Rahman

He made his acting debut in Koodevide (1983), for which he won his first Kerala State Film Award for Second Best Actor. He was a popular teen idol in Malayalam cinema during the 1980s, which heightened his stardom in Malayalam film industry. He eventually shifted to playing lead roles in Tamil and Telugu films during the late 1980s and early 1990s. He made a comeback to Malayalam films in 2004.

• Name — Rahman • Other Names — Raghu • Birth Name — Rashin Rahman • Born — 23 May 1967 • Birthplace — Abu Dhabi, Trucial States • Occupation — Actor • Years Active — 1983–present • Children — 2

Rahman was born as Rashin on 23 May 1967 in Abu Dhabi. His family originally hails from Nilambur, Kerala, India. He is eldest of two children of K. M. A. Rahman and Savithri. He has a younger sister Shameema. He was educated at Merryland Kindergarten, Abu Dhabi and Baldwin Boys' High School, Bangalore, St Joseph's School in Abu Dhabi and Rex Higher Secondary School, Ooty and pursued a pre-university degree at Dr. Gafoor Memorial MES Mampad College, Mampad-Malappuram.

List of Rahman Malayalam film credits • Year — Title — Character — Notes • 1983 — Koodevide — Ravi Puthooran • 1984 — Kaliyil Alpam Karyam — Babu • Ithiri Poove Chuvannapoove — Unni • Kanamarayathu — Baby • Parannu Parannu Parannu — Emil • Ariyaatha Veethikal — Babu • Uyarangalil — Chandran • Adiyozhukkukal — Chandran • Aduthaduthu — Raju • Ivide Thudhagunnu — Babu • 1985 — Kandu Kandarinju — Kunjunni • Angadikkappurathu — Charley • Upaharam — Ajit Chandran • Ee Lokam Evide Kure Manushyar — Balu • Orikkal Oridathu — Sethu • Ivide Ee Theerathu — Gopinath • Ente Kaanakkuyil — Suresh • Koodum Thedi — Rex • Katha Ithuvare — Vinayan • Thammil Thammil — Vivek • Eeran Sandhya — Raju • Gaayathridevi Ente Amma — Appu • Ee Thanalil Ithiri Nerum — Ravi • Punnaram Cholli Cholli — Biju • 1986 — Vartha — Unnikrishnan • Aayiram Kannukal — Band Troupe Singer — Cameo • Ennu Nathante Nimmi — Nathan • Chilambu — Paramu • Poomukhappadiyil Ninneyum Kaathu — Sanjay / Sanju • Koodanayum Kattu — Tommy • Pappan Priyappetta Pappan — Pappan • Kariyilakkattupole — Anil Kumar • Onnam Prathi Olivil — - • 1987 — Ithrayum Kalam — Pappachan • Aankiliyude Tharattu — Babu • 1988 — Moonnam Pakkam — Lopez • Mukthi — Sudhakaran • 1989 — Charithram — Raju Manavalan / Albert — Dual role • Kaalal Pada — Sunny • 1992 — Apaaratha — Prathapan • 1995 — Mazhavilkoodaram — Jithin Babu • 2000 — Dreamz — Peter • 2004 — Black — Ashok Srinivas • 2005 — Rajamanikyam — Raju • 2006 — Mahha Samudram — Rarichan • Bhargava Charitham Moonam Khandam — Vinod • 2007 — Rock & Roll — Henry • Goal — Vijay • Nanma — Nakulan • Abraham & Lincoln — Lincoln George • 2008 — Veruthe Oru Bharya — SP Sudeep • 2009 — Kerala Cafe / Island Express — Ranji • Bharya Onnu Makkal Moonnu — Raju • Moss & Cat — Sumesh Vasudev • 2011 — Traffic — Sidharth Shankar • 2012 — Manjadikuru — Raghu Maaman • Bachelor Party — Benny • 2013 — Musafir — Humayoon/Musafir • Mumbai Police — Commissioner Farhan Aman • 2015 — Lavender — Ayaan/Ajay • 2016 — Marupadi — Eby • 2018 — Ranam — Damodar Ratnam • 2019 — Virus — Dr. Rahim • 2023 — Samara — Antony • 2024 — Bad Boyz — Mekkattukulam Antappan • 2026 — Anomie — Gibran

