Maniyanpilla Raju
Indian actor and producer From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sudheer Kumar (born 20 April 1955), better known by his stage name Maniyanpilla Raju (Malayalam: മണിയൻപിള്ള രാജു), is an Indian actor and producer who works in Malayalam film industry.[4][5] His debut film was Mohiniyaattam in 1976. He has played a variety of roles as a character actor, appearing in over 400 films.[6] His stage name was derived from the character he played in the film Maniyanpilla Adhava Maniyanpilla (1981), his break-through role.[7]
Maniyanpilla Raju | |
|---|---|
| Born | Sudheer Kumar 20 April 1955[1][2] Thycaud, Thiruvananthapuram, India |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Alma mater | M.G.R. Government Film and Television Training Institute |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1976–present |
| Spouse | Indira |
| Children | Sachin & Niranj[3] |
| Parents |
|
Early life
Raju was born as the youngest among four in 1955 to Shekharan Nair and Saraswati Amma at Thycaud, Thiruvanathapuram. He has two sisters, Ramani and Radha, and a brother Surendran.[8] He had his primary education from Government Model Boys Higher Secondary School, Thiruvanathapuram. He did his pre-degree in Victory Tutorial College.[2] He learned diploma in acting course during 1973–1975 from Adyar Film Institute, Madras (now Chennai).[9]
Personal life
Maniyanpilla Raju married Indira in 1985, and the couple have two sons, Sachin and Niranj. The younger son, Niranj, made his debut in Renjith's Black Butterfly.[10] He wrote a book titled Chirichum Chirippichum containing his memoirs in 2012. In 2019, he opened a restaurant, Be@Kiwizo, in Kannur, which is Kerala's first restaurant to use robots to serve customers.[11]
Filmography
As an actor
1970s
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | Mohiniyaattam | Job hunter | |
| Light House | Thankamma's brother | ||
| Chirikkudukka | |||
| 1977 | Neethipeedam | ||
| Aval Oru Devaalayam | |||
| 1978 | Mudramothiram | Kuttappan | |
| Jayikkaanaay Janichavan | Tharakan's sidekick | ||
| Kanalkattakal | Man at mental hospital | ||
| Kanyaka | |||
| Mattoru Karnan | |||
| Thiranottam | |||
| Aaravam | |||
| 1979 | Maalika Paniyunnavar | Ouseph | |
1980s
1990s
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Kadathanadan Ambadi | Kandasseri | |
| Aye Auto | Thangu | ||
| Malayogom | Dr. Sudhakaran | ||
| Kouthuka Varthakal | Ramamoorthy | ||
| His Highness Abdullah | Raja Raja Varma | ||
| Pavam Pavam Rajakumaran | Gangadharan | ||
| Akkare Akkare Akkare | Gopi | ||
| No.20 Madras Mail | Hitchcock Kanjikuzhi | ||
| 1991 | Ganamela | Kannan | |
| Adhwaytham | Chithran Nampoothiri | ||
| Aakasha Kottayile Sultan | Murali | ||
| Anaswaram | |||
| 1992 | Kizhakkan Pathrose | Mathai | |
| Kudumbasametham | Sreedharan Kurup | ||
| Kallan Kappalil Thanne | Adv. Jose Kurien | ||
| Aham | Marfee Markose | ||
| Vasudha | |||
| Johnnie Walker | Professor | ||
| Neelakurukkan | |||
| Thalastaanam | Narendran Pillai | ||
| Ellarum Chollanu | Mani | ||
| Ayalathe Adheham | Achuthan Singh | ||
| 1993 | Sthalathe Pradhana Payyans | Thankachan | |
| Ekalavyan | Chandran Vallappuzha | ||
| Kudumbasneham | |||
| Chenkol | Najeeb | ||
| Butterflies | Krishnan Eradi | ||
| Paithrukam | |||
| Mafia | |||
| Devasuram | Bharathan | ||
| 1994 | Ponthan Mada | ||
| Rudraksham | Appu | ||
| Kudumba Vishesham | Prasad M. Nair | ||
| Commissioner | Gopinathan | ||
