Goundamani

Subramaniyan Karuppaiya (born 25 May 1939 ), known by his stage name Goundamani, is an Indian actor and comedian who works in Tamil cinema. He is known for his comic duo partnership in Tamil films with fellow actor Senthil. The pair dominated the Tamil industry as comedians in the 1980s and 90s.

Popularly known as "Counter Mani" because he specialised in giving counterarguments, he was called Goundamani as a misconception by actor/director K. Bhagyaraj and the pseudonym stuck. He has the ability to give counterarguments on the spot and off the script on stage and during shooting. He was at his peak of his career as a comedian in Tamil cinema for nearly 40 years. Despite his popularity, Goundamani is known for being a social recluse.

Early life Goundamani was born as Subramaniyan on 25 May 1939 in a Muthuraja family at Vallakundapuram, a village near Udumalaipettai in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India.

Career On having interest in acting, he went to Chennai and initially started acting in theatre dramas and then entered into the Tamil film industry (Kollywood) due to his strong theatrical background. He portrayed a role of Ramasamy Gounder in an play and many started to call him Gounder which led him to add it to his real name Mani and named himself Goundamani.

He made his film acting debut in Server Sundaram where he featured in a minor and uncredited role as a driver. He made his full-fledged debut in 1977 film 16 Vayathinile where he played the role of Rajinikanth's sidekick. His role in the 1977 P. Bharathiraja directorial was also Goundamani's first credited role in his film career.

Goundamani has played lead roles in a few films during his career, but is predominantly a supporting actor playing comedy roles. While performing roles of a solo comedian in films, he often co-starred with Senthil to form a comedy duo. The pair was described as "Tamil cinema's Laurel and Hardy" and have performed slapstick humour in many Tamil films from the mid-1980s until the early 2000s. Both of them are also remembered as partners-in-crime and also known for their chemistry.

Both Goundamani and Senthil were critically acclaimed for their career defining performance in Gangai Amaren's directorial Karakattakkaran (1989). Karakattakaran also coincidentally marked Goundamani and Senthil's 100th film as comedians together. Goundamani's phrases in one of the comedy scenes featured in Karakattakaran, "Adhu enda enna pathu andha kelvi ketta?" when Senthil asked him "Intha cara vachiruntha Sopanasundhariya yaaru vaichiruka" became the highlight of the film and later became viral internet memes.

Goundamani's comedy scene from Thangamana Raasa (1989) is also best remembered by critics for dreaming of singing under the music of Ilaiyaraja when he was spending a jail term for petty crime. His one line phrases "Start the music", "Arasiyal la ithellam saatharnamappa" and "Kosu thollai thaanga mudiyala pa" which featured in the 1992 film Suriyan also later became a viral meme and trendsetter in Internet. In 2025, his political comedy film Otha Votu Muthaiya was released. With his impeccable comic timing and charismatic screen presence, Goundamani once again proves why he remains an iconic figure in Tamil cinema.

Filmography 1960s

1970s Sigappu Rojakal Manager 1979 Anandam Enndru Arambam Puthiya Vaarpugal Ammavasai Suvarilladha Chiththirangal Kaliyannan

1980s

1990s

2000s

2010s

2020s