# Rajkiran

Mohideen Abdul Khadar, known by his stage name Rajkiran, is an Indian actor, producer and director, who has acted in more than 30 Tamil films. He won one Filmfare Award South and four Tamil Nadu State Film Awards in his career.

## Early life

Rajkiran was born as J. Mohideen Abdul Khadar on 16 March 1949 at Keelakarai into a Muslim family.

## Career

Rajkiran began his film career by producing two Ramarajan starrer films and in one of them he appeared in a brief role. In 1991, he produced and acted in the lead role in Kasthuri Raja's debut film, En Rasavin Manasile which had a silver jubilee run. He won the Tamil Nadu State Film Award Special Prize and the Cinema Express – Best New Face Award for his performance. He directed, produced and acted in lead role in Aranmanai Kili (1993) and Ellame En Rasathan (1995), which also had silver jubilee runs. In 1996, he acted in Manikkam which was an average grosser at the box-office. The following year, he worked in Pasamulla Pandiyare. The film turned out to be a box office failure. In mid-1998, he appeared in Ponnu Velayira Bhoomi and made a guest appearance in Kasthuri Raja's Veera Thalattu. At the end of 1998, he acted in the critically well received Thalaimurai.
Following a three-year hiatus, he returned as an actor in Bala's Nandha and in Cheran's Pandavar Bhoomi. Both were critically and commercially successful. He won the Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Sandakozhi (2005) and Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor – Tamil for Thavamai Thavamirundhu (2005). He acted in Muni (2007) as the titular ghost Muniyaandi.
He later appeared in the movies Kaavalan (2011), Ponnar Shankar (2011), Venghai (2011) and Thiruthani (2012). He has also featured in many TV commercials. He refused to do a dhoti advertisement which created headlines in 2015. He acted in lead role in the movie Pa Paandi in 2017 directed by Dhanush. He debuted in Malayalam with the film Shylock (2020) with Mammootty in a character named Ayyannar.

## Personal life

Rajkiran was initially married to Chellamma, but the couple divorced in 2022. He later married Padmaja, with whom he has a son.

## Filmography

| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
| 1989 | Enne Petha Raasa | Johnny | Debut as actor |
| 1991 | En Rasavin Manasile | Mayandi | Debut as hero Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Film (Second) Tamil Nadu State Film Award Special Prize (Actor) |
| 1993 | Aranmanai Kili | Raasaiyya | |
| 1994 | Ravanan | Himself | Cameo appearance |
| 1995 | Ellame En Rasathan | Singarasu | |
| 1996 | Manikkam | Manikkam | |
| 1997 | Pasamulla Pandiyare | Pandiyan | |
| 1998 | Ponnu Velayira Bhoomi | Palanisamy | |
| 1998 | Thalaimurai | Pandithurai | |
| 1998 | Veera Thalattu | Pandian's father | |
| 2001 | Nandha | Periyavar | Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Supporting Actor |
| 2001 | Pandavar Bhoomi | Dhanasekaran | Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Supporting Actor |
| 2002 | Kadhal Virus | Himself | Cameo appearance |
| 2003 | Konji Pesalaam | Muthupandi | |
| 2004 | Jai | Nallamuthu | |
| 2004 | Kovil | Periyasamy | |
| 2005 | Sandakozhi | Dorai | Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Supporting Actor |
| 2005 | Sevvel | Sudalai | |
| 2005 | Thavamai Thavamirundhu | Muthaiah | Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor – Tamil |
| 2007 | Kireedam | Rajarajan | |
| 2007 | Muni | Muniyandi | |
| 2007 | Thottal Poo Malarum | Varadharaja Vaandiyar | |
| 2011 | Kaavalan | Muthuramalingam | |
| 2011 | Ponnar Shankar | Raaki Annan | |
| 2011 | Venghai | Veera Pandi | |
| 2012 | Thiruthani | Duraipandi | |
| 2014 | Manjapai | Venkatasamy | |
| 2015 | Komban | Muthaiah | |
| 2015 | Sivappu | Konaar | |
| 2016 | Rajini Murugan | Ayankalai | |
| 2017 | Pa Paandi | Paandian Pazhanisami | Nominated, Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Tamil |
| 2018 | Sandakozhi 2 | Dorai | |
| 2020 | Shylock | Ayyanar | Malayalam film Distributor for Tamil version |
| 2022 | Viruman | Niraipandiyan Thevar | |
| 2022 | Pattathu Arasan | Poththaari | |
| 2024 | Meiyazhagan | Sudalamuthu a.k.a 'Sokku Mama' | |
| 2025 | Vaa Vaathiyaare | TBA | Filming |
| 2025 | Idly Kadai | TBA | Filming |

### Off-screen roles

| Year | Film | Credited as | Credited as | Credited as | Notes |
| Year | Film | Director | Writer | Producer | Notes |
| 1988 | Raasave Unnai Nambi | N | N | Y | |
| 1989 | Enne Petha Raasa | N | Y | Y | |
| 1991 | En Rasavin Manasile | N | N | Y | |
| 1993 | Aranmanai Kili | Y | Y | Y | Directorial debut film |
| 1995 | Ellame En Rasathan | Y | Y | Y | |