Raghava Lawrence

He adopted the name "Raghava" in 2001, and choreographed songs for many prominent actors and directors in Tamil and Telugu cinema throughout his career. He got his breakthrough as an actor with the Telugu film Style (2006) and Tamil horror comedy Muni (2007).

• Name — Raghava Lawrence • Born — 29 October 1976 • Birth Name — Lawrence Murugaiyan • Years Active — 1992–present • Spouse — Latha Lawrence • Children — 1 • Occupation — * Actor • Choreographer • Film director • Composer • Playback singer • Lyricist • Film producer • Philanthropist

Lawrence had a brain tumor when he was a child. He attributes the curing of his tumor to the deity, Raghavendra Swamy, and in an act of devotion, he took the name Raghava He built the Raghavendra Swamy Brindavanam Temple at Thirumullaivayal on the Avadi-Ambattur route, which opened on 1 January 2010. Raghava also has a younger brother, Elvin.

He was working as a car cleaner for fight master Super Subbarayan. Rajinikanth saw him dancing and helped him to join the Dancers Union. He made his first appearance in Donga Police (1992) while doing some dances with Prabhu Deva including working as a background dancer in the song "Chikku Bukku Chikku Bukku Raile" in Gentleman (1993). In 1993, he also appeared in dance sequences in Muta Mesthri, Rakshana, and Allari Priyudu. Chiranjeevi offered him the job of choreographing the dances for Hitler (1997). Pleased with Lawrence's work, Chiranjeevi asked him to choreograph dances for Master (1997), his next film too. Producer T V D Prasad offered him the role of a hero in his venture Speed Dancer (1999). That film was a flop. After that he acted small roles in Tamil like Ajith Kumar's Unnai Kodu Ennai Tharuven (2000) and Prashanth's Parthen Rasithen (2000). Director K. Balachander invited him to act in his 100th film Parthale Paravasam (2001).

He acted as a first lead role in the Tamil with Arpudham (2002). As described in a review by Sify, "the latest in the line is Lawrence, who like his predecessor Prabhu Deva, is determined to be a hero". Arputham has a decent screenplay and Lawrence is tolerable". Thereafter, Style (2002). After making guest appearances in several films including Thirumalai (2003) and Thendral (2004), he directed his first film in Telugu, Mass (2004) starring Nagarjuna and Jyothika. The movie was a commercial success. He subsequently directed and acted in Style (2006) co-starring with Prabhu Deva and featuring Nagarjuna and Chiranjeevi in guest roles. He got his breakthrough with Muni (2007), a horror thriller film. Thereafter, he directed another film, Don (2007). The film starring Nagarjuna and Anushka Shetty. Raghava acted in second roles and made the film depending only on style and technical aspects. The movie had an average response. Raghava continues to play in different categories films such as Pandi (2008), Rajadhi Raja (2009) and Irumbukkottai Murattu Singam (2010). Pandi was a moderate success, while Rajadhi Raja was released to negative reviews, and Irumbukkottai Murattu Singam was released to mixed reviews.

He takes the series Muni in Kanchana (2011). Sarath Kumar play in the main role. The movie was commercially successful. In 2012, he directed Telugu movie Rebel starring Prabhas and Tamannaah. He acted in Kanchana 2 (2015). In 2017, he starred in an action Masala film, Motta Shiva Ketta Shiva. Sify described the film as, "Crass, loud and brainless." Then another of genre horror Shivalinga, remake a Kannada language with the same name directed by P. Vasu. Shakthi Vasudevan, son of director, also starred in the important role for two versions. The story is a cop investigating the suspicious death of a Muslim finds out that his own wife has become possessed by the young man's ghost. Raghava Lawrence is back with the fourth movie in the series – Muni 4: Kanchana 3: Kaali (2019), with the new change being three heroines. The film has received a good collections at the box office. In 2020, he made his directorial debut in Hindi cinema with film, Laxmii, a remake of Muni 2: Kanchana. On November 10, 2023, the movie Jigarthanda DoubleX, featuring actors Raghava Lawrence and SJ Suryah in the lead roles, was released as a prequel to the original film, Jigarthanda. On 14 April, 2024, it was announced that Lawrence will be starring in a film titled Benz, directed by Bakkiyaraj Kannan and written and produced by Lokesh Kanagaraj,which was confirmed as a part of the Lokesh Cinematic Universe in October 2024.

In 2015, after the death of former Indian president A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, Lawrence set up a charity trust in his name and made a donation of. He did many social service activities in which he has aided many heart surgeries for small children. He was one of the supporters of the bull-riding sport jallikattu after its ban in 2017. During a protest in Tamil Nadu in January 2017, he provided food, medicine and basic needs to the protesters and promised to support them until the protests were over. He asked for an appointment with Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan to donate 1 crore as relief fund for the Kerala flood victims.

