Sathyaraj is an Indian film actor and media personality who has predominantly appeared in Tamil films. He started his career in villainous roles and later played lead roles. He has acted in over 200 films, which include a few Telugu, Malayalam, Hindi and Kannada films as well. He is known for his performance in Amaidhi Padai, Nadigan, Periyar E. V. Ramasamy, the Tamil Nadu government-sponsored film Periyar among others. He was also the director of the film Villadhi Villain (1995), starring himself in three different roles. Apart from his film career, Sathyaraj has been vocal in the media about various issues, such as Sri Lankan Tamil nationalism and water rights in Tamil Nadu. In 2011, he had a brief career as a television host for the game show Home Sweet Home on STAR Vijay. He has also served as a brand ambassador for Pothys and Kumaran Jewelry Shop.

Filmography

• 2026Charukesi
• 2026G.D.N — Ramaiah Pillai
• 2026Mandaadi
• 2026Seetha Payanam
• 2026Vaa Vaathiyaar — Periyasamy
• 2025Baby & Baby — Mahalingam
• 2025Bāhubali: The Epic — Karikala Kattappa Nadar
• 2025Coolie — Rajasekar
• 2025Idli Kadai — Vishnu Vardhan
• 2025Love Marriage — MLA Pournami
• 2025Madras Matinee — Jyoti Ramaya
• 2025Sikandar — Minister Rakesh Pradhan
• 2025Thamma — Elvis Karim Prabhakar
• 2025Tribanadhari Barbarik
• 2024Mazhai Pidikatha Manithan — Captain Prabhakaran
• 2024Munjya — Padre Elvis Karim Prabhakar
• My Perfectt Husband — Bharathi
• 2024Singapore Saloon — Chakrapani
• 2024Thozhar Cheguevara — Cheguvera
• 2024Weapon — Mithran
• 2024Zebra — "A to Z" Baba
• 2023Angaaragan — Adhiveera Pandiyan
• 2023Annapoorani — Sundarrajan
• Mansion 24 — Kalidas
• 2023Otta
• 2023Tamilarasan
• 2023Theerkadarishi — Dass
• 2023Waltair Veerayya — Satyamurthy
• 20221945 — INA Commander
• 2022Connect — Arthur Samuel
• 2022Etharkkum Thunindhavan — Aadhirayar
• 2022Love Today — Venu Shastri
• Meet Cute — Mohan Rao
• 2022Pakka Commercial — Ex-Justice Suryanarayana
• 2022Prince — Ulaganathan / Veluchamy
• 2022Radhe Shyam — Paramahamsa
• 2022Veetla Vishesham — S. Unnikrishnan
• 2021MGR Magan — M. G. Ramasamy
• 2021Theerpugal Virkkapadum — Nalankumar
• 2021Tughlaq Durbar — Nagaraja Chola (Cameo appearance)
• 2019Jersey — Coach Murthy
• 2019Prati Roju Pandaage — Raghu Ramayya
• 2019Thambi — Gnanamoorthy
• 2018Echcharikkai — Nataraj IPS
• 2018Kadaikutty Singam — Ranasingam
• 2018Kanaa — Murugesan
• 2018Nota — Mahendran
• 2017Bāhubali 2: The Conclusion — Karikala Kattappa Nadar
• 2017Kalavaadiya Pozhuthugal — Periyar
• 2017Mersal — Rathnavel
• 2017Motta Shiva Ketta Shiva — Kirubakaran IPS
• 2016Brahmotsavam — Ajay's Father
• 2016Gethu — Thulasi Raman
• 2016Hyper — Narayana Murthy
• 2016Jackson Durai — Durai
• 2016Nenu.. Sailaja... — Srinivasa Rao
• 2015Bāhubali: The Beginning — Karikala Kattappa Nadar
• 2015Isai — Vetriselvan
• 2015Lailaa O Lailaa — Shaheed Khadar
• 2015Oru Naal Iravil — Sekar
• 2015Tungabhadra — Ramaraju
