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T. Rajendar | |
|---|---|
| Member of Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly | |
| In office 10 May 1996 – 14 May 2001 | |
| Preceded by | U. Baluraman |
| Succeeded by | S. G. Vinayakamurthi |
| Constituency | Park Town |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Vijay Thesingu Rajender Mayiladuthurai, Tamil Nadu, India |
| Party | Latchiya Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (from 2004) |
| Other political affiliations | Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (until 1991 and 1995-2004)Thayaga Marumalarchi Kazhagam (1991-1995) |
| Spouse | Usha Rajendar |
| Children | 3 includingSilambarasan andKuralarasan |
| Occupation | Actor, Film director, Film producer, Musician, Cinematographer and Film distributor[1] |
Vijay Thesingu Rajendar, also known asT. R., is an Indian actor, film director, film producer, musician, cinematographer, film distributor and politician who works primarily in theTamil film industry.[2] Rajendar is known for being able to speak in rhyming sentences spontaneously and incessant rapping.[3][4]
Since 2018, he has been focusing primarily on singing film songs.
T. Rajendar is married to former actress Usha Rajendar.[5] They have two sons,Silambarasan andKuralarasan, and one daughter, Ilakiya.[6] His wife has served as the producer for some of his films, such asKadhal Azhivathillai (2002), starring Silambarasan.[7] He lives inChennai,Tamil Nadu.
Rajendar started off in theTamil film industry making successful films which included him as an actor, playback singer, dancer and scriptwriter. He gained popularity through his one-of-a-kind style of acting. He normally serves as, but not limited to director, actor, songwriter, art director, production manager andplayback singer. During the 1980s, all his movies were blockbusters, running for years and the songs were also well appreciated.[2] He is known for introducing new faces in his movies, and many of the actresses who debuted in his movies have been successful in South Cinema, includingAmala,Nalini, Jyothi,Jeevitha andMumtaj.
After some years, Rajendar's films started to decline in popularity because his films became too predictable, tending to follow the same storyline and oratory style of repetitious dialogues with little if any meaning.[8] For example, his films always contain asentimental scene involving the hero's younger sister in distress, coupled with the same rhyming rhetoric and gestures.[8]
Rajendar recently started his own web TV channel called 'Kural TV' (Voice TV).[9] Originally he wanted to start a24-hour TV channel but could not, due to problems arising while securing a license. The channel, apart from broadcasting his movies and speeches, tends to echo sentiments towards the plight of Tamils (especially women) in Sri Lanka. He previously owned a magazine calledUsha.[10]
Rajendar alsodistributes films under his home banner "Simbu cine arts". His latest film distribution, as of mid-2011 is his son Silambarasan's filmVaanam, which will be distributed in theChennai andMadurai region.[11]
Rajendar founded theThayaga Marumalarchi Kazhagam party in 1991 after he had been expelled from theDravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party.[12] In 1996, afterVaiko's departure from the DMK and the formation ofMarumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Rajendar's TMK merged with the DMK. Rajendar left the DMK again in 2004, to form the All India Latchiya Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.[13][14][15] Before expulsion, he was the propaganda secretary of DMK and was elected fromPark Town constituency in the1996 Assembly polls.[16] He further supported theAIADMK in the2006 Assembly elections. After those 2006 elections, the DMK came back to power and he was made vice-chairman of the Small Savings Scheme. He subsequently quit the post.[2][17]
| Year | Title | Credited as | Notes | Ref. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Director | Producer | Writer | Cinematographer | Composer / Lyricist | ||||
| 1980 | Oru Thalai Ragam | Uncredited |  | Songs | [18] | |||
| Vasantha Azhaippugal | | | | |||||
| 1981 | Rail Payanangalil | | | | [19] | |||
| 1982 | Nenjil Oru Raagam | | | | ||||
| Raagam Thedum Pallavi | | | | Cameo appearance | ||||
| 1983 | Uyirullavarai Usha | | | | | |||
| Thangaikkor Geetham | | | | | | Nominated,Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Tamil | ||
| 1984 | Uravai Kaatha Kili | | | | | |||
| 1985 | Unakkaga Oru Roja | Screenplay | | |||||
| 1986 | Mythili Ennai Kaathali | | | | | | ||
| 1987 | Oru Thayin Sabhatham | | | Screenplay | | | ||
| Pookkal Vidum Thudhu | Screenplay | | ||||||
| 1988 | En Thangai Kalyani | | | | | | ||
| 1989 | Samsara Sangeetham | | | | | | ||
| 1991 | Shanti Enathu Shanti | | | | | | ||
| 1992 | Enga Veetu Velan | | | | | | ||
| 1993 | Sabash Babu | Screenplay | | [20] | ||||
| Pettredutha Pillai | | | | |||||
| 1994 | Oru Vasantha Geetham | | | | | | ||
| 1995 | Thai Thangai Paasam | | | | | | ||
| 1999 | Monisha En Monalisa | | | | | | ||
| 2001 | Sonnal Thaan Kathala | | | | | | ||
| 2002 | Kadhal Azhivathillai | | | | | | ||
| 2007 | Veerasamy | | | | | | ||
| 2016 | Idhu Namma Aalu | | ||||||
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | Oru Thalai Ragam | Hindi-singing student | Cameo appearance | [18] |
| Vasantha Azhaippugal | Cameo appearance | |||
| 1981 | Rail Payanangalil | Train passenger | Cameo appearance in song "Vasantham Paadi Vara" | [19] |
| 1982 | Nenjil Oru Raagam | Geetha's brother | ||
| Raagam Thedum Pallavi | Actor, Foreign director (voice) | Cameo appearance | ||
| 1983 | Uyirullavarai Usha | Chain Jayapal | ||
| Thangaikkor Geetham | Soolakaruppan | Nominated,Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Tamil | ||
| 1984 | Uravai Kaatha Kili | |||
| 1986 | Mythili Ennai Kaathali | Manickam | ||
| 1987 | Oru Thayin Sabhatham | Rajkumar | ||
| 1988 | En Thangai Kalyani | Velu | ||
| 1989 | Samsara Sangeetham | |||
| 1991 | Shanti Enathu Shanti | |||
| 1993 | Sabash Babu | Veluchamy | [20] | |
| 1994 | Oru Vasantha Geetham | |||
| 1995 | Thai Thangai Paasam | |||
| 1999 | Monisha En Monalisa | Kaadhaldasan | ||
| 2001 | Sonnal Thaan Kathala | T. R. | ||
| 2002 | Kadhal Virus | Himself | Guest appearance | |
| Kadhal Azhivathillai | Vakkeel Dada | |||
| 2006 | Vallavan | Himself | Guest appearance in song "Yammadi Aathadi" | |
| 2007 | Veerasamy | Veerasamy | ||
| 2013 | Arya Surya | Himself | Guest appearance in song "Thagadu Thagadu" | [21] |
| 2017 | Kavan | Mayilvaganan | ||
| Vizhithiru | Himself | Guest appearance in song "Papparappa" |
This list is of films that T. Rajender only worked as a music director and lyricist.
