# Narain (actor)

Sunil Kumar, known by his stage name Narain, is an Indian actor, who works in Malayalam, Tamil and Telugu films. He debuted as an actor in Adoor Gopalakrishnan's Nizhalkuthu (2002), followed by the Malayalam films 4 the People (2004), Achuvinte Amma (2005), and Classmates (2006). Narain's Tamil and Telugu debuts were in Mysskin's Chithiram Pesuthadi (2006) and Jayaraj's Yuvasena (2004).

## Acting career

Narain's first film was Nizhalkuthu. His first commercial film, 4 The People, was dubbed in Tamil and Telugu. He portrayed a struggling lawyer, Emmanuel John, in Achuvinte Amma and also played a doctor, Jeevan, in Sheelabathi. He also played roles in Annorikal and Classmates. His debut Tamil movie was Chithiram Pesuthadi. Through Panthaya Kozhi, produced by director Lal, he has been re-launched as an independent action hero in the Malayalam film industry. In 2008, he did another youth-oriented Malayalam movie Minnaminnikoottam. He has acted in more than 20 Malayalam movies.
Narain worked with director Sathyan Anthikkad in the 2005 movie Achuvinte Amma and again in 2009 in Bhagyadevatha.
Narain played the lead role in P. T. Kunju Muhammed's Veeraputhran (2011). He collaborated with director Mysskin on the 2008 film Anjaathe and the 2012 superhero film Mugamoodi where he portrayed a villain. However his career high came through the 2019, Lokesh Kanagaraj directed venture Kaithi (2019), co starring with Karthi. In 2022, Vikram who bridges two films occurring in the same universe starring Kamal Haasan, Vijay Sethupathi, and Fahadh Faasil.

## Early and personal life

Narain completed his pre-degree from St. Thomas College, Thrissur and graduated from Sree Kerala Varma College. He did his diploma in cinematography at the MGR Government Film And Television Institute. He joined ace cinematographer Rajiv Menon and later resigned to try for chances in acting. On 26 August 2007, he married Malayalam television host Manju Haridas. Manju had hosted shows like Superstar Junior and sang in Chithiram Pesuthadi, a Tamil film in which Narain acted. The couple has two children, a daughter born in 2008 and a son born in 2022.

## Filmography

Key :
| † | Denotes films that have not yet been released |
| Year | Title | Role | Language | Notes |
| 2002 | Nizhalkuthu | Muthu | Malayalam | Credited as Sunil Kumar |
| 2004 | 4 the People | Rajan Mathew IPS | Malayalam | Credited as Sunil Kumar |
| 2004 | Yuvasena | Sharat Chandra | Telugu | Credited as Suresh Menon |
| 2005 | Achuvinte Amma | Adv. Emmanuel John | Malayalam | Credited as Sunil Kumar |
| 2005 | Annorikal | Benny | Malayalam | Credited as Sunil Kumar |
| 2005 | By the People | Rajan Mathew IPS | Malayalam | Credited as Sunil Kumar |
| 2005 | Sheelabathi | Dr. Jeevan | Malayalam | Credited as Sunil Kumar |
| 2006 | Chithiram Pesuthadi | Thiru | Tamil | |
| 2006 | Classmates | Murali | Malayalam | |
| 2006 | Nenjirukkum Varai | Ganesan | Tamil | |
| 2007 | Panthaya Kozhi | Nandagopal | Malayalam | |
| 2007 | Pallikoodam | Vetrivel IAS | Tamil | |
| 2008 | Anjathe | SI Sathyavan | Tamil | Nominated, Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Tamil |
| 2008 | Ore Kadal | Jayakumar | Malayalam | |
| 2008 | Minnaminnikoottam | Abhilash | Malayalam | |
| 2009 | Bhagyadevatha | Sajan Joseph | Malayalam | |
| 2009 | Robin Hood | CID Alexander Felix | Malayalam | |
| 2011 | Thambikottai | Azhagiri Sundaram | Tamil | |
| 2011 | Ko | Himself | Tamil | Special appearance |
| 2011 | Veeraputhran | Mohammed Abdul Rahiman | Malayalam | |
| 2012 | Grandmaster | Kishore IPS | Malayalam | |
| 2012 | Mugamoodi | Anguchamy / Dragon | Tamil | Nominated, SIIMA Award for Best Actor in a Negative Role Nominated, Vijay Award for Best Villain |
| 2012 | Ayalum Njanum Thammil | Dr. Vivek | Malayalam | |
| 2012 | The Hitlist | Dr. Lewis | Malayalam | Cameo |
| 2013 | Proprietors: Kammath & Kammath | IRS officer Suresh | Malayalam | Cameo |
| 2013 | 3 Dots | Dr. Isaac Samuel | Malayalam | |
| 2013 | Aaru Sundarimaarude Katha | Sreekumar | Malayalam | |
| 2013 | Red Rain | Jay | Malayalam | |
| 2014 | Njangalude Veettile Athidhikal | Raj Menon | Malayalam | |
| 2015 | Kaththukkutti | Arivazhagan | Tamil | |
| 2016 | Hallelooya | Dr. Roy | Malayalam | |
| 2016 | Angane Thanne Nethave Anchettennam Pinnale | Karthika Perumal | Malayalam | |
| 2016 | Kavi Uddheshichathu..? | Vattathil Bosco | Malayalam | |
| 2017 | Rum | Inspector Praveen Thomas | Tamil | |
| 2017 | Adam Joan | Cyriac | Malayalam | |
| 2018 | Police Junior | Sai Ram | Malayalam | |
| 2018 | U Turn | Ritesh | Tamil Telugu | |
| 2018 | Odiyan | Prakashan | Malayalam | |
| 2019 | Pengalila | Vinod | Malayalam | |
| 2019 | Madhura Raja | SI Balachandran | Malayalam | Cameo |
| 2019 | Marconi Mathai | CI Eesho Tharakan | Malayalam |
| 2019 | Kaithi | Inspector Bejoy | Tamil | |
| 2019 | Champion | Santha | Tamil | |
| 2022 | Vikram | Inspector Bejoy | Tamil | |
| 2022 | Ente Mazha | Un­known | Malayalam | |
| 2022 | Yugi | Nandakumar | Tamil | Bilingual film |
| 2022 | Adrishyam | Nandakumar | Malayalam | Bilingual film |
| 2023 | 2018 | Winston | Malayalam | |
| 2023 | Gandeevadhari Arjuna | Ajit Chandra | Telugu | |
| 2023 | 800 | Master | Tamil | |
| 2023 | Iraivan | ACP Andrew | Tamil | |
| 2023 | Queen Elizabeth | Alex | Malayalam | |
| 2024 | Devara: Part 1 | Irfan | Telugu | |
| 2024 | Manorathangal | Prabhakaran | Malayalam | Anthology series; segment: Kazhcha |
| 2025 | Kural † | TBA | Tamil | Delayed |
| 2025 | Nodikku Nodi † | TBA | Tamil | Delayed |
| 2025 | Jana Nayagan † | TBA | Tamil | Filming |

## Awards and nominations
### Nominations

* 2007 Filmfare Awards South – Best supporting actor – (Classmates)
* 2010 Filmfare Awards South – Best Supporting Actor – (Robinhood)
* 2012 – Best Actor in a Negative Role (Mugamoodi)
* 2021 South Indian International Movie Awards – Best Supporting actor – (Kaithi)