List of acting performances in film • Year — Film — Role(s) — Language — Notes • 1992 — Donga Police — Lorry driver — Telugu — Uncredited appearance in the song "Jee Tee Todu Meeda" • 1993 — Rakshana — Uncredited appearance in the song "Gallumandi Boss"; also assistant director • 1995 — Valli Vara Pora — Crowd member — Tamil — Uncredited appearance in the song "Rootula Juttula" • 1999 — Speed Dancer — Seenu — Telugu • 2000 — Unnai Kodu Ennai Tharuven — Ganapathi — Tamil • Parthen Rasithen — Doss • 2001 — Parthale Paravasam — Azhagu • 2002 — Arpudham — Ashok Kumar • Style — Rishaanth • 2004 — Thendral — Kumar • Mass — Local gangster — Telugu — Special appearance • 2006 — Style — Raghava • 2007 — Muni — Ganesh — Tamil • Don — Raghava — Telugu • 2008 — Pandi — Pandi — Tamil • 2009 — Rajadhi Raja — Raja • 2010 — Irumbukkottai Murattu Singam — Singam & Singaram — Dual role • 2011 — Kanchana — Raghava • 2015 — Kanchana 2 — Raghava & Shiva — Dual role • 2017 — Motta Siva Ketta Siva — ACP Shivakumar — Also playback singer for song "Motta Paiyan" • Shivalinga — Shivalingeswaran • 2019 — Kanchana 3 — Raghava & Kaali — Dual role • 2023 — Rudhran — Rudhran • Chandramukhi 2 — Pandian & Sengottaiyan Vettaiyan — Dual role • Jigarthanda DoubleX — Alliyus "Alliyan" Caesar • rowspan="6" — Adhigaram — Filming • Benz — Filming • Kaala Bhairava — Filming • Bullet — Kingstar — Post-production • Hunter — Filming • Kanchana 4 — Filming

• Note: this is a list of films that Raghava Lawrence only appeared as a dancer. List of dancing performances in film • Year — Film — Song — Language — Notes • 1992 — Donga Police — Telugu • Pandian — "Adi Jumba" — Tamil • 1993 — Mutha Mestri — "Ee Pettakku" — Telugu • Allari Priyudu — "Rose Rose Roja Puvva" • Uzhaippali — "Uzhaippali Illatha" — Tamil • Gentleman — "Chikku Bukku Rayile" • 1994 — Chinna Madam — "Kora Kizhangukku Kodi" — Tamil • 1995 — Thai Thangai Paasam — "Roopu Tera Masthana" • 1996 — Akka Bagunnava — "Aalesha Deko Pyaree" — Telugu • 1997 — Hitler — "Nadaka Kalisina Navaraatri" • 1998 — Prema Pallaki — "Kannepilla Pongulu " • Suryudu — "Manasu Mamatha" • 1999 — Amarkkalam — "Maha Ganapathi" — Tamil • 2000 — Thirunelveli — "Yele Azhagamma" • Kshemamga Velli Labhamga Randi — "Lovvuki Age" — Telugu • Hands Up — "Jaana Jaana" • Chala Bagundi — "Yentabagundi Basu" • Unnai Kodu Ennai Tharuven — "Sollu Thalaiva" — Tamil • Bagunnara? — "Tirumala Tirupati Venkatesa" — Telugu • 2001 — Asura — "Maha Ganapathi" — Kannada • 2002 — Varushamellam Vasantham — "Naan Ready Neenga Readya" — Tamil • Roja Kootam — "Subbamma" • Baba — "Maya Maya" • 2003 — Ninne Istapaddanu — "Krishna Zilla" — Telugu • Satyam — "Kuch Kuch" • Naaga — "Nayudori Pilla" • Pudhiya Geethai — "Annamalai" — Tamil • Thirumalai — "Thaamthakka Dheemthakka" • 2010 — Pen Singam — "Adi Aadi Asaiyum Iduppu" • 2014 — Kathai Thiraikathai Vasanam Iyakkam — "Live The Moment"

• Masthaana Masthaana Part II (2007)

List of films as a playback singer • Song(s) — Year — Film — Composer • "Thala Suttuthe Maamu" — 2007 — Muni — Bharadwaj • "Motta Motta Paiyyan" — 2017 — Motta Siva Ketta Siva — Amresh Ganesh • "Lo Lo Lo Local"

List of films as music composer • Year — Film — Language — Notes • 2007 — Don — Telugu — Songs only; score composed by S. Chinna • 2012 — Rebel

• Year — Film — Song — Notes • 2011 — Kanchana — "Nillu Nillu"

• Award — Category — Film — Year — Result — Ref. Reference • Filmfare Awards South — Best Choreography — Annayya — 2000 — | • Paarthale Paravasam — 2001 • Indra — 2002 • Style — 2006 • Nandi Awards — Best Choreographer — Annayya — 2000 • Indra — 2002 • Style — 2006 • Tamil Nadu State Film Awards — Best Choreographer — Kannupada Poguthaiya — 1999 • Kanchana — 2011 • Vijay Awards — Social Responsibility — 2010

Raghava Lawrence is recorded as film director, actor, choreographer, film producer and philanthropist.