Karunas

• Name — Karunas • Birth Name — Karunanidhi Sethu Thevar • Born — 21 February 1970 • Birthplace — Kuruvikkarambai, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, India • Office1 — Member of Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly from Thiruvadanai constituency • Term Start1 — 19 May 2016 • Term End1 — 2 May 2021 • Office2 — President of Mukkulathor Pulipadai • Term Start2 — 2015 • Term End2 — 2019 • Spouse — Grace Karunas • Children — 2, including Ken • Occupation — Actor, Comedian, Composer, Playback singer, Politician • Office — Vice president of Tamilan Artistes' Association • Term Start — 10 October 2015 • Party — Mukkulathor Pulipadai

Karunas was born on February 21, 1970, in Kuruvikkarambai, a village in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, India. He did his schooling at Palangudi Bharathi School and later studied at Nandanam Arts, Presidency College. Karunas began his career as pop singer and dancer, working extensively on Tamil folk music. He then gradually appeared in films as a comedian.

Karunas began work as a folk singer aged 12, earning the moniker "Gaana" Karunas, and made his television debut through Yuhi Sethu's Naiyaandi Darbar show in the late 1990s as a musician. Director Bala heard one of his songs and subsequently signed Karunas on for an acting role in his second directorial venture, the drama film Nandhaa (2001). He was cast as the comedian and the film was successful, prompting him to accept further film offers. He subsequently went on to appear in notable films including Baba (2002), Pithamagan (2003), Vasool Raja MBBS (2004) and Polladhavan (2007) in supporting comedy roles. Karunas has also distributed two films, Pori (2007) and Kattradhu Thamizh (2007), both starring Jeeva in lead role, but the failure of both films has prompted him to stay away from distributing any further ventures. Karunas first appeared in the lead role in the comedy drama, Dindigul Sarathy (2008), portraying an insecure man with an inferiority complex. With heavy promotions by Sun Pictures, the film became a surprise success at the box office and prompted Karunas to appear in further lead roles in the comedy films Ambasamudram Ambani (2010), Chandhamama (2013), Ragalaipuram (2013) and Lodukku Pandi (2015). In between the films, he also essayed serious performances, and was briefly involved in the making of Thanga Meengal (2013) before it underwent a change of cast, while he was successful for his role in Santosh Sivan's war drama film, Ceylon (2014). His films as the lead hero, gradually had lower key promotions than the previous ones, and in 2015, Karunas announced he would not appear in any further lead roles. He subsequently made a return to starring supporting roles thereafter, being successful for his performance of a suicidal man in Darling (2015) and as a villager in Komban (2015), which became his hundredth film. In Azhagu Kutti Chellam (2016), Karunas' performance was well received by critics. He has also continued to act in comedy films including Enakku Innoru Per Irukku and Dhilluku Dhuddu. Karunas played character roles in Soorarai Pottru (2020) and Pogumidam Vegu Thooramillai (2024).

He was the leader of Mukkulathor Pulipadai, a Thevar political outfit. He contested from Tiruvadanai in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election 2016 with AIADMK's Two Leaves (Irratai Ilai) as his election symbol. On 25 February 2017, an unidentified person threw footwear at Karunas' car while out to garland a statue of freedom fighter U. Muthuramalingam Thevar. It is believed that the incident could be connected to his support of AIADMK leader V. K. Sasikala.

Karunas is married to Grace, a playback singer in the Tamil film industry. The pair had met when Karunas was the guest judge at an inter-collegiate singing competition, and after being impressed, Karunas asked her to sing in his personal music album. The couple have a daughter Diana Karunas and a son, Ken Karunas. Karunas's younger brother, Nagas, was set to making his acting debut through C. Ranganathan's Vantharu Jaicharu, but the film eventually did not release.

