9/21/2020 Major Sundarrajan - Wikipedia

Major Sundarrajan
Sundarrajan (17 March 1935 – 28 February 2003), popularly
known as Major Sundarrajan, was an Indian actor and Major Sundarrajan
director who performed predominantly in Tamil language films
and plays.

Contents
Early life
Career
Image
Personal life
Death
References
Sundarrajan in Major Chandrakanth
External links
(1966)
Born Sundarrajan
Early life 17 March 1935
Periyakulam,
Sundarrajan was born on 17 March 1935 in a middle-class Madurai
Brahmin family in Periyakulam, Madurai.[1] His father Srinivasa Died 28 February 2003
Iyengar was a stage actor. Sundarrajan's first stint with acting (aged 67)
came when he was in the sixth grade; at this point he was cast in Chennai, Tamil Nadu,
a Hindi play of his school. He went on to act in numerous school
India
and college plays.[2] After graduating with a degree in science,
Sundarrajan went to Madras (now Chennai), where his uncle Occupation Actor, director
Veeraraghavan was an amateur actor in the Triplicane Fine Arts Years active 1962–2003
theatre troupe. Sundarrajan played minor roles in this troupe's
Spouse(s) Shyamala
plays, and simultaneously managed a full-time career at Madras
Telephones.[1][2][3] Children Gowtham

Career
Sundarrajan began his career in film with a supporting role in Vaijayanthimala, directed by Sundar
Rao Natkarni which never saw a theatrical release; his debut film instead became K. Somu's
Pattinathar (1962), where he portrayed a Chola king.[2] Sundarrajan subsequently received
opportunities to act in the plays of K. Balachander, most notably Major Chandrakanth, where he
portrayed the title character. The play propelled Sundarrajan to fame, and was adapted into a 1966
feature film with Sundarrajan reprising the role; his performance received widespread acclaim. After
this he became popularly known as "Major" Sundarrajan, with the prefix having first been given to
him by the magazine Pesum Padam.[4] Sundarrajan went on to appear in over 900 films and
continued to act in plays, eventually launching his own theatre troupe. Later, he started acting in
television shows.[1][5][3]

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Image
Sundararajan was well known for his sophisticated and urbane way of delivering dialogues, often
mixing English and Tamil sentences. In most of his early films he would play wealthy and assertive
characters, such as zamindars, an exception being Aalayam (1967), where he played a poor Brahmin
clerk.[1][3]

Personal life
Sundarrajan was married to Shyamala, with whom he had a son named Gowtham. Apart from acting,
he was also a skilled gourmet and cook. Sundarrajan was initially an atheist, despite being born into a
Brahmin family, but became a believer later in his life.[5][3]

Death
Sundarrajan died on 28 February 2003 at Chennai.[1][4]

References
1. " 'Major' Sundararajan" (https://www.theguardian.com/news/2003/mar/15/guardianobituaries.artso
bituaries1). The Guardian. 15 March 2003. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/201904181217
51/https://www.theguardian.com/news/2003/mar/15/guardianobituaries.artsobituaries1) from the
original on 18 April 2019. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
2. Majordasan. "Potpourri of titbits about Tamil cinema – Major Sundarrajan" (http://www.kalyanamal
aimagazine.com/Content/Thiraichuvai/Dec_1_15/Potpourri_of_titbits_about_Tamil_cinema_Major
_Sundarrajan.html). Kalyanamalai. p. 1. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20160303215424/
http://www.kalyanamalaimagazine.com/Content/Thiraichuvai/Dec_1_15/Potpourri_of_titbits_about
_Tamil_cinema_Major_Sundarrajan.html) from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 22 March
2020.
3. "`Major' Sundararajan dead" (https://web.archive.org/web/20141203041733/http://www.thehindu.c
om/thehindu/2003/03/01/stories/2003030105280400.htm). The Hindu. 1 March 2003. Archived
from the original (http://www.thehindu.com/thehindu/2003/03/01/stories/2003030105280400.htm)
on 3 December 2014. Retrieved 28 May 2018.
4. Majordasan. "Potpourri of titbits about Tamil cinema – Major Sundarrajan" (http://www.kalyanamal
aimagazine.com/Content/Thiraichuvai/Dec_1_15/Potpourri_of_titbits_about_Tamil_cinema_Major
_Sundarrajan_page1.html). Kalyanamalai. p. 2. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/201603110
70517/http://www.kalyanamalaimagazine.com/Content/Thiraichuvai/Dec_1_15/Potpourri_of_titbits
_about_Tamil_cinema_Major_Sundarrajan_page1.html) from the original on 11 March 2016.
Retrieved 22 March 2020.
5. Krishnamachari, Suganthy (27 August 2015). "Made a 'Major' impact" (https://www.thehindu.com/
features/friday-review/the-major-effect/article7586580.ece). The Hindu. Archived (https://archive.t
oday/20200322134238/https://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/the-major-effect/article75
86580.ece) from the original on 22 March 2020. Retrieved 22 March 2020.

External links
Major Sundarrajan (https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1139300/) on IMDb

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