Manivannan
Acting · Directing · Writing
Born July 31, 1953, Sulur, Tamil Nadu, India
S Manivannan Rajagopal or popularly known mononymously as Manivannan, was an Indian film actor and director. In a career spanning three decades, Manivannan went from being a story and dialogue writer for veteran director Bharathiraja from 1980–82 to a successful director who thrived in experimenting with different genres, before becoming an actor. With over 400 films to his name, Manivannan was one of the most experienced actors in the field and has directed exact 50 films.[4] Manivannan was mainly a supporting actor in films and often played the comedian or the villain's role. During his lifetime, he supported various political parties, including the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam. He later became affiliated with the Naam Tamilar Katchi and had long supported its ideology of Sri Lankan Tamil nationalism.
Filmography
- 2025Madha Gaja Raja — Auto Driver
- 2017Kalavaadiya Pozhuthugal
- 2014Sooran
- 2013Naan Rajavaga Pogiren — Kamaraj
- 2013Nagaraja Cholan MA, MLA — Manimaran, Director, Writer, Screenplay, Story
- 2011Ilaingan
- 2011Puli Vesham
- 2011Sadhurangam
- 2011Velayudham — Rathnavelu
- 2011Vengayam
- 2010Pollachi Mappiley — Killer Manju
- 2010Thillalangadi — Ashram Staff
- 2009Azhagar Malai
- 2009Mayandi Kudumbathar — Mayandi
- 2009Naalai Namathe
- 2008Ayutham Seivom
- 2008Bommalattam — Village Chief
- 2008Ellam Avan Seyal — Veeramani
- 2008Kuruvi — Singamuthu
- 2008Nenjathai Killadhe
- 2008Raman Thediya Seethai — Manickavel
- 2008Sadhu Miranda
- 2008Seval
- 2007Cheena Thaana 001
- 2007Mudhal Kanave
- 2007Nam Naadu — Purushothaman
- 2007Nee Naan Nila — Chellappa
- 2007Puli Varudhu
- 2007Rameswaram — Jeevan's grandfather
- 2007Sivaji: The Boss — Arumugam
- 2007Thiru Ranga
- 2007Thirumagan — Reddiar
- 2006Aathi — Mani
- 2006Dharmapuri — Mokkayam
- 2006Kodambakkam — Ramasamy Gounder
- 2006Rendu — Exhibition Grounds Owner
- 2006Sivappathigaram — Sathyamoorthy's Father
- 2006Something Something… Unakkum Enakkum — JP
- 2006Thambi
- 2006Vathiyar
- 2005Chinna
- 2005Hai — Valli's Husband
- 2005Ji — Kaasi
- 2005London
- 2005Majaa — Govindan
- 2004Arasatchi
- 2004Engal Anna — Ramanathan
- 2004Madurey
- 2004Maha Nadigan — Special Appearance
- 2004Meesai Madhavan — Kabuliwala
- 2004New — Scientist 'Science'
- 2004Sound Party
- 2004Sullan — Mani
- 2004Vishwa Thulasi
- 2003Alaudin
- 2003Anjaneya
- 2003Arasu — Rahim Bhai
- 2003Banda Paramasivam — Pandiyan
- 2003Enakku 20 Unakku 18 — Preeti's Father (Tamil version)
- 2003Kadhaludan — Ajmal
- 2003Military — Madhavan's father
- 2003Parthibhan Kanavu — Sathya's father
- 2003Priyamaana Thozhi — Peter
- 2003Student Number 1 — Professor
- 2003Vaseegara — Mani Gounder
- 2002En Mana Vaanil — Annamalai
- 2002Enge Enadhu Kavithai
- 2002Guruvamma
- 2002Pammal K. Sambandam
- 2002Panchatanthiram — Smuggling boss
- 2002Phantom — Varadaraja Perumal
- 2002Red — Narayanan
- 2002Samasthanam
- 2002Shakalaka Baby
- 2002Solla Marandha Kadhai
- 2002Youth — Sandhya's father
- 2001Aandan Adimai — Susan, Screenplay, Story, Director, Dialogue
- 2001Azhagana Naatkal — Rajasekhar
- 2001Dum Dum Dum — Sivaji
- 2001Engalukkum Kaalam Varum — Mannangatti
- 2001Kabadi Kabadi — Ayyavannan
- 2001Kasi — Irulaandi
- 2001Lovely — Mahadevan
- 2001Mitta Miraasu
- 2001Nila Kaalam
- 2001Paarthale Paravasam — Nellai Amaran
- 2001Piriyadha Varam Vendum — Dhanashekaran
- 2001Samuthiram
- 2001Sonnal Thaan Kaadhala — Roja's Father
- 2001Star — Preeti Father
- 2001Thaalikaatha Kaaliamman — Dharmalingam
- 2000Budget Padmanabhan
- 2000Doubles
- 2000Ennavale — Subramani
- 2000Kandukondain Kandukondain — Sivagnanam
- 2000Karisakattu Poove — Nagamani's father
- 2000Kuberan — Kuberan Father
- 2000Maayi — Rajavelu
- 2000Mugavari — CD Shop Owner
- 2000Puratchikkaaran
- 2000Rhythm — Karthik's colleague
- 2000Sandhitha Velai
- 2000Unnai Kann Theduthey
- 2000Unnai Kodu Ennai Tharuven
- 2000Vaanavil — Ramasamy
- 1999Anantha Poongattre...