• Year — Film — Role — Notes • 2001 — Nandhaa — 'Lodukku' Pandi • 2002 — Pesadha Kannum Pesume — Arun • 123 — Aalavandhaan • Baba — Sambumani • Villain — Kodukan • Kadhal Azhivathillai — Samy • April Maadhathil — Jackson • Album — Paal Pandi • Jaya — Micheal • Bala — Kutty • 2003 — Kadhaludan — Durai • Puthiya Geethai — Ganesh • Inidhu Inidhu Kadhal Inidhu • Aahaa Ethanai Azhagu — Shankar • Thiruda Thirudi — Rockfort Chandru • Success — Ganesh's friend • Kaiyodu Kai • Ragasiyamai — Suraa Sriganthan • Pithamagan — Karuvaayan • Thirumalai — Thirumalai's friend • Iyarkai — Nandu • Anbe Un Vasam — JK • Indru — Vishwanath • Sindhamal Sitharamal — Saravanan's friend • 2004 — Ennavo Pudichirukku — Peela Magan • Pudhukottaiyilirundhu Saravanan — Vimal • Varnajaalam — Logu • Swetha Naagu — "Black" Baba — Telugu film; Dubbed in Tamil as Madhumathi • Kuthu — Senthil • Jana — Tappa • New — Vichu (Ex) • Vasool Raja MBBS — Kalaialangaram • Attagasam — Pangu • 2005 — Devathaiyai Kanden — 'Kaduppu' Subramani • Arputha Theevu — Karuppiah • Kadhal Seiya Virumbu — Odibaba Ulaganathan • Kadhal FM — Chili Chicken • E — Tony • Adhu Oru Kana Kaalam • 2006 — Sudesi — Ramesh • Mercury Pookkal — Karthik's friend • Prathi Gnayiru 9 Manimudhal 10.30 Varai — Romeo • Idhu Kadhal Varum Paruvam • Thiruvilaiyaadal Aarambam — Tiger Prathaphan • Thagappansaamy • 2007 — Pori — Hari's friend • Ninaithu Ninaithu Parthen • Vedha • Arputha Theevu — Karuppiah • Mudhal Kanave • Nee Naan Nila — Mokkasamy • Maa Madurai — Arumugam • En Uyirinum Melana — Johnny • Tholaipesi • Puli Varudhu — Karuppa • Kattradhu Thamizh — Yuvaan-Suang • Chennai 600028 — Himself — Guest appearance • Polladhavan — Auto Kumar • 2008 — Sadhu Miranda — Vellai • Vedha • Yaaradi Nee Mohini — Ganesh • Vallamai Tharayo — Master • Dhanam — Ananth's uncle • Netru Indru Naalai — Thamizh • Silambattam — Villager • Dindigul Sarathy — Sarathy • Thiruvannamalai — Duraisingam • Panchamirtham — Paandi • 2009 — Satrumun Kidaitha Thagaval • Adada Enna Azhagu — Vasan's friend • Ayan — Dilli • Ilampuyal — Narayanan • Rajathi Raja — Krishnamoorthy • Maasilamani • Arumugam — Velu • Thamizhagam — Constable Vasool Raja • 2010 — Rettaisuzhi — Army member • Ambasamudram Ambani — Thandapani • Pournami Nagam • Baana Kaathadi — Kumar • 365 Kadhal Kadithangal — Murugan • Enthiran — Ravi • Uthama Puthiran — Janaki • 2011 — Ilaignan — Subair • Kasethan Kadavulada — Karuna • Maharaja — Maadasamy • 2012 — Kazhugu — Nandu • Aathi Narayana — Aslam Muhammed Rafiq Salam • Pandi Oliperukki Nilayam — Amarkalam • Ullam — direct-to-television • 2013 — Chandamama — Santhanakrishnan — also producer • Ragalaipuram — Velu — also producer • 2014 — Ceylon — Stanley • 2015 — Darling — Athisaya Raj • Komban — Muniyandi • Masss — Azhagu • Lodukku Pandi — Pandi • Savaale Samaali — Karunakaran • Puli — Sooran • Kathirvel Kaakha • 2016 — Azhagu Kutti Chellam — Auto driver • Kathakali — Karpooram • Pugazh — Pugazh's brother • Jithan 2 — Surya's known person • Enakku Innoru Per Irukku — Finger Babu • Dhilluku Dhuddu — Mohan • Ka Ka Ka Po • Thirunaal — Mani • Wagah — Nagappan • Kodi — Murugan • Pazhaya Vannarapettai • Achamindri — Pattu • 2017 — Pandigai — Rattinam Kumar • 2020 — Draupadi — Guruthevan • Soorarai Pottru — Alapparai — Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Character Artiste (Male) • 2021 — Sangathalaivan — Ranganathan • 2022 — Viruman — Balu • Aadhaar — Pachamuthu • Gatta Kusthi — Ratnam • 2024 — Rebel — College Professor • Pogumidam Vegu Thooramillai — Nalinamoorthy — Ananda Vikatan Cinema Award for Best Supporting Actor • Kanguva — Selumaara • Sorgavaasal — Kattabomman • 2025 — Madraskaaran — Chellapandi • Diesel — Vetti Sekar • 2026 — Salliyargal • Kara — Kasi Maayan • Nooru Saami — Selvi's brother • Gatta Kusthi 2 — Ratnam

• Thagapansamy (2006) • Kattradhu Thamizh (2007)

• Youth (2026)

• Year — Film — Songs — Score — Notes • 2009 — Rajathi Raja • 2010 — Ambasamudram Ambani • 2011 — Kasethan Kadavulada • 2016 — Pagiri • Kadavul Irukaan Kumaru — one song "Locality Boys"

• Year — Title — Song — Composer — Notes • 1987 — Aisa Lakadi Mettu Thanunga (album) — Folk songs album • 2002 — Shree — "Madurai Jilla" — T. S. Muralidharan • 2003 — Iyarkai — "Seetu Kattu" — Vidyasagar — Uncredited • 2004 — Kaadhal — "Pura Koondu" — Joshua Sridhar • 2005 — Kadhal Seiya Virumbu — "Elam Elam" — G. Ram • 2005 — Thunichal — "Katikalama" — Premji Amaren • 2006 — Thalaimagan — "Uppumootai" — Paul J. • 2006 — Prathi Gnayiru 9 Manimudhal 10.30 Varai — "Dhumkara" — John Peter • 2007 — Chennai 600028 — "Jalsa" (Remix) — Yuvan Shankar Raja • Puli Varudhu — "Kadhalikka Solludi" — Srikanth Deva • 2009 — Rajathi Raja — "Kathirikka" — Himself • 2011 — Kasethan Kadavulada — "Kasethan" — Himself • 2013 — Chandhamama — "Koyambedu Silk Akka" — Srikanth Deva — Also lyrics • Ceylon — "Londoniley" — Vishal Chandrashekhar • Ragalaipuram — "Obamavum Ingethan" — Srikanth Deva • 2015 — Darling — "Vandha Mala" — G. V. Prakash Kumar • 2016 — Kadavul Irukaan Kumaru — "Locality Boys" — himself, Bobo Shashi — also lyrics • 2026 — Youth — "Alapuzha Sandhayila" — himself, Gracy Karunas — also co-lyricist with Ken Karunas, Sibiraj Chakravarthi & Eshwar