List of Rahman Tamil film credits • Year — Film — Role — Notes • 1986 — Nilave Malare — Vijay • Kanne Kaniyamuthe — Peraka • Vasantha Raagam — Raghu • 1987 — Meendum Mahaan — Raghu • Anbulla Appa — Madhu • 1988 — Oruvar Vazhum Aalayam — Jeeva • 1989 — Pudhu Pudhu Arthangal — Mani Bharathi • 1990 — Aarathi Edungadi — Kannan • Pattikattan — Muthuraasa • Pagalil Pournami — Rajasekar's brother • Pattanamdhan Pokalamadi — Balu • Manaivi Vantha Neram — Sudhakar • Seetha — Vijay • Puriyaadha Pudhir — Raghu — credited as Raghu • 1991 — Pudhiya Raagam — Raja • Nee Pathi Naan Pathi — Nandha • Paattondru Ketten — Raghu • 1992 — Thambi Pondatti — Somu • Naane Varuven — Raja • Mappillai Vanthachu — Ranga • 1993 — Pon Vilangu — Raghu • Athma — Raghu • Udan Pirappu — Viji • Karuppu Vellai — Surya • 1994 — Athiradi Padai — Saatha • Hero — Ramu • 1995 — Paattu Padava — Rishi • Dear Son Maruthu — Maruthu • 1996 — Kalki — Paranjothi • Vasantham — Ganesh • 1999 — Suryodayam — Bala • Sangamam — Selvam • 2001 — Ninaikkatha Naalillai — Arun • 2004 — Ethiri — Raghavan • 2005 — Raam — Umar • 2006 — Thoothukudi — Lingam • Kasu — Karan • 2007 — Billa — Jagdish / Gokulnath • Kuttrapathirikai — Arun • 2009 — Balam — Abhishek • Vaamanan — John Vijay • 2011 — Vandhan Vendran — Commissioner of Mumbai • Lathika — Anthony • 2012 — Billa II — Jagdish • 2013 — Singam II — Thangaraj • 2014 — Ennamo Nadakkudhu — Burma • 2015 — En Vazhi Thani Vazhi — Thangaraj • 36 Vayadhinile — Tamizhselvan • 2016 — Kuttrame Thandanai — Vijay Prakash • Dhuruvangal Pathinaaru — Deepak • 2017 — Pagadi Aattam — Devendrakumar • Oru Mugathirai — Sathyamoorthy Rathnavel • Sathura Adi 3500 — Police inspector • 2019 — Seven — Vijay Prakash • 2022 — Ponniyin Selvan: I — Madhurantakan • 2023 — Ponniyin Selvan: II • 2024 — Anjaamai — Adv. Manikkam • Nirangal Moondru — Vasanth

List of Rahman Telugu film credits • Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1987 — Raga Leela • 1991 — Bharat Bandh • 1992 — Priyathama • 1993 — Aadarsham — Chakrapani • Repati Rowdy • 2000 — Sri Srimathi Sathyabhaama • 2005 — Dhairyam — Somaraju • 2009 — Billa — Devil/Dharmendra • 2010 — Simha — Jagadish Prasad • 2011 — Oosaravelli — DCP Vikram Sinha(as mentioned in news) • 2012 — Adhinayakudu — Rama Krishna Prasad's brother • 2013 — Shatruvu — Mayor Aravind • 2014 — Govindudu Andarivadele — Dr. Chandrasekhar Rao • 2016 — Janatha Garage — Shiva • 2018 — Antariksham 9000 KMPH — ISC Mission Control Director Chandra Kanth • 2019 — Seven — Police Officer Vijay Prakash • 2021 — Seetimaarr — DCP Aravind

• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 2023 — Ganapath — Shiva

• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 2024 — 1000 Babies — Aji Kurian — Disney+ Hotstar

• Year — Title — Role — Language — Platform — Notes • 1996-1998 — Kadhal Pagadai — Ramana — Tamil — Sun TV • 1997 — Chinna Kuyli — Tamil — DD Tamil • 2010 — Super Jodi — Judge — Malayalam — Surya TV • 2013 — Jagritha — Malayalam — Kairali TV