| Year | Title | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | Kilinjalgal | ||
| 1982 | Sattam Sirikkiradhu | ||
| 1985 | Engal Kural | ||
| 1986 | Pookkalai Parikkatheergal | [22] | |
| 1987 | Muthukkal Moondru | ||
| Cooliekkaran | |||
| Poo Poova Poothirukku | |||
| Ivargal Varungala Thoongal | |||
| Aayusu Nooru | [23] | ||
| 1989 | Enga Veettu Deivam | ||
| 1996 | En Aasai Thangachi | [24] | |
| 1996 | Pombala Siricha Pochu | ||
| 2002 | Sri Bannari Amman |
| Year | Song | Film | Composer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | "Thatti Paarthen" | Thangaikkor Geetham | T. Rajendar | |
| 1984 | "Adangoppan Mavane" | Uravai Kaatha Kili | ||
| 1986 | "En Aasai Mythiliye" "Ada Ponnana" | Mythili Ennai Kaathali | ||
| 1994 | "Pogaathe Pogaathe" | Oru Vasantha Geetham | ||
| 1999 | "Nambaathe" | Monisha En Monalisa | ||
| 2001 | "Kaadhalikka Theriyuma" | Sonnal Thaan Kaadhala | ||
| 2002 | "Vetrinadai", "Roopamani", Nambinorai | Sri Bannari Amman | ||
| 2006 | "Ammadi Athadi" | Vallavan | Yuvan Shankar Raja | |
| 2007 | "Marakka Mudiyala" "Sollalaiye Kadhal" "Varaanpaaru" "Vechuriken" | Veerasamy | T. Rajendar | |
| "Gun Ganapathi" | Oram Po | G. V. Prakash Kumar | ||
| 2008 | "Aathadi" | Sandai | Dhina | |
| 2009 | "Aandipatti Arasampatti" | Rajadhi Raja | Karunas | |
| 2011 | "Dooda" | Doo | Abhishek-Lawrence | |
| "Chennai Gaana" | Puli Vesham | Srikanth Deva | ||
| "Kalasala Kalasala" | Osthe | S. Thaman | ||
| 2012 | "Yamma Yamma" | Thiruthani | Perarasu | |
| 2013 | "En Aalu" | Summa Nachunu Irukku | Achu Rajamani | |
| "Thagadu Thagadu" | Arya Surya | Srikanth Deva | ||
| 2014 | "Tharumaru" | Vaalu | S. Thaman | |
| "Chai Chai" | Raj Bahadur | Jeevith Krupa | Kannada film[25] | |
| 2015 | "Papparappa" | Vizhithiru | Sathyan Mahalingam | |
| "Summa Polama" | Chikkiku Chikkikkichu | Vijay Benjamin | ||
| 2016 | "Maaman Waiting" | Idhu Namma Aalu | Kuralarasan | |
| "Raangu" | Theri | G. V. Prakash Kumar | ||
| "Damakutalaan" | Koditta Idangalai Nirappuga | C. Sathya | ||
| 2017 | "Happy New Year" | Kavan | Hiphop Tamizha | |
| 2018 | "Monkistha Kinkistha" | Koothan | Balz_G | |
| 2022 | "Thatlam Thatlam" | Astakarmma | L .V. Muthu Ganesh | |
| 2023 | "Adhirudha" | Mark Antony | G. V. Prakash Kumar | |
| "Goli Soda" | Paatti Sollai Thattathe | Vijay Shankar | ||
| 2024 | "Jiloma" | The Boys | Arun Gautham | |
| 2025 | "Kaalaiyile Koovudhu" | Vettu | Dharma Teja | |
| "Chikang Gokang" | Leg Piece | Bjorn Surrao | ||
| "Chikitu" | Coolie | Anirudh Ravichander | [26] | |
| "Dandanakka Life'U" | Aaromaley | Siddhu Kumar |
This list is of films that T. Rajender only worked as a lyricist (and singer) and not as a composer.
| Year | Song | Film | Composer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | "Omkara" | Maaligai | Mahesh Mahadev | [27] |
| 2022 | "Thatlam Thatlam" | Astakarmma | L .V. Muthu Ganesh |
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