- 1999Annan — Rasappan
- 1999Chinna Raja
- 1999Chinnadurai
- 1999Hello
- 1999Kadhalar Dhinam — the man talking with Raja in railway station
- 1999Kallazhagar — Mani
- 1999Kannodu Kanbathellam — Madana Gopal
- 1999Mannavaru Sinnavaru
- 1999Minsara Kanna — Mani
- 1999Mudhalvan — Mayakrishnan
- 1999Mugam — Muthannan
- 1999Nenjinile
- 1999Nilavey Mugam Kaattu
- 1999Padayappa — Ramalingam
- 1999Pattali — Mani
- 1999Periyanna
- 1999Poomagal Oorvalam — Chidhambaram
- 1999Pudhu Kudithanam — Gokulakrishnan
- 1999Rajasthan
- 1999Sangamam — Aavudapillai
- 1999Taj Mahal
- 1999Thodarum
- 1999Thulladha Manamum Thullum — Mani
- 1999Unnaruge Naan Irundhal
- 1998Aasai Thambi
- 1998Desiya Geetham
- 1998Dhinamdhorum
- 1998Ellame En Pondattithaan
- 1998En Aasai Rasave
- 1998Guru Paarvai — Nagarajan
- 1998Kaadhale Nimmadhi — Velayudham
- 1998Kadhal Kavithai — Vishwa's father
- 1998Kalyana Galatta
- 1998Kannathal — Mohana Sundaram
- 1998Kavalai Padathe Sagodhara
- 1998Kizhakkum Merkkum
- 1998Moovendhar
- 1998Naam Iruvar Namakku Iruvar — Mani
- 1998Naya Natvarlal
- 1998Ninaithen Vandhai — Gopalakrishnan Gounder
- 1998Poonthottam
- 1998Priyamudan
- 1998Sandhippoma
- 1998Simmarasi
- 1998Sundara Pandian — Kottaval
- 1998Swarnamukhi — Varadarajan
- 1998Udhavikku Varalaamaa
- 1998Unnudan
- 1998Veera Thalattu
- 1998Veeram Vilanja Mannu — Manikandan
- 1997Dharma Chakkaram — Velasamy
- 1997Ettupatti Rasa
- 1997Janakiraman
- 1997Kaalamellam Kaathiruppen
- 1997Kaalamellam Kadhal Vaazhga
- 1997Kadavul — GOD
- 1997Kadhalukku Mariyaadai
- 1997Mappillai Gounder
- 1997Nandhini
- 1997Nerrukku Ner — Sundaram
- 1997Nesam — Dialogue
- 1997Once More — Ashok
- 1997Periya Idathu Mappillai — Manian Gounder
- 1997Periya Manushan — Johnson
- 1997Pistha — Kesavan
- 1997Poochudava
- 1997Porkkaalam — Ramaiya
- 1997Pudhayal — Tiruchitrambalam
- 1997Sishya
- 1997Suryavamsam — Rasappa
- 1997Thaali Pudhusu — Mani, Balu's father
- 1997V.I.P — Nizam Bhai
- 1997Vallal — Virumandi
- 1997Vidukathai
- 1996Amman Kovil Vaasalile — rajappan
- 1996Avvai Shanmugi — Mudaliyar
- 1996Gokulathil Seethai — Rishi's father
- 1996Gopala Gopala
- 1996Kadhal Kottai — Kaliyaperumal
- 1996Kalloori Vaasal — Kumarasamy
- 1996Metukudi
- 1996Nethaji — Mani
- 1996Poomani
- 1996Purushan Pondatti
- 1996Selva
- 1996Senathipathi — Nagappan
- 1996Subash — Thangamani
- 1996Tamizh Selvan — Vedimuthu
- 1996Tata Birla — Ramanathan
- 1996Thirumbi Paar — Chokku
- 1996Ullathai Allitha — Viswanathan / Kasinathan
- 1995Aanazhagan
- 1995Deva — Periyavar
- 1995Gangai Karai Paattu — Director, Screenplay, Dialogue
- 1995Maaman Magal — Manikkam
- 1995Murai Mappillai — Kai Ezhuthu Gounder, Raja's father
