Raghava Lawrence facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Raghava Lawrence
Lawrence promoting Kanchana 2 in 2015
Born	Lawrence Murugaiyan (1976-10-29) 29 October 1976 (age 47) Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India (present-day Chennai, Royapuram, Tamil Nadu, India)
Occupation	Choreographer actor film director composer philanthropist film producer playback singer dancer
Years active	1989–present
Spouse(s)	Latha Lawrence
Children	1

Raghava Lawrence (born Lawrence Murugaiyan) is an Indian dance choreographer, director and actor known for his works primarily in Tamil cinema. After making his debut as a dance choreographer in 1993, he began looking for acting opportunities. He began his career as an actor in 1998, in a Telugu film. He adopted the name "Raghava" in 2001, and worked for many prominent actors and directors in Tamil cinema throughout his career. He got his breakthrough with Telugu film Style and then Muni. Lawrence is also known for his intricate hip-hop and westernised dance moves and has won four Filmfare Awards, three Nandi Awards and one Tamil Nadu State Film Award for best choreography.

In 2015, after the death of former Indian president A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, Lawrence set up a charity trust in his name and donated ₹1 crore (US$170,000).

Early life and background

Lawrence was born into a Tamil speaking Christian Paraiyar family of Murugaiyan and Kanmani. Lawrence had a brain tumor when he was a child. He attributes the curing of his tumor to the deity, Raghavendra Swamy, and in an act of devotion, he took the name Raghava He built the Raghavendra Swamy Brindavanam Temple at Thirumullaivayal on the Avadi-Ambattur route, which opened on 1 January 2010. Raghava also has a younger brother, Elviin Lawrence.

Career

Initial career (1989–2001)

He was working as a car cleaner for fight master Super Subbarayan. Rajinikanth saw him dancing and helped him to join the Dancers Union. Lawrence first appeared in a song in Samsara Sangeetham a Tamil film in 1989 directed by T. Rajendran. Then he appeared in Donga Police in 1991, also doing some dances with Prabhu Deva. He was a background dancer in the song Chikku Bukku Chikku Bukku Railey in Gentleman (1993). He also appeared in dance sequences in Muta Mesthri (1993), Rakshana (1993) and Allari Priyudu (1993). Chiranjeevi offered him the job of choreographing the dances for Hitler (1997). Pleased with Lawrence's work, Chiranjeevi asked him to choreograph dances for Master (1997), his next film too. Producer T V D Prasad offered him the role of a hero in his venture Speed Dancer (1999). That film was a flop. After that he acted small roles in Tamil like Ajith Kumar's Unnai Kodu Ennai Tharuven (2000) and Prashanth's Parthen Rasithen (2000). Director K. Balachander invited him to act in his 100th film Parthale Paravasam (2001).

Establishing career (2002–2010)

He acted as a first lead role in the Tamil with Arpudham (2002). As described by review sify , the latest in the line is Lawrence, who like his predecessor Prabhu Deva, is determined to be a hero. Arputham has a decent screenplay and Lawrence is tolerable. Thereafter, Style (2002). He also made a guest appearance with Vijay in the Tamil movie Thirumalai (2003). After a guest appearance in the film Thendral (2004), he directed his first film in Telugu, Mass (2004) starring Nagarjuna and Jyothika. The movie was a commercial success.

He subsequently directed and acted in Style (2006) co-starring with Prabhu Deva and featuring Nagarjuna and Chiranjeevi in guest roles.He got his breakthrough with Muni (2007), a horror thriller film. Thereafter, he directed another film, Don (2007). The film starring Nagarjuna and Anushka Shetty. Raghava acted in second roles and made the film depending only on style and technical aspects. The movie had an average response. Raghava continues to play in different categories films such as Pandi (2008), Rajadhi Raja (2009) and Irumbukkottai Murattu Singam (2010). Pandi was a moderate success, while Rajadhi Raja and Irumbukkottai Murattu Singam were released to mixed reviews.

Later career (2011–present)

He takes the series Muni in Kanchana (2011). Sarath Kumar play in the main role. The movie was commercially successful. In 2012, he directed Telugu movie Rebel starring Prabhas and Tamannaah. He acted in Kanchana 2 (2015). In 2017, he starred in an action Masala film, Motta Shiva Ketta Shiva. Sify described the film as, "Crass, loud and brainless." Then another of genre horror Shivalinga, remake a Kannada language with the same name directed by P. Vasu. Shakthi Vasudevan, son of director, also starred in the important role for two versions. The story is a cop investigating the suspicious death of a Muslim finds out that his own wife has become possessed by the young man's ghost. Raghava Lawrence is back with the fourth movie in the series – Muni 4: Kanchana 3: Kaali (2019), with the new change being three heroines. The film has received a good collections at the box office. In 2020, he made his directorial debut in Hindi cinema with film, Laxmii, a remake of Muni 2: Kanchana.

On November 10, 2023, the movie Jigarthanda DoubleX, featuring actors Raghava Lawrence and SJ Suryah in the lead roles, was released as a sequel to the original film, Jigarthanda.

Social work

He did many social service activities in which he has aided many heart surgeries for small children. He was one of the supporters of the bull-riding sport jallikattu after its ban in 2017. During a protest in Tamil Nadu in January 2017, he provided food, medicine and basic needs to the protesters and promised to support them until the protests were over. He asked for an appointment with Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan to donate 1 crore as relief fund for the Kerala flood victims.

Filmography

Director

Actor

• All films are in Tamil language, unless otherwise noted

List of acting performances in film

Year	Film	Role(s)	Notes
1999	Speed Dancer	Seenu	Telugu film
2000	Unnai Kodu Ennai Tharuven	Ganapathi
2000	Parthen Rasithen	Doss
2001	Parthale Paravasam	Azhagu
2002	Arpudham	Ashok Kumar
	Style	Rishaanth
2004	Thendral	Kumar
	Mass	Cameo	Telugu film
2006	Style	Raghava	Telugu film
2007	Muni	Ganesh
	Don	Raghava	Telugu film
2008	Pandi	Pandi
	Kuruvi	Rajesh
2009	Rajadhi Raja	Raja
2010	Irumbukkottai Murattu Singam	Singam & Singaram	Double role
2011	Muni 2: Kanchana	Raghava
2015	Muni 3: Kanchana 2	Raghava & Shiva	Dual role
2017	Motta Siva Ketta Siva	ACP Shivakumar	Also playback singer for song "Motta Paiyan"
	Shivalinga	Shivalingeswaran
2019	Muni 4: Kanchana 3	Raghava & Kaali	Dual role
2023	Rudhran	Rudhran
	Chandramukhi 2	Saravanan Pandian & Sengottaiyan Vettaiyan	Dual role
	Jigarthanda DoubleX	Alliyus Caesar
TBA	Adhigaram	0TBA	Filming

Dancer

Television

• Masthaana Masthaana Part II (2007)

Discography

As a playback singer

As a music composer

As lyricist

Accolades