Karan (born 19 August 1967) is an Indian former actor who appeared predominantly in Tamil and Malayalam films. He started his career as a child actor (under the stage name Master Raghu). In the 1990s he started to act in leading and villain roles. In the mid-2000s, after a sabbatical, Karan chose to prioritise appearing in films where he would portray the lead role following the relative success of Kokki (2006).
Karan started his career as child artist under the name Master Raghu for more than 70 films in Malayalam and Tamil. In 1992, he made his Tamil debut as an adult in Annamalai starring alongside Rajinikanth in an uncredited role, before making a breakthrough with his performance as a rogue college student in Nammavar (1994) alongside Kamal Haasan.
In 2004, Karan became a solo hero with the Malayalam film Isra. He has continued with films like Kokki (2006), Karuppusamy Kuththagaithaarar (2007) and Kathavarayan (2008).[1] His recent films are Sooran (2014) and Uchathula Shiva (2016).
In 2018, a clip from his film Coimbatore Mappillai went viral online, prompting internet users to associate the word "Shroov" with the actor.[2][3]
Karan made his advertisement debut in a 45-second Mahindra Duro advertisement with Bollywood actress Kareena Kapoor.[4][5]
Karan's father died in 2014, aged 90.[6]
| Year | Film | Role | Language | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | Ina | Vinod | Malayalam | credited as Raghu, first lead role |
| 1983 | Kuyiline Thedi | Shyam | Malayalam | credited as Raghu |
| 1985 | Idanilangal | Malayalam | Uncredited | |
| 1987 | January Oru Orma | Appu | Malayalam | credited as Raghu |
| 1990 | Chuvanna Kannukal | Malayalam | credited as Raghu | |
| 1990 | Mridula | Anirudh | Malayalam | credited as Raghu |
| 1991 | Neelagiri | Malayalam | credited as Raghu | |
| Mahassar | Suresh | Malayalam | credited as Raghu | |
| Theechatti Govindhan | Henchman (uncredited role) | Tamil | ||
| 1992 | Annamalai | Deepak, Ashok's son | Tamil | |
| Apaaratha | Hari | Malayalam | ||
| 1994 | Nammavar | Ramesh | Tamil | First film credited as Karan |
| 1995 | Thottil Kuzhandhai | Murali | Tamil | |
| Chandralekha | Jamal | Tamil | ||
| 1996 | Coimbatore Mappillai | Mahesh | Tamil | |
| Vaikarai Pookkal | Shankar | Tamil | ||
| Kadhal Kottai | Siva | Tamil | ||
| Gokulathil Seethai | Mohan | Tamil | ||
| 1997 | Kaalamellam Kaathiruppen | Raja | Tamil | |
| Kaalamellam Kadhal Vaazhga | Prakash | Tamil | ||
| Love Today | Peter | Tamil | ||
| Kaadhali | Tamil | |||
| Raman Abdullah | Abdullah | Tamil | ||
| Nerukku Ner | Muthukumaraswamy | Tamil | ||
| Kaduva Thomas | Malayalam | |||
| 1998 | Suswagatham | Peter | Telugu | |
| Ponmanam | Kumar | Tamil | ||
| Kangalin Vaarthaigal | Tamil | |||
| Kaadhal Mannan | Ranjan | Tamil | ||
| Color Kanavugal | Bharani | Tamil | ||
| Thulli Thirintha Kalam | Raghu | Tamil | ||
| Sollamale | Vikram | Tamil | ||
| Kannedhirey Thondrinal | Shankar | Tamil | ||
| Kannathal | Chinna Durai | Tamil | ||
| Kaadhal Kavidhai | Tamil | |||
| 1999 | Unnaithedi | Prakash | Tamil | |
| Ullathai Killathe | Col. Major Prakash | Tamil | ||
| Poovellam Kettuppar | Director | Tamil | ||
| Sneha | Vijay | Kannada | ||
| Minsara Kanna | Ashok | Tamil | ||
| Maravathe Kanmaniye | Marudhu | Tamil | ||
| Kannupada Poguthaiya | Subramaniyam | Tamil | ||
| Manam Virumbuthe Unnai | Chandru | Tamil | ||
| 2000 | Thirunelveli | Varadappan | Tamil | |
| Rajakali Amman | Seemadorai / Kannayiram | Tamil | ||
| Vallarasu | Seshadri | Tamil | ||
| Koodi Vazhnthal Kodi Nanmai | Sivaraman | Tamil | ||
| Ilayavan | Tamil | |||
| Budget Padmanabhan | Abishek | Tamil | ||
| 2001 | Nageswari | Easwar | Tamil | |
| Engalukkum Kaalam Varum | Ramesh | Tamil | ||
| Paarvai Ondre Pothume | Manoj | Tamil | ||
| Sonnal Thaan Kathala | Inspector Inbaraj | Tamil | ||
| Kunguma Pottu Gounder | Siva | Tamil | ||
| Kabadi Kabadi | Sivaprakash | Tamil | ||
| Hoo Anthiya Uhoo Anthiya | Karan | Kannada | ||
| Kottai Mariamman | Eashwar | Tamil | ||
| 2002 | Alli Arjuna | Kishore | Tamil | |
| Sri Bannari Amman | Vaanamaalai | Tamil | ||
| 2003 | Nee Varum Paathaiyellam | Tamil | