Karu Palaniappan

Karu Palaniappan
Born (1972-03-06) 6 March 1972 (age 52)[1]
Kanadukathan, Tamil Nadu, India
Occupation(s)Actor, director, journalist,host
Years active2003–present
SpousePia

Karuppaih Palaniappan is an Indian film director, actor, and television host who works in the Tamil film industry.[2] He has also hosted the show Thamizha Thamizha on Zee Tamil.

Biography

Palaniappan hails from Karaikudi. His parents are Chinna Karuppaiya and Thirumathi Naagammai, and Palaniappan is the eldest among their three children.

Books appealed to Palaniappan right from childhood. His father Chinna Karuppiah, a trader, is an ardent reader. He showed interest in reading classics of popular writers like Kannadasan, Jayakanthan, and Ashokamitran. Following the saying ‘Like father like son’, Palaniappan inherited this ‘love of reading’ from his father right from childhood.

Palaniappan's passion for reading books spread its wings to learning languages, writing, acting and elocution. His innate style of starting midway through a debate and expressing his thoughts with eloquence, charismatically grabbing the attention of the audience and keeping them spellbound, winning their applause and admiration presented him with countless trophies, certificates and accolades.

After his schooling in Madurai Seventh Day Adventist, Palaniappan studied English Literature in the renowned American College, Madurai (undergrad) and mastered in Literature in Madurai Thiyagaraja College. His intense pursuit of Tamil literature secured him the covetable student training course in Vikatan Group of Magazines.

Palaniappan sustained reading and movie-watching with zest and zeal created an affiliation to cinema within himself, thus inspiring his first toddler steps into Kollywood in 1994. Though he is acclaimed as director Parthiban's protégé, Palaniappan worked under two other directors. With Parthiban, he worked in Pullakuttikaran and Housefull. His grey cells contributed to director Dharani's stories that did not get transformed into films in the sandwiched time frame between the latter's films Edhirum Pudhirum and Dhill. He worked under director Ezhil in Thulladha Manamum Thullum, Pennin Manathai Thottu, and Poovellam Un Vasam.

Career

Directing

Palaniappan's directorial debut was Parthiban Kanavu, starring Srikanth and Sneha.[3] The film become one of the biggest hits of the year.[4] Palaniappan's second film, Sivappathigaram, starring Vishal, released in 2006. His 2008 film Pirivom Santhippom, received positive reviews.[5] His fourth directorial film, Mandhira Punnagai, saw him making his debut as a hero.[6] His second film with Srikanth called Sadhurangam, was finished in 2006 and remained unreleased for a long time. At last, the film released in 2011.[7] Srikanth's character in the film was named after Thirupathisamy, a film director and Palaniappan's close friend who died in 2001. Palaniappan later directed the 2013 film Jannal Oram, a remake of the Malayalam film Ordinary.[8]

Acting

Palaniappan started his acting career playing uncredited roles in films such as Housefull, Thulladha Manamum Thullum, and Pennin Manathai Thottu. He made his lead debut in his film Mandhira Punnagai, where he played the protagonist. 2019 saw him acting in a negative role in the movie Natpe Thunai.[9] In 2022, he played the lead role in Kallan, a supporting role in D Block, and an antagonistic role in Nadhi. He acted in a supporting role in the 2023 film Yaadhum Oore Yaavarum Kelir.

Unfinished projects

In 2005, Palaniappan began work on a film with Dhanush and Gopika in lead roles, titled Ashokamithran, but the film ran production troubles and was subsequently shelved.[10] He later began work on that film in 2012 with a new crew and Arulnithi in the lead role; however, after two months of shooting, the film was again cancelled. The director and actor tried to revive the project in late 2013, but were again unsuccessful.[11][12] Likewise, another project, a family drama Pandiya Vamsam starring Ameer and Rajkiran, was called off soon after production started.[13]

In 2016, Palaniappan spent time on pre-production for a film titled Gramophone featuring Madhavan and Rajkiran in the lead roles. Despite working on it for a year, the film failed to materialise owing to Madhavan's busy schedule.[14] In September 2017, he announced his next film would be a political thriller film titled Pugazhenthi Enum Naan featuring Arulnithi and Bindu Madhavi.[15]

