Karate Raja is an Indian actor who has worked in predominantly Tamil-language films. He made his breakthrough as an actor by playing a supporting role in Kamal Haasan's Virumaandi (2004), before garnering acclaim for playing the lead role of Veerappan in the serial Sandhan Kaadu on Makkal TV.

Career

Natarajan made his breakthrough as an actor with his role in Kamal Haasan's Virumaandi (2004). He was given the name Karate Raja by Haasan. He subsequently appeared in two more popular Tamil films that year, Ghilli (2004) and Vasool Raja MBBS (2004). Raja later appeared in films including Prabhu Deva's Pokkiri (2007) and the horror comedy, Ambuli (2012). He played a notable role in Varnam (2011). He played Kishore's brother in Thiruvambadi Thamban (2012). He played the lead role of K. Chandrashekar Rao in the Telugu-language film Udyama Simham (2019).

On television, Karate Raja notably portrayed the lead role of Veerappan in the serial Sandhana Kaadu on Makkal TV during 2008. The directors spent three years on researching about the life of Veerappan and then spent 110 days in the forest and shoot in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

Personal life

Karate Raja married Divya in July 2009 and has three daughters. In August 2014, Karate Raja filed a complaint to the police that his wife was missing. He later suggested that the pair had marital problems and only lived together for a few days on most months.

Filmography

Tamil films

YearFilmRoleNotes
1997Nerrukku NerSuriya's friendUncredited role
2001CitizenArivanandam MLA's friendUncredited role
2004VirumaandiVirumaandi's friend
GhilliMuthupandi's henchman
MadhureyKumarasamy
Vasool Raja MBBSRaja's sidekick
2005ThirupaachiBalu's henchman
KannammaBabu
Anbe VaaGaja
GhajiniLakshman's henchmanUncredited role
Bambara Kannaley
2006AathiSadha
2007PokkiriTamizh's friend
PiraguDavid
SivajiAdiseshan then Sivaji's henchman
2008Madurai Ponnu Chennai PaiyanMaruthupandi
Pattaya Kelappu
SuryaaPolice Officer
2009PadikkadavanBhaskar
ThoranaiRowdyBilingual film
Unnaipol OruvanAhmedallahBilingual film
2010Kacheri ArambamSivamani's sidekick
SuraAccused
Pa. Ra. PalanisamyJohnson
Veluthu KattuRasu Minor
AarvamAadhi
2011VarnamMuniyandi
OstheDaniel's henchman
2012Ambuli
IshtamShankar
2013Sokkali
Bhuvanakkadu
2014AngusamAnthony
Vetri Selvan
PoojaiAnnathandavam's henchman
Sokku Sundaram
2015SandamaruthamBhaskar
En Vazhi Thani VazhiCity Babu
Soan Papdi
Palakkattu MadhavanPattu Maami's son
2016OyeeBabu
Pudhusa Naan Poranthen
2017Vaanga Vaanga
Saaya
Pannam Pathinonnum Seyum
2018Mannar Vagaiyara
2019Rocky: The RevengePolice Officer
I-R 8
2022Naan Mirugamaai MaaraRathinam
2023KodaiMadhan
Theerkadarishi
Terror
2024PambattamPolice officer
Kolai Thooram
Park
Dhil Raja
Orea Peachu Orea Mudivu
2025Yaman Kattalai
Padaiyaanda MaaveeraaVeerappan
Pagal Kanavu

Other language films

YearFilmRoleLanguageNotes
2006BangaramBhooma Reddy's henchmanTelugu
2007SketchNarendra ShettyMalayalam
2009PisthaRowdyTeluguBilingual films
EenaduAhmedallah
2010LahoreC. SubramaniamHindi
Pokkiri RajaRaja's HenchmanMalayalam
2012Thiruvambadi ThambanShiva
2019Udyama SimhamK. Chandrashekar RaoTeluguLead role

Television

YearSerial/ProgramRoleChannel
2007SandhanakaaduVeerappanMakkal TV
2017SembaruthiDurai ManikkamZee Tamil
2021Vidhya No. 1ManickamZee Tamil

External links