• 2014Kalavaram — Vetriselvan
• 2014Naaigal Jaakirathai — Producer
• 2014Poojai — A. D. S. P. Sivakkozhundhu
• 2014Sigaram Thodu — Chellapa
• 2013Chennai Express — Durgeshwara Azhagusundaram
• 2013Mirchi — Deva
• 2013Nagaraja Cholan MA, MLA — Amavasai
• 2013Raja Rani — James
• 2013Thalaivaa — 'Anna' Ramadurai
• 2013Varuthapadatha Valibar Sangam — Sivanandi
• 2012Nanban — Virumandi 'Virus' Santhanam
• 2011Aayiram Vilakku — Lingam
• 2011Sattapadi Kutram
• 2011Uchithanai Muharnthaal
• 2011Vengayam
• 2010Aagathan — Gen. Hareendranath Varma
• 2010Gowravargal — Thondaiman
• 2010Guru Sishyan — Guru Moorthy
• 2010Irandu Mugam — Sarveswaren
• 2010Pollachi Mappiley — Sengaaliyappan
• 2010Yagam
• 2009Shankam — Sivaiah
• 2008Thangam — Thangam
• 2008Vambu Sandai — Jeevanandham
• 2007Adavadi — Bharath
• 2007Kannamoochi Yenada — Commissioner Arumugam Gounder
• 2007Lee — Producer
• 2007Onbadhu Roobai Nottu — Madhava Padayachi
• 2007Periyar — E. V. Ramasamy a.k.a. Periyar
• 2006Gurukshetram — Bharath
• 2006Kovai Brothers — Ganesh
• 2006Suyetchai MLA — Nambirajan
• 20056'2 — James
• 2005Englishkaran — Thamizharasan
• 2005Iyer IPS — DCP Gopal Iyer and Venkatachalapathy
• 2005Mannin Maindhan — Inspector Pratap
• 2005Vanakkam Thalaiva — Manickam
• 2005Vetrivel Sakthivel — Vetrivel
• 2004Adi Thadi — Tirupathi
• 2004Azhagesan — Azhagesan
• 2004Jore — Sabapathy
• 2004Maha Nadigan — Satya
• 2004Sema Ragalai
• 2004Sound Party — Kumaresan
• 2004Vettam — Blind accordion player (uncredited)
• 2003Aalukkoru Aasai — Arivazhagan
• 2003Military — 'Military' Madhavan
• 2003Ramachandra — Inspector Ramachandran
• 2003Sena — 'Sena' Senathipathi
• 2002Maaran — Maaran
• 2002Vivaramana Aalu — Mayilsamy
• 2001Aandan Adimai — Sivaraman
• 2001Asathal — Vetri
• 2001Kunguma Pottu Gounder — Kandasamy / Kunguma Pottu Gounder
• 2001Looty — Rasappa, Jeeva and English Kuppan
• 2000Ennamma Kannu — Kaasi
• 2000Puratchikkaaran — Anna
• 2000Unnai Kann Theduthey — Vichu
• 2000Veeranadai — Periyakaruppu
• 1999Azhagarsamy — 'Azhagu' Azhagarsamy
• 1999Malabar Police — Chinnasamy / Ramasamy
• 1999Ponnu Veetukkaran — Jeeva
• 1999Suyamvaram — Arunachalam
• 1998Kalyana Galatta — Rajagopalan
• 1997Pagaivan — Vasu
• 1997Periya Manushan — Ramakrishnan and Subramani
• 1997Vallal — Durairasu
• 1996Senathipathi — Senathipathy/Sedhupathy
• 1996Sivasakthi — Siva
• 1995Engirundho Vandhan — Kannan
• 1995Maaman Magal — Shanmugham
• 1995Villadhi Villain — Edison / Meenatchi Sundara Sasthiriyaar / Poo 'Kannan', Writer, Director
• 1994Amaidhi Padai — Amavasai (later MLA Nagaraja Cholan)/Inspector Thangavel
• 1994Ravanan
• 1994Thai Maaman
• 1994Thozhar Pandian
• 1994Vandicholai Chinraasu — Chinraasu
• 1994Veera Padhakkam — Kalivarathan IPS
• 1993Airport — Captain Arjun
• 1993Kattalai — Sabarathnam
• 1993Udan Pirappu — Sathya
• 1993Walter Vetrivel — Walter Vetrivel I.P.S
• 1992Magudam — Muthuvelu
• 1992Pangali — Sakthivel / Durai
