Mahendran (actor)
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. He is a recipient of two Nandi Awards and two Tamil Nadu State Film Awards.
In 2013 he played the lead in Vizha, which was his breakthrough as an adult actor.
Career
Mahendran made his debut with K. S. Ravikumar's Nattamai (1994). He twice won the Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Child Artist, for Thaikulame Thaikulame (1995) and Kumbakonam Gopalu (1998). He also twice won the Nandi Award for Best Child Actor, for Devi (1999) and Little Hearts (2001). He also appeared on the Sun TV dance show Masthana Masthana as a participant in 2009.
The actor made his breakthrough as a hero when he starred alongside Malavika Menon in Vizha (2013), directed by Barathi Balakumaran.
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. The film opened to positive reviews in December 2013. His first Telugu film, First Love opposite Amrita Rao released on the same day, with a low key release.
Filmography
Tamil films
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Nattamai | Uncredited | |
| 1995 | Thaikulame Thaikulame | Won—Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Child Artist | |
| 1996 | Mahaprabhu | ||
| Parambarai | Young Paramasivan | ||
| Coimbatore Mappillai | Sumithra's neighbor | ||
| Senathipathi | |||
| 1997 | Vaimaye Vellum | Raja | |
| Mappillai Gounder | Young Subramani | ||
| Aahaa..! | Ajay | ||
| 1998 | Kondattam | Mahendran | |
| Thulli Thirintha Kaalam | Market worker | ||
| Kaathala Kaathala | Orphan child | ||
| Natpukkaga | Young Chinnaiyya | ||
| En Uyir Nee Thaane | Rajasekhar's son | ||
| Kumbakonam Gopalu | Won—Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Child Artist | ||
| Sivappu Nila | Muthu Manikkam | ||
| 1999 | Suriya Paarvai | Vijay | |
| Padayappa | |||
| Poomagal Oorvalam | Saravanan | ||
| Nee Varuvai Ena | |||
| Minsara Kanna | Vetri | ||
| Thirupathi Ezhumalai Venkatesa | Udayappa | ||
| Paattali | Young Shanmugam | ||
| 2000 | Sudhandhiram | ||
| Maayi | Young Maiyaandi | ||
| Mugavaree | A child on the beach | ||
| 2001 | Asokavanam | Rahul | |
| Viswanathan Ramamoorthy | Mahendran | ||
| 2003 | Magic Magic 3D | Indrajeet's friend | |
| Aalukkoru Aasai | Saravanan | ||
| 2006 | Nenjirukkum Varai | ||
| 2010 | Jaggubhai | Monisha's boyfriend | |
| Mudhal Kadhal Mazhai | Aanjaneyar Kumar | ||
| 2013 | Vizha | Sundaram | |
| 2014 | Endrume Anandham | Subbu | |
| 2015 | Vindhai | Karthi | |
| Viraivil Isai | Susi | ||
| 2017 | Thittivasal | Muthu | |
| 2018 | Naadodi Kanavu | Marudhu | |
| 2021 | Master | Young Bhavani | |
| Chidambaram Railway Gate | Velu | ||
| Namma Oorukku Ennadhan Achu | Nalla Thambi | ||
| 2022 | Maaran | Police officer | |
| 2023 | Ripupbury | Sathyaraj | |
| Kathar Basha Endra Muthuramalingam | Young Kaluvan |
| † | Denotes films that have not yet been released |
Telugu films
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Pedarayudu | ||
| 1997 | Pellichesukundam | ||
| 1998 | Aahaa..! | Ajay | |
| 1999 | Devi | Young Tantra | Won—Nandi Award for Best Child Actor |
| 2001 | Little Hearts | Won—Nandi Award for Best Child Actor | |
| 2002 | Nee Sneham | ||
| 2003 | Simhadri | ||
| 2013 | First Love | ||
| 2020 | Asalu Em Jarigindhante | Vaasu |
Malayalam films
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Mohanayanangal | The Young Evil Monk |
Television
| Year | Series | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Mayavi Marichan | Manikandan | Sun TV |
| 2023 | Label | Disney+ Hotstar |