Sivakumar

Palaniswamy (born 27 October 1941), known by his stage name Sivakumar, is an Indian visual artist and former actor who has appeared in Tamil cinema and television. He made his acting debut in Kaakum Karangal and has worked in 195 movies, predominantly in Tamil cinema. He has won three Filmfare Awards South and two Tamil Nadu State Film Awards.

Career He was a student of the Government College of Art & Craft in Chennai from 1959 to 1965.

Palaniswamy made his acting debut in Kaakum Karangal (1965) with the actor S. S. Rajendran. Palaniswamy was renamed Sivakumar when he entered the industry.

Sivakumar's notable movies include Saraswathi Sabatham (1966), Kandhan Karunai (1967), Thirumal Perumai (1968), Uyarndha Manithan (1968), Annakili (1976), Rosappu Ravikkaikari (1979) and the very famous K. Balachander’s Sindhu Bhairavi (1985).

He won the Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Tamil for the movies Rosappu Ravikkaikari (1979), and Vandichakkaram (1980) and a Lifetime Achievement Award – South (2007). He also was the recipient of the Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actor for Avan Aval Adhu (1980) and Agni Sakshi (1982).

He proved to be a better bet to play the hero in melodramas Bhadrakali (1976), Vandichakkaram (1980), Indru Nee Naalai Naan (1983), Paasa Paravaigal (1988) or devotional tales Vellikizhamai Viratham (1974), Thaai Mookaambikai (1982) and romantic sagas Chittu Kuruvi (1978), Rosappu Ravikkaikari (1979) and Unnai Naan Santhithen 1984). He also played hero in many films which were adapted from novels like Manithanin Marupakkam (1986).

After a successful career as a lead actor, Sivakumar proved his mettle as a character artist in films like Kadhalukku Mariyadhai (1997), Sethu (1999) and Poovellam Un Vaasam (2001).

During his career, Sivakumar has co-starred with many leading Tamil actors, including M. G. Ramachandran, Sivaji Ganesan, Gemini Ganesan, S. S. Rajendran, R. Muthuraman, A. V. M. Rajan, Jaishankar, Ravichandran, Kamal Haasan, Rajinikanth, Vijayakanth, Sathyaraj, Prabhu, Karthik, Mohan,Sarath Kumar, Arjun Sarja, Ajith Kumar, Vijay, Vikram and Suriya.

He acted in famous TV serials like Chithi and Annamalai alongside Radhika.

In 2012, Sivakumar was honoured with the Jaya TV Lifetime Achievement Award at the Anna Centenary Library for his contributions to the Tamil film industry for over 40 years. Sivakumar has also ventured into public speaking, giving his opinion on various subjects, including Hindu theology. He has been praised for the fluency and style of his speeches.

Personal life Sivakumar was born on 27 October 1941 in Coimbatore. He is married to Lakshmi Kumari. The couple have three children: two sons Suriya and Karthi, who are both actors; and a daughter Brindha, who is a playback singer. Sivakumar's elder daughter-in-law Jyothika is an actress. He is a devout Hindu and a devotee of Murugan. He is also ambidextrous.