• 1992Rickshaw Mama — 'Rickshaw Mama' Raja
• 1992Therku Theru Machan — Subramani
• 1992Thirumathi Palanisamy — Palanisamy
• 1991Bramma — Ravivarman 'Ravi'
• 1991Pudhu Manidhan
• 1990Madurai Veeran Enga Saami — Mathi
• 1990Mallu Vetti Minor
• 1990Nadigan
• 1990Ulagam Pirandhadhu Enakkaga — Quarter Govindan
• 1990Vazhkai Chakkaram
• 1990Velai Kidaichuruchu — Palanisamy
• 1989Chinnappadass — Chinnappadass
• 1989Pick Pocket — Rangaraj
• 1989Thaai Naadu — Albert aka Anandhan & Brigader Tamizhmani
• 1989Vaathiyaar Veettu Pillai — Thangaraj
• 1988Anna Nagar Mudhal Theru
• 1988En Bommukutty Ammavukku — Vinod
• 1988Ganam Courtar Avargale
• 1988Jeeva — Jeeva
• 1988Kazhugumalai Kallan
• 1988Pudhiya Vaanam — 'MGR' M. G. Rajaratnam
• 1987Aalappirandhavan — Aalappirandhavan
• 1987Chinna Thambi Periya Thambi
• 1987Ini Oru Sudhanthiram
• 1987Jallikkattu
• 1987Kadamai Kanniyam Kattupaadu — SI Balaram
• 1987Makkal En Pakkam
• 1987Manathil Uruthi Vendum — Cameo
• 1987Muthukkal Moondru
• 1987Poovizhi Vasalile — Jeeva
• 1987Vedham Pudhithu — Balu Thevar
• 1986Dharmam — Karthik
• 1986Iravu Pookkal — Inspector Rajadurai
• 1986Kadalora Kavithaigal — Chinnappa Das
• 1986Karimedu Karuvayan
• 1986Mandhira Punnagai — Dr. Bhaskar / DSP Arunachalam IPS
• 1986Mr. Bharath — Gopinath
• 1986Murattu Karangal — Kabali
• 1986Muthal Vasantham — Kunguma Pottu Kounder
• 1986Palaivana Rojakkal — Sabarathinam
• 1986Rasigan Oru Rasigai
• 1986Vidinja Kalyanam
• 1986Vikram — Sugirtharaja
• 1985Aagaya Thamaraigal
• 1985Anbin Mugavari
• 1985Anni
• 1985Darja Donga — Story
• 1985Eetti
• 1985Geethanjali
• 1985Japanil Kalyanaraman
• 1985Kaakki Sattai — Vicky
• 1985Khooni
• 1985Mangamma Sabadham — Boopathy
• 1985Mudhal Mariyathai — Mayilvaganam
• 1985Naan Sigappu Manithan — Mohanraj
• 1985Needhiyin Nizhal — Nagaraj
• 1985Pagal Nilavu — Devarajan
• 1985Pillai Nila — Saint Cromeo
• 1985Saavi — Vijaykumar, an Ex-tennis player
• 1985Santhoshakkanavukal
• 1985Shabash Vikram — 'Tyre King' Suman
• 1985Sri Raghavendrar — Maqbool Khan
• 1985Thiramai
• 198424 Mani Neram — X. W. Ramarathnam
• 1984Chiranjeevi
• 1984Enakkul Oruvan
• 1984January 1
• 1984Naalai Unathu Naal — David
• 1984Naan Mahaan Alla — Jagan
• 1984Nooravathu Naal — Jayaraman
• 1984Sattathai Thiruthungal — Sarassi
• 1984Thambikku Entha Ooru — Sivaraman
• 1983Paayum Puli
• 1983Sandhippu — Dany
• 1983Thangaikkor Geetham
• 1983Urangatha Ninaivugal
• 1982Hitler Umanath
• 1982Moondru Mugam
• 1982Pagadai Panirendu
• 1980Neerottam
• 1979Enippadigal
• 1978Kannan Oru Kai Kuzhandhai
• 1978Sattam En Kaiyil — Vicky
• Almost Nallavan
• Dashamakan
• Dosa King
• Four Windows
• Gangs Kuruthi Punal
• Kaaki
• Maragadha Naanayam 2
• Marshal
• Marudhanayagam
• Party — 'Ironfist Ayyanar' Karnan
• Ranjan: The Advocate
• Untitled Vikram - Shanthi Talkies Film
• Valli Mayil

Appearances as themselves (2)

• Bãhubali: The Torchbearer — Self
• 2025Bioscope — himself (special appearance)