Major Sundarrajan | |
|---|---|
 Sundarrajan inMajor Chandrakanth (1966) | |
| Born | Srinivasan Sundarrajan (1935-03-17)17 March 1935 |
| Died | 28 February 2003(2003-02-28) (aged 67) Chennai,Tamil Nadu, India |
| Occupation(s) | Actor, film director |
| Years active | 1962–2003 |
| Works | Full list |
| Spouse | Shyamala |
| Children | Gowtham |
Srinivasan Sundarrajan (17 March 1935 – 28 February 2003), popularly known asMajor Sundarrajan, was an Indian actor and film director who performed predominantly inTamil language films and plays. He was well known for his sophisticated and urbane way of delivering dialogues, often mixing English and Tamil sentences.
Sundarrajan was born on 17 March 1935 in a middle-class family inPeriyakulam,Madurai.[1] His father Srinivasa Iyengar was a stage actor. Sundarrajan's first stint with acting came when he was in the sixth grade; at this point he was cast in aHindi play of his school. He went on to act in numerous school and college plays.[2] After graduating with a degree in science, Sundarrajan went to Madras (nowChennai), where his uncle Veeraraghavan was an amateur actor in the Triplicane Fine Arts theatre troupe. Sundarrajan played minor roles in this troupe's plays, and simultaneously managed a full-time career at Madras Telephones.[1][2][3]
Sundarrajan began his career in film with a supporting role inVaijayanthimala, directed by Sundar Rao Natkarni which never saw a theatrical release; his debut film instead became K. Somu'sPattinathar (1962), where he portrayed aChola king.[2] Sundarrajan subsequently received opportunities to act in the plays ofK. Balachander, most notablyMajor Chandrakanth, where he portrayed the title character. The play propelled Sundarrajan to fame, and was adapted into a1966 feature film with Sundarrajan reprising the role; his performance received widespread acclaim. After this he became popularly known as "Major" Sundarrajan, with the prefix having first been given to him by the magazinePesum Padam.[4] Sundarrajan went on to appear in over 900 films and continued to act in plays, eventually launching his own theatre troupe. Later, he started acting in television shows.[1][3][5]
Sundararajan was well known for his sophisticated and urbane way of delivering dialogues, often mixing English and Tamil sentences. In most of his early films he would play wealthy and assertive characters, such aszamindars, an exception beingAalayam (1967), where he played a poor Brahmin clerk.[1][3][6][7]
Sundarrajan was married to Shyamala, with whom he had a son namedGowtham. Apart from acting, he was also a skilled gourmet cook. Sundarrajan was initially an atheist, despite being born into a Brahmin family, but became a believer later in his life.[3][5] Sundarrajan died on 28 February 2003 at Chennai.[1][4]
