Mahendran

Mahendran is an Indian actor, who works predominantly in Tamil and Telugu-language films apart from a few Malayalam films. He started acting at the age of 3 and has appeared in over 100 films in six languages as a child actor, a record in India. He is a recipient of two Tamil Nadu State Film Awards and two Nandi Awards.

In 2013 he played the lead in Vizha, which was his breakthrough as an adult actor.

Career Mahendran made his debut with K. S. Ravikumar's Nattamai (1994). He twice won the Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Child Artist, for Thaikulame Thaikulame (1995) and Kumbakonam Gopalu (1998). He also twice won the Nandi Award for Best Child Actor, for Devi (1999) and Little Hearts (2001).

The actor made his breakthrough as a hero when he starred alongside Malavika Menon in Vizha (2013), directed by Barathi Balakumaran. The film is based on the award-winning short film Uthiri, and portrays the love story of Mahendran's character Sundaram, who plays the thappu instrument at funerals, and Rakkamma (Malavika), an oppari singer. The film opened to positive reviews in December 2013. His first Telugu film, First Love (2014) opposite Amrita Rao released on the same day, with a low key release. His other acting credits include Vindhai (2015), Viraivil Isai (2015), Thittivasal (2017) and Naadodi Kanavu (2018). He played the lead role in Telegu film, Asalu Em Jarigindhante (2020).

He gained renewed prominence when he played a young Bhavani in Lokesh Kanagaraj’s Master (2021). He pushes boundaries and works on films that show him in a different light. He have worked on a love story in Vizha (2013), a comedy drama in Namma Oorukku Ennadhan Achu (2021), and a horror film in Ripupbury (2023). He was seen in the Disney+ Hotstar web series Label (2023). Mahendran plays a gangster in the action thriller, Amigo Garage (2024).

Filmography

Child artist + List of Mahendran child artist film credits Year Film RoleLanguage Notes 1994 Nattamai Boy at panchayat Tamil Uncredited 1995 Pedarayudu Boy at panchayat Telugu Thaikulame Thaikulame Pandiyan's biological son and Janaki's adopted son Tamil —Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Child Artist Muthu Tribal Uncredited 1996 Mahaprabhu Young boy in the slum Parambarai Young Paramasivan Coimbatore Mappillai Sumithra's neighbor Senathipathi 1997 Vaimaye Vellum Young Raja Mappillai Gounder Young Subramani Pelli Chesukundam Telugu Aahaa..! Ajay Tamil 1998 Kondattam Mahendran Thulli Thirintha Kaalam Market worker Kaathala Kaathala Orphan child Natpukkaga Young Chinnaiyya En Uyir Nee Thaane Rajasekhar's son Aahaa..! Ajay Telugu Kumbakonam Gopalu L. Krishna/Ramakrishnan/Rajasekhar Tamil —Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Child Artist Sivappu Nila Muthu Manikkam 1999 Suriya Paarvai Vijay Devi Young Dantra Telugu —Nandi Award for Best Child Actor Padayappa guest at Anitha's wedding Tamil Uncredited Poomagal Oorvalam Saravanan Nee Varuvai Ena Minsara Kanna Vetri Mudhalvan Thirupathi Ezhumalai Venkatesa Udayappa Paattali Young Shanmugam 2000 Sudhandhiram Maayi Young Maiyaandi Mugavaree A child on the beach 2001 Nageswari Nanjappa Ammayi Kosam Tea supplier boy Telugu Mohanayanangal The Young Evil MonkMalayalam Simharasi Young Narasimharaju Telugu Viswanathan Ramamoorthy Mahendran Tamil Asokavanam Rahul Little Hearts Deva Telugu —Nandi Award for Best Child Actor 2002 Nee Sneham Boy running in background Uncredited 2003 Magic Magic 3D Indrajeet's friend Tamil Simhadri Blind Shoeshiner Telugu Aalukkoru Aasai Saravanan Tamil 2006 Nenjirukkum Varai Murugan

Adult actor

+ List of Mahendran adult film credits Year Film RoleLanguage Notes 2010 Jaggubhai Mohan Tamil Mudhal Kadhal Mazhai Aanjaneyar Kumar 2013 Vizha Sundaram 2014 First Love Telugu Endrume Anandham Subbu Tamil 2015 Vindhai Karthi Viraivil Isai Susi 2017 Thittivasal Muthu 2018 Naadodi Kanavu Marudhu 2020 Asalu Em Jarigindhante Vasu Telugu 2021 Master Young Bhavani Tamil Chidambaram Railway Gate Velu Namma Oorukku Ennadhan Achu Nalla Thambi 2022 Maaran Bharath 2023 Ripupbury Sathyaraj Kathar Basha Endra Muthuramalingam Young Kaluvan 2024 Amigo Garage Rudra Super Zindagi Javed Malayalam 2025 Karmanye Vadhikaraste Jai Telugu Unpaarvaiyil Ajay (Anil) Tamil Released on Sun NXT 2026 Nilakanta Nilakanta Telugu 29 Santhosh Tamil TrikalaShivaTelugu Srinivasa Mangapuram

Television