Samuthirakani

P. Samuthirakani is an Indian actor and film director best known for his work across Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam cinema. Born on 26 April 1973 in the small town of Seithur, Rajapalayam in Tamil Nadu, he pursued a B.Sc. in Mathematics at Rajus College before earning a law degree from Ambedkar Government Law College, yet his true passion lay in the performing arts. Despite early discouragement about his looks and talent, he entered the film industry in the late 1990s, first as an assistant director under Sundar K. Vijayan and later under the legendary K. Balachander, contributing to projects such as Parthale Paravasam and the popular television serial Anni. His behind‑the‑camera experience proved invaluable when he debuted as a director with Unnai Charanadaindhen (2003) and achieved breakthrough success with Naadodigal (2009), a film celebrated for its gritty realism and later remade in several languages. Samuthirakani continued to direct socially conscious films like Poraali (2011), Nimirndhu Nil (2014) and Appa (2016), each exploring themes of equality, education and family values, and earning him multiple Tamil Nadu State Film Awards. Parallel to his directing career, he has built a reputation as a versatile character actor, delivering memorable performances as Dhanush’s father in Velaiilla Pattadhari (2014), a police inspector in the National Award‑winning Visaranai (2016), and a pivotal role in Rajinikanth’s Kaala (2018). His work in recent years includes notable appearances in Telugu blockbusters such as Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo (2020) and Aakashavaani (2021), as well as a return to directing with Naadodigal 2 and the fantasy comedy Vinodhaya Sitham (2021). Married to Jayalakshmi and father of two children, Samuthirakani remains an influential figure who seamlessly blends socially relevant storytelling with compelling on‑screen performances, continuing to shape South Indian cinema well into the 2020s.