser while the much-hyped Desiya Geetham, despite positive reviews, bombed at the box office.^{[11][12][13][14]} In 1999, his flop streak continued with Ooty, the fictional biography Iraniyan, based on the life of the freedom fighter Vattakudi Iraniyan and Kanave Kalaiyadhe becoming box office failures.^[15]

Death

Murali died in the early hours of 8 September 2010 from a sudden massive heart attack in Chennai. He is survived by his wife Shobha, daughter Kaavya and sons Atharvaa and Akash.^[16]

Filmography

References

External links

• {{IMDb name|id=1980731|name=Murali}}

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