| CID Unnikrishnan B.A., B.Ed. | Prem Shankar | ||
| Minnaram | 'Mazhuvan' Manikantan / Lassar | ||
| Cabinet | Razzak | ||
| 1995 | Simhavalan Menon | Patrick | |
| Spadikam | Kunju Mohammad | ||
| Rajakeeyam | Pushpangathan | ||
| Agnidevan | Poojari Potti Kunju | ||
| Aadyathe Kanmani | Dineshan Unnithan | ||
| Oru Abhibhashakante Case Diary | Unni Thampuran | ||
| 1996 | Sathyabhamakkoru Premalekhanam | Shambu | |
| Mahathma | Attorney Koshy | ||
| Kala Pani | Nair | ||
| Aayiram Naavulla Ananthan | Madhavan | ||
| 1997 | Sayaamees Irattakal | ||
| Asuravamsam | Inspector | ||
| Chandralekha | |||
| Oru Yathramozhi | |||
| Aaraam Thampuran | Soman Pillai | ||
| Kannur | |||
| Bharatheeyam | |||
| Ullasapoongattu | Kuriyachan | ||
| Lelam | Umman | ||
| Kottappurathe Koottukudumbam | Mahadevan | ||
| Janathipathyam | SI Abootty | ||
| 1998 | Aaraam Jaalakam | ||
| Poothiruvathira Ravil | |||
| Thirakalkkappuram | |||
| Anuragakottaram | Private Detective Hentry | ||
| Harikrishnans | Kunjikuttan's Advocate | ||
| Kallu Kondoru Pennu | Mohanachandran | ||
| 1999 | F. I. R. | CI Gurumoorthy | |
| Kannezhuthi Pottum Thottu | Mulaku | ||
| Stalin Sivadas | Mayor Anto | ||
| Ustaad | Adv. Abraham | ||
| Pallavur Devanarayanan | Manavedathan Nampoothiri | ||
| The Godman | SI Karippetti Marthandan | ||
2000s
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Sahayathrikakku Snehapoorvam | ||
| Narasimham | CI Habeeb | ||
| Swayamvara Panthal | S.I Vijayan | ||
| Sathyameva Jayathe | SI George | ||
| Pilots | Venkidi | ||
| 2001 | Sharja To Sharja | Sethu | |
| Naranathu Thampuran | Mohandas | ||
| Raavanaprabhu | Cameo | ||
| Suryachakram | |||
| Nariman | Moytheen | ||
| 2002 | Thandavam | Pushpakumar | |
| Chathurangam | Alex | ||
| 2003 | Sahodaran Sahadevan | Balagopalan | |
| Leader | Sadasivan | ||
| 2004 | Njan Salperu Ramankutty | Sankaran | |
| Kottaram Vaidyan | Thirumukham Pillai | ||
| Vamanapuram Bus Route | Rajappan | ||
| Kerala House Udan Vilpanakku | Pisharadi | ||
| Udayam | |||
| Mayilattam | Swaminathan | ||
| 2005 | Chandrolsavam | C.I. Sugathan | |
| Rajamanikyam | Adv. Shivadaas Menon | ||
| Anandabhadram | Police Constable | ||
| 2006 | Prajapathi | Kumaran | |
| The Don | Abdullah | ||
| Pothan Vava | Paulachan | ||
| 2007 | Pranayakalam | ||
| Chotta Mumbai | Adv. Menon | ||
| Big B | Dr. Venu | ||
| Nasrani | Kunjachan | ||
| Akkare Ninnoru Sultan | |||
| Janmam | |||
| 2008 | Pakal Nakshatrangal | Tharakan | |
| One Way Ticket | |||
| Malabar Wedding | Unni | ||
| Sound of Boot | Antony | ||
| Annan Thampi | Appu's and Achu's uncle | ||
| Twenty:20 | SI Gopi | ||
| Thalappavu | Shivan Pillai | ||
| 2009 | Red Chillies | SI Palaniswamy | |
| Perumaal | |||
| Evidam Swargamanu | Adv. Jayaraj | ||
| Shudharil Shudhan | Kanaran | ||
| Dr. Patient | Shankaran | ||
| Calendar | Fr. Thazhekkadan | ||
| Duplicate | Devan | ||
| Kerala Cafe | |||
| Gulumaal: The Escape | Rangaswami / Ahammedkutty | ||
2010s
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Kanmazha Peyyum Munpe | ||
| Plus Two | Avarachan | ||
| Happy Husbands | Pazhakutti Pavithran | ||
| Oru Naal Varum | Ramesh | ||
| Elsamma Enna Aankutty | S.I. Sunandappan | ||
| 2011 | Kudumbasree Travels | Nettar | |
| Ninnishtam Ennishtam 2 | |||
| Oru Marubhoomikkadha | Jose | ||
| Rathinirvedam | Pattalam Maman | ||
| Innanu Aa Kalyanam | Kuttichan | ||
| Vellaripravinte Changathi | Preman | ||
| Kunjettan | |||