Filmography As an actor Year Title Role Notes 1965 Kaakum Karangal Surendar 1966 Motor Sundaram Pillai Gopal Thaaye Unakkaga Raju Saraswathi Sabatham Vishnu 1967 Kandhan Karunai Murugan Kaavalkaaran Chandran Kan Kanda Deivam Servant 1968 Thirumal Perumai Vishnu Panama Pasama Shankar's brother-in-law Jeevanamsam Sabapathi Uyarndha Manithan Sathyamurthy 1969 Kaaval Dheivam Manickam Kanni Penn Annaiyum Pithavum 1970 Vilaiyattu Pillai Manickam Ethiroli Sundaram Kasturi Thilakam Balu Thirumalai Thenkumari Sekhar Navagraham Vatsala's lover 1971 Thirumagal Ramu Kankaatchi Shankar Therottam Ravi Moondru Deivangal Kumar Annai Velankanni Rangaiah Babu Prem Annai Abirami Naga Devatha 1972 Agathiyar Tholkappiyar Bala Bharatam Vishnu Telugu film Kurathi Magan Ice cream man Guest Appearance Shakthi Leelai Naratha Muni Idhaya Veenai Kirymani Deivam Subramaniyam 1973 Ganga Gowri Mahadevan Arangetram Thangavelu Bharatha Vilas Shankar Rajaraja Cholan Prince Rajendra Chola I Shanmugapriya Guest Appearance Ponnukku Thanga Manasu Ramu Sontham Siva Thirumalai Deivam Vishnu / Srinivasan Kattila Thottila Sambhasivam Karaikkal Ammaiyar Shiva Pennai Nambungal Raghu Sollathaan Ninaikkiren Raghavan 1974 Thirumangalyam Murali Tiger Thathachari Kumaraguru Sisupalan Krishna Guest Appearance Maanikka Thottil Bhaskar Guest Appearance Kanmani Raja Selvam Dheerga Sumangali Babu Vellikizhamai Viratham Nagarajan Gumasthavin Magal Ramu Onne Onnu Kanne Kannu Ramu Paadha Poojai Ramesh Engamma Sapatham Kumaran Thaai Pasam Moorthy Panathukkaga Ramesh 1975 Enga Pattan Sothu Saravana Puthu Vellam Pachai Kanna Then Sindhudhe Vaanam Raja Ippadiyum Oru Penn Melnaattu Marumagal Mohan Thangathile Vairam Ravi Yarukkum Vetkam Illai Pattikkaattu Raja Annasamy / Raja Uravu Solla Oruvan Bhaskar Guest Appearance Aan Pillai Singam Ashok 1976 Madhana Maaligai Thyagu / Raja Gruhapravesam Ravi Ungalil Oruthi Sridhar Annakili Thyagarajan Nominated, Filmfare Award for Best Actor – TamilSanthathi Uravadum Nenjam Bhadrakali Ganesh 1977 Sonnathai Seiven Kavikkuyil Gopal Etharkkum Thuninthavan Kannan Sorgam Naragam Shankar Thunai Iruppal Meenakshi Bhuvana Oru Kelvi Kuri Nagarajan Sri Krishna Leela Vishnu / Krishna Aattukara Alamelu Vijay Nominated, Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Tamil Pennai Solli Kutramillai Madhu Durga Devi Perumaikkuriyaval Bhaskar Sainthadamma Sainthadu Thenna 1978 Maariyamman Thiruvizha Chinna Thambi Machanai Paatheengala Muthaiya Kai Pidithaval Chittu Kuruvi Raja / Ganesh Radhai Ketra Kannan Kamala Kannan Adhaivida Ragasiyam Kandasamy Kannan Oru Kai Kuzhandhai Kannan Kannamoochi Prabhu 1979 Muthal Iravu Raja Enippadigal Manickam Rosappu Ravikkaikari Sembattayan 100th Film Winner, Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Tamil Poonthalir Ashok Ennadi Meenakshi Devathai Kaali Kadavul Amaitha Medai Boopathy Yarukku Yar Kaaval 1980 Oru Velladu Vengaiyagiradhu Avan Aval Adhu Ramu Winner, Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actor Kaadhal Kiligal Vasanth Samanthipoo Chidambaram Vandichakkaram Gaja Winner, Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Tamil Raman Parasuraman Ram / Parasuraman Dual Role Kuruvikoodu Thunive Thozhan Chandran 1981 Neruppile Pootha Malar Lawrence Aani Ver Raman Kodeeswaran Magal Mohan Nellikani Andru Muthal Indru Varai Nathesan 1982 Thunaivi