- 1995Villadhi Villain — Minister Kuppusamy
- 1994Amaidhi Padai — ex-MLA Manimaran, Director, Story, Screenplay, Dialogue
- 1994Rasa Magan — Screenplay, Dialogue, Director, Story
- 1994Ravanan
- 1994Thai Maaman
- 1994Thozhar Pandian — Dialogue, Story, Director, Screenplay
- 1994Veera Padhakkam — Palanisamy, Dialogue, Story, Screenplay, Director
- 1993Alimayya — Screenplay, Story
- 1993Moondravadhu Kann — Director, Story, Screenplay, Dialogue
- 1992Government Mappillai — Dialogue, Story, Screenplay, Director
- 1992Therku Theru Machan — Cameo, Director, Dialogue, Screenplay, Story
- 1991Pudhu Manidhan — Director, Dialogue, Screenplay
- 1990Sandhana Kaatru — Director, Story, Screenplay, Dialogue
- 1990Vazhkai Chakkaram — Screenplay, Director, Dialogue, Story
- 1989Gopala Rao Gari Abbayi — Director
- 1989Hum Bhi Insaan Hain — Story, Director
- 1989Kaadhal Oyvathillai — Director
- 1989Kodi Parakuthu — GD
- 1989Manidhan Marivittan — Screenplay, Dialogue, Director
- 1988Ganam Courtar Avargale — Director, Screenplay, Story, Dialogue
- 1988Ullathil Nalla Ullam — Director, Dialogue
- 1987Chinna Thambi Periya Thambi — Director, Screenplay, Dialogue
- 1987Ini Oru Sudhanthiram — Director, Story, Screenplay, Dialogue
- 1987Jallikkattu — Director
- 1987Kalyana Kacheri — Director
- 1987Puyal Paadum Pattu — Director
- 1987Theertha Karayinile — Director, Screenplay
- 1986Muthal Vasantham — Director, Screenplay, Dialogue
- 1986Palaivana Rojakkal — Director
- 1986Vidinja Kalyanam — Screenplay, Director, Story, Dialogue
- 1985Anbin Mugavari — Director
- 1985Darja Donga — Director, Screenplay
- 1985Khooni — Director, Screenplay
- 198424 Mani Neram — Director, Story, Dialogue, Screenplay
- 1984Ambigai Neril Vanthaal — Director
- 1984Anbae Odi Vaa
- 1984Ingeyum Oru Gangai — Director, Screenplay, Dialogue
- 1984January 1 — Director, Story, Dialogue, Screenplay
- 1984Kuva Kuva Vaathugal — Screenplay, Director, Dialogue
- 1984Nooravathu Naal — Director, Writer
- 1983Ilamai Kaalangal — Dialogue, Screenplay, Director, Story
- 1983Jothi — Director, Story, Dialogue, Screenplay
- 1983Lovers — Original Story
- 1983Veetula Raman Veliyila Krishnan — Writer, Director
- 1982Aagaaya Gangai — Screenplay, Dialogue, Story
- 1982Gopurangal Saivathillai — Director, Screenplay, Dialogue
- 1982Kadhal Oviyam — Writer
- 1982Krodham — Screenplay
- 1982Lottery Ticket — Story, Dialogue
- 1981Alaigal Oyivadhilai — Story, Dialogue, Assistant Director
- 1981Seethakoka Chilaka — Story
- 1981Tik Tik Tik — Assistant Director
- 1980Nizhalgal — Mani, Dialogue, Story
Appearances as themselves (1)
- 2014Ninaithathu Yaaro — Self