Vadivelu facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Vadivelu
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Vadivelu in 2016
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Kumaravadivel Natarajan
12 September 1960 Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India.
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| Other names | Vaigai Puyal |
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| Years active | 1988–present |
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Works
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Full list |
| Honours | Kalaimamani (2005) |
Kumaravadivel Natarajan (born 12 September 1960), known as Vadivelu, is a famous Indian actor and comedian. He also sometimes sings songs for movies. He has acted in over 290 films, mostly in Tamil cinema.
Vadivelu has won many awards for his acting. These include two Filmfare Award South awards and six Tamil Nadu State Film Awards. He became known as Vaigai Puyal (which means "Vaigai Storm"). This nickname comes from the Vaigai River in his hometown of Madurai.
He won "Best Comedian" awards for films like Kaalam Maari Pochu (1996) and Chandramukhi (2005). His first movie as a main actor was Imsai Arasan 23rd Pulikesi (2006). This film was very successful and popular.
Even when he wasn't acting much, Vadivelu's funny expressions and videos became very popular online. In 2019, he was part of the huge viral trend called Pray for Nesamani. This was the most popular hashtag in India that year.
Contents
Early Life and Beginnings
Before becoming an actor, Vadivelu worked in his father's glass cutting business. After his father passed away, he continued the business with his brothers. In his free time, he loved to act in local plays. He usually played funny characters.
Starting a Film Career
Vadivelu started his film journey in 1988. He had a small role in the movie En Thangai Kalyani.
He met actor Rajkiran on a train ride to Chennai. Rajkiran was so amused by Vadivelu that he offered him a role. This led to Vadivelu's part in the 1991 film En Rasavin Manasile. This movie also started a popular comedy team with Goundamani, Senthil, and Vadivelu.
Many famous actors helped Vadivelu early in his career. Vijayakanth helped him get a role in the 1992 film Chinna Gounder.
In 1992, Vadivelu acted in two films with Kamal Haasan. He joined other comedians in Singaravelan. In Thevar Magan, he played a worker in a big household.
His first solo comedy role was in Shankar's Kadhalan (1994). He played the friend of Prabhu Deva's character. Vadivelu also started singing in movies. His first song was 'Ettanaa Irundha' from Ellame En Rasathan (1995).
He won his first "Best Comedian" award for Kaalam Maari Pochu in 1996. The next year, his work in Bharathi Kannamma (1997) with actor Parthiban was also a big success.
Becoming a Comedy Star
From 1998 to 2008, Vadivelu became a huge comedy star. He often helped directors with his own ideas on set. His comedy style often involved making fun of himself. His characters usually thought they were very important, but they often ended up in funny, clumsy situations.
He acted in many popular movies during this time. Some of them include Kaathala Kaathala (1998), Mudhalvan (1999), and Friends (2001).
As the 2000s began, Vadivelu was known as the "King of Comedy." He appeared in many more films like Winner (2003), Chandramukhi (2005), and Pokkiri (2007).
His movie Imsai Arasan 23rd Pulikecei (2006) was a big hit. In this historical comedy, Vadivelu played two roles: a funny dictator king and his revolutionary twin brother. This movie was praised for its clean and funny humor. His next main role was in Indiralogathil Na Azhagappan (2008).
Challenges and Comeback
Vadivelu faced some challenges in his career. In 2008, his home was attacked with stones. He suspected a fellow actor, Vijayakanth, was involved due to a disagreement. Vadivelu later spoke out against Vijayakanth during an election campaign in 2011.
Despite these issues, he continued to act in notable comedy roles. These included films like Villu (2009), Kanthaswamy (2009), and Aadhavan (2009). His role in Kaavalan (2011) with actor Vijay was also very memorable.
After some films where he played the main role did not do well, Vadivelu decided to go back to supporting roles. He acted with Vishal in Kaththi Sandai (2016). He also appeared in the horror comedy Shivalinga (2017).
In 2017, he had a supporting role with Vijay in Mersal. Critics praised his performance, saying it was a "brilliant comeback."
Temporary Break from Films
After agreeing to work on a sequel to Imsai Arasan 23rd Pulikesi, Vadivelu had disagreements with the director and producers. This led to a temporary ban from acting in new films by the Tamil Film Producers Council.
In 2020, Vadivelu joined Twitter and told his fans that he would soon return to acting in a big way.
Return to Acting
In 2021, Vadivelu confirmed that his ban was lifted. He announced that he would be working on five new films with Lyca Productions. The first of these was Naai Sekar Returns, where he played the lead role.
His next film was Maamannan (2023), directed by Mari Selvaraj. In this movie, Vadivelu's performance was highly praised. He even won the Best Actor award for Maamannan at the Chennai International Film Festival in December 2023.
Vadivelu's Acting Style
Vadivelu's comedy often uses slapstick (physical comedy) and puns (wordplay). His funny scenes usually end with him getting into trouble or complaining about his situation. People love his comedy because they can relate to his simple, rural look, his accent, and his body language.
Popularity and Memes
Vadivelu's dialogues and expressions are very popular for internet memes. Many people use his lines from movies to make jokes about everyday situations. Some of his famous lines have even inspired the titles of other Tamil films.
See also
In Spanish: Vadivelu para niños