Sundaram Ananda Ragam Muthu Ayiram Muthangal Murali Nambinal Nambungal Thaai Mookaambikai Senthil Theerpugal Thiruththapadalam Rajesh Agni Sakshi Aravindhan Winner, Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best ActorNominated, Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Tamil Nijangal 1983 Urangatha Ninaivugal Rishi Saattai Illatha Pambaram Palanisamy Veetula Raman Veliyila Krishnan Rajasekar Sashti Viratham Senthil Indru Nee Naalai Naan Pazhaniappan Thandikkappatta Nyayangal Prabhu Thangaikkor Geetham Harichandran Thambathigal Thyagu 1984 Kuva Kuva Vaathugal Azhagu Amma Irukka Ramu Naan Paadum Paadal C.R. Subramaniam Nilavu Suduvathillai Ravi Unnai Naan Santhithen Raghuraman 1985 Pournami Alaigal Rajesh Pudhu Yugam Rajasekar Sugamana Raagangal Kaalikkan Karpoora Deepam Arun Meendum Parasakthi Vijay Prema Paasam Sindhu Bhairavi J. K. Balaganapathy Nominated, Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Tamil 1986 Kanmaniye Pesu Chandrasekhar Jeevanathi Gopi Kanna Thorakkanum Saami Sekhar Yaaro Ezhuthiya Kavithai Dr. Sivaraman Isai Paadum Thendral Mohan Manithanin Marupakkam Ravi Varma Unakkaagave Vaazhgiren Ravishankar Panneer Nadhigal Rajesh 1987 Ini Oru Sudhanthiram Sathyamoorthy Chinna Kuyil Paaduthu Raja 1988 Poovum Puyalum Muthulingam Illam Mayilsamy Goundar Oruvar Vaazhum Aalayam Siva Gurunathan Paasa Paravaigal Dr. Sukumar Paadatha Thenikkal Sathy 1990 Pagalil Pournami DSP Rajasekar Nyayangal Jayikkattum Sathyabharathi / Muthuvelu Urudhi Mozhi Dr. Chandrasekar Nee Sirithaal Deepavali 1991 Sir... I Love You Arun Marupakkam Vembu Iyer Manitha Jaathi Pillai Paasam 1992 Annan Ennada Thambi Ennada Rakkaiya Gounder Sathyam Adhu Nichayam Sathyamoorthy Onna Irukka Kathukanum Sivaraman 1993 Dasarathan Dasarathan's father Ponnumani Kathirvelu Porantha Veeda Puguntha Veeda Ravi 1994 Siragadikka Aasai Shiva Veettai Paaru Naattai Paaru Palanivel Mettupatti Mirasu Mettupatti Mirasu / Siva Watchman Vadivel Vadivelu 1995 Deva Gandhidasan Pasumpon Kathiresathevar Dear Son Maruthu Viswanathan 1996 Nattupura Pattu Palanisamy 1997 Sakthi Dharmaraj Raman Abdullah Hajiar Kadhalukku Mariyadhai Rajasekhar 1999 Unnai Thedi Adhi Narayanan Kummi Paattu Dharmaraasu Malabar Police Nagarajan Maravathe Kanmaniye Dharmaraasu Sethu Vasudevan Kannupada Poguthaiya Paramasivam 2000 Ilaiyavan T. Babu Uyirile Kalanthathu Inspector Sethu Vinayagam 2001 Poovellam Un Vaasam Arunachalam

Television Ethanai Manidhargal (1997) Dhik Dhik Dhik (1999) Kaveri (1999–2001) Chithi (1999–2001) as Ramachandran Annamalai (2002–2005) as Thavasi

Writer Herova? Zerova? (2008; Short film)

Awards Sivakumar is a three-time recipient of Filmfare Awards South and a two-time winner of Tamil Nadu State Film Awards.

Filmfare Awards South 1979 – Best Actor – Tamil for Rosaappo Ravikkai Kaari 1980 – Best Actor – Tamil for Vandichakkaram 2007 – Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award

Tamil Nadu State Film Awards 1979 – Best Actor Award for Avan aval adhu 1982 – Best Actor Award for Agni Sakshi South Indian International Movie Awards

2025 – The Exemplary Lifetime Achievement Award

Anna Centenary Library 2012 – Lifetime Achievement Award

Norway Tamil Film Festival Awards 2015 – Norway Tamil Film Festival Kalaichigaram Award

Vijay Awards 2018 – Vijay Award for Contribution to Tamil Cinema