| Sevenes | Habeebullah | ||
| 2012 | Thalsamayam Oru Penkutty | Ayyappan | |
| Da Thadiya | John Prakash | ||
| Simhasanam | |||
| Diamond Necklace | V. K. Narayana Menon | ||
| Ustad Hotel | Chef Babu | ||
| Kunjaliyan | Vikrama Kurup | ||
| Cobra: Kottayam Brothers | Balan | ||
| 2013 | Ardhanaari | Jameela | [12] |
| Black Butterfly | Mahadevan | ||
| Radio | Priya's father | ||
| Lokpal | Minister Anirudhan | ||
| Second Innings | |||
| Tourist Home | Sathyanathan | ||
| Idukki Gold | Madan | ||
| Namboothiri Yuvavu @ 43 | Jayanthan Namboothiri | ||
| 2014 | Samsaaram Aarogyathinu Haanikaram | Prabhakaran Thanchappuzha | |
| My Dear Mummy | |||
| Thamarassery to Thailand | |||
| Bad Boys | |||
| Close Friends | |||
| Munnariyippu | |||
| Rosappookkaalam | |||
| Bangalore Days | Prakash | ||
| Tamaar Padaar | |||
| 2015 | Thinkal Muthal Velli Vare | C. I. Dhanapalan | |
| Premam | College Principal | ||
| Acha Dhin | SI Soman | ||
| Oru Second Class Yathra | ASI Johnson | ||
| Kanyaka Talkies | Sadanandan | ||
| Kukkiliyar | Raveendran | ||
| 2016 | Paavada | Adv. Gunasekharan Nair | |
| Ore Mukham | Older Ayyappadas | ||
| Anuraga Karikkin Vellam | Prakash Kopara | ||
| Karinkunnam 6's | Pillai | ||
| Kochavva Paulo Ayyappa Coelho | Himself | ||
| 2017 | Sakhavu | Rajan | |
| Comrade in America | Babychan | ||
| Pullikkaran Staraa | Murali Nambiar | ||
| Adam Joan | Andrews | ||
| Lavakusha | |||
| 2018 | Shikkari Shambhu | Sahadevan | |
| Mohanlal | Himself | ||
| Panchavarnathatha | Abraham | ||
| My Story | Vishwan | ||
| 2019 | Pathinettam Padi | Sudheer Kumar | |
| Finals | Sports Minister Siva Shankara Pillai | ||
| Ganagandharvan | Kuttan | ||
| Thelivu | |||
2020s
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Viddikalude Maash | ||
| Varayan | Isthaakki | ||
| 2023 | Poovan | [13] | |
| Maheshum Marutiyum | Padmanabhan 'Pappettan' | [14] | |
| Enkilum Chandrike | Shambu | ||
| Corona Papers | Pillai | [15] | |
| Neymar | [16] | ||
| 2024 | Iyer In Arabia | [17] | |
| Gu | [18] | ||
| Kudumbasthreeyum Kunjadum | [19] | ||
| Paalum Pazhavum | Tamarakshan | [20] | |
| 2025 | Thudarum † | TBA | [21] |
| TBA | Bha. Bha. Ba. † | TBA | [22] |
As producer
- Hello My Dear Wrong Number (1985)
- Vellanakalude Nadu (1988)
- Aye Auto (1990)
- Anaswaram (1991)
- Kannezhuthi Pottum Thottu (1999)
- Anandabhadram (2005)
- Chotta Mumbai (2007)
- Oru Naal Varum (2010)
- Black Butterfly (2013)
- Pavada (2016)
- Panchavarnathatha (2018)
- Finals (2019)
- Maheshum Marutiyum (2023)[14]
- Gu (2024)
Web series
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Jai Mahendran | Koshy Thomas Revenue Minister | [23] |
Television
As judge
- Comedy Super Show (Flowers Tv)
- Comedy Stars Plus (Asianet Plus)
- Comedy Stars Season 2 (Asianet)
- Comedy Stars (Asianet)
As host
- Beautiful minds (YouTube)
- Laughing Villa (Surya TV)
- Malayali Durbar[5] (Amrita TV)
- Jambanum Thumbanum (Asianet Plus)
As actor
- Ettu Sundarikalum Njanum (Surya TV) 2004-2005
- Mahatma Gandhi Colony (Surya TV) 2007-2008
- Kadamattathu Kathanar (Asianet)- 2004-2005
- Sthree (Asianet) 1998-2000
- Laksharchana (Doordarshan) 1995-1996
- Aarohanam (Kairali TV) 2013-2014
- Akshayapatram (Asianet)- 2001-2002
Controversy
Actress Minu Muneer accused Maniyanpilla Raju of harassment. He later denied it and said he would be fine with the investigations if true.[24]
References
External links
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