Personal life

Palaniappan is married to Pia and has two children, a daughter Iniya and son Dhaya.[16]

Filmography

Year Film Director Actor Role Notes
1999 Housefull No Yes Journalist uncredited role
1999 Thulladha Manamum Thullum No Yes Auto driver uncredited role
2000 Pennin Manathai Thottu No Yes Man giving change in telephone booth (in climax) uncredited role
2003 Parthiban Kanavu Yes No Winner, State Award for Best Director
2006 Sivappathigaram Yes No
2008 Pirivom Santhippom Yes No
2010 Mandhira Punnagai Yes Yes Kathir
2011 Sadhurangam Yes No Winner, State Award for Best Script Writer
2013 Jannal Oram Yes No
2019 Natpe Thunai No Yes Harichandran
2022 Kallan No Yes Velu
Nadhi No Yes
D Block No Yes College owner
2023 Yaadhum Oore Yaavarum Kelir No Yes Arumugam
TBA Aandavar Yes No

Television

Year Show language Network Notes
2018–March 2023 Tamizha Tamizha Tamil Zee Tamizh Talk show presenter
July 2023- April 2024[17] Vaa Tamizha Vaa Tamil Kalaignar TV Talk show presenter

Awards

  • Best Director Award

Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Director for Parthiban Kanavu – 2003

  • Best Story Writer Award

Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Sadhurangam – 2011

References

  1. ^ "TANTIS". tamilfilmdirectorsassociation.com. Archived from the original on 23 October 2012. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  2. ^ "Kollywood's Top 25 Directors – Directors – Vetrimaran Balaji Sakthivel Lingusamy Vasanth Karu Pazhaniappan Simbudevan". Behindwoods.com. Archived from the original on 21 September 2008. Retrieved 6 November 2008.
  3. ^ "சவால்தானே வாழ்கை!" (PDF). Kalki (in Tamil). 27 July 2003. pp. 72–74. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
  4. ^ "Maiden success". The Hindu. 9 June 2003. Archived from the original on 27 March 2023. Retrieved 27 March 2023 – via www.thehindu.com.
  5. ^ "Pirivom Sandippom, a sincere effort". Archived from the original on 27 March 2023. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
  6. ^ "Mandhira Punnagai". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 27 March 2023. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
  7. ^ "Sathurangam Review – Sathurangam Movie Review". Archived from the original on 22 February 2013. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
  8. ^ "Jannal Oram (aka) Jannal Oram review". Behindwoods. 29 November 2013. Archived from the original on 5 December 2013. Retrieved 12 December 2013.
  9. ^ "Natpe Thunai". The Times of India. 4 April 2019. Archived from the original on 27 March 2023. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  10. ^ "Name game". Tamil Guardian. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 9 November 2015.
  11. ^ "Arulnidhi's Film In Trouble - Arulnidhi - Ashokamitran - Tamil Movie News". Behindwoods.com. 21 April 2012. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 9 August 2022.
  12. ^ "Karu's Pazhaniappan's Ashokamitran to be resumed finally ?". Cineulagam. Archived from the original on 9 June 2015. Retrieved 10 November 2015.
  13. ^ "Karu Palaniappan's next 'Pandiya Vamsam' with Ameer". Archived from the original on 1 July 2016. Retrieved 10 November 2015.
  14. ^ "Madhavan to share screen space with Rajkiran". chennaivision. 3 June 2016. Archived from the original on 3 June 2016. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
  15. ^ "Arulnithi to play the lead role in a poltical sattire [sic]". The Times of India. 16 August 2017. Archived from the original on 19 November 2018. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
  16. ^ Biography Archived 21 July 2017 at the Wayback Machine. Karupalaniappan.com. Retrieved on 2012-02-22.
  17. ^ "Karu. Palaniappan announces his exit from 'Vaa Tamizha Vaa'; actor Aari Arjunan to host the debate show". The Times of India. 5 April 2024. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2 July 2024.