In 1983, Rahman, while still in high school in Ooty, was spotted by noted Malayalam director Padmarajan who offered him the lead role in his film Koodevide. The film became a big hit and the teenager became an instant sensation. He was well appreciated for his acting and went on to win the Kerala State Award for Second Best Actor in his debut role at the age of 16. In 1984, he acted in Kaliyil Alpam Karyam directed by Sathyan Anthikad and Ithiri Poove Chuvannapoove by Bharathan. He won critical acclaim and awards for the performance in the latter. In the same year, he acted in Kanamarayathu directed by I.V. Sasi, which went on to become a critical and commercial success. The song Oru Madhurakinavin, which is picturised on him and Shobana, became very popular and was a chartbuster all over Kerala. It is considered an iconic dance number in Malayalam cinema even today. In the same year, he acted in Padmarajan's Parannu Parannu Parannu alongside Rohini. He was then seen in I. V. Sasi's thriller film Uyarangalil, Adiyozhukkukal and K. S. Sethumadhavan's family drama Ariyaatha Veethikal. He then acted in another film of Sathyan Anthikad titled Aduthaduthu, and J. Sasikumar's Ivide Thudangunnu alongside Rohini. In the first half of 1985, he acted in Kandu Kandarinju, I. V. Sasi's Angadikkappurathu, and Upaharam. By this time Rahman had gained a huge fan base and stardom in Malayalam film industry. He was then seen in Sajan's Thammil Thammil alongside Shobana, Ee Lokam Evide Kure Manushyar and Orikkal Oridathu alongside Rohini. In the second half of 1985, he starred in romantic film Ivide Ee Theerathu, Ente Kaanakkuyil, Koodum Thedi and Katha Ithuvare. Then he acted in Eeran Sandhya, Ee Thanalil Ithiri Nerum and Priyadarshan's Punnaram Cholli Cholli, all of which went on to become commercially successful. In 1986, he acted in I. V. Sasi's super hit film Vartha along with Mammootty, Mohanlal and Seema and a cameo appearance in Aayiram Kannukal. Then, he went on to act in the title role of Nathan in Ennu Nathante Nimmi. He acted in Chilambu directed by Bharathan, which is a martial arts movie and it went on to become big hit at the box office. His next release of the year was Poomukhappadiyil Ninneyum Kaathu, Koodanayum Kattu, Pappan Priyappetta Pappan and P. Padmarajan's crime thriller Kariyilakkattu Pole. In 1987, he starred in I. V. Sasi's family drama Ithrayum Kaalam and Sathyan Anthikad directorial Gaayathridevi Ente Amma along with Seema. His next release was Aankiliyude Tharattu which was also dubbed into Tamil language. His first release of 1988 was Moonnam Pakkam, a sentimental drama film directed by Padmarajan and then Mukthi by I. V. Sasi. Then, he played dual roles in the thriller film Charithram which was commercially and critically appreciated. Then, he acted in Kaalal Pada along with Jayaram and Suresh Gopi. He acted in the films of almost all the major Malayalam directors at that time including Padmarajan, Bharathan, and I. V. Sasi. He was absent from the Malayalam film industry in the early 1990s as he concentrated on Tamil and Telugu films. He had only one release in Malayalam during 1990, Veena Meettiya Vilangukal directed by Cochin Haneefa. After a long absence, he acted in Mazhavilkoodaram, King Soloman and Hitlist during the early 1990s. He came back with the movie Dreams, playing the role of a police officer. In 2004, he acted in Black, alongside Mammootty. During 2005 and 2006 he acted in films such as Rajamanikyam, Mahasamudram and Bhargavacharitham Moonam Khandam. He had four Malayalam film releases in 2007, Abraham & Lincoln and Nanma, along with Kalabhavan Mani. He then acted in director Kamal's film Goal and Ranjith's Rock & Roll. In 2008, he did a cameo role in Veruthe oru Bharya. In 2009, he acted in Moss & Cat, directed by Fazil with Dileep as his co-star and Bharya Onnu Makkal Moonnu. Rahman then appeared in the film Kerala Cafe, in the segment titled "Island Express", under the director Shankar RamaKrishnan. Musafir, produced by Pramod Pappan, is one of Rahman's biggest productions and most expensive ventures to date. Then in 2011, he acted in Traffic, a multi-narrative road thriller film written by his friends Bobby and Sanjay. His next theatrical release was Manjadikuru written and directed by Anjali Menon. In 2012, he acted in Bachelor Party, a gangster drama film directed by Amal Neerad. He was then seen in one of the lead roles along with Prithviraj Sukumaran and Jayasurya in the 2013 film Mumbai Police. Penned by Bobby and Sanjay and directed by Rosshan Andrrews, it was a huge financial success in Kerala. In 2015, he played the lead role in Lavender written by Anoop Menon. He then starred in the 2016 film Marupadi directed by V.M. Vinu. In 2018, he featured in the action thriller film Ranam along with Prithviraj Sukumaran and was appreciated for his performance as a drug lord. In 2019, he starred in Virus, a medical thriller film directed by Aashiq Abu set against the backdrop of the 2018 Nipah virus outbreak in Kerala. He also acted for the graphic novel style newspaper movie Locked Inn published in malayala manorama newspaper in 2020 along with Jayasurya.

Rahman's first Tamil film was Nilave Malare, which was released in 1986; the director of the film was S. A. Chandrasekhar. He subsequently appeared in Kanne Kaniyamuthe, Vasantha Raagam and Anbulla Appa (with Sivaji Ganeshan). In 1999, he acted in the Tamil film Sangamam, directed by Suresh Krishna, which depicts the feud between classical and folk dance. The music of the film was composed by A. R. Rahman. The Tamil film Ethiri (2004) was the first film Rahman dubbed for in his own voice. In 2005, after a long gap in Telugu, Rahman acted in Dhairyam (2005), a film that was well received. Rahman then performed in the Tamil films Raam and Thoothukudi, which were released in 2005 and 2006 respectively. He played the villain in Billa (2007), and reprised his role as the main antagonist in the Telugu film of the same name, released in 2009. After his debut with Suhasini as the heroine, he worked with her again after a gap of 25 years for the Tamil movie, Balam (2009). His next film Vaamanan, directed by Ahmed (who has worked as assistant to director Kathir), did well throughout South India. Rahman's next Telugu film Simha was released worldwide on 30 April 2010. It went on to become the highest grosser of 2010, and the 5th highest-grossing movie in the Telugu Film Industry. He then appeared in Oosaravelli and Vanthaan Vendraan. In 2014, he acted as the protagonist's father in the movie Govindudu Andarivadele, directed by Krishna Vamsi. In 2016, he starred in the Tamil-language thriller film Dhuruvangal Pathinaaru. He also played the main roles in Pagadi Aattam (2017) and Oru Mugathirai (2017). He played Madhurantakan in the historical fiction epic drama, Ponniyin Selvan: I (2022) directed by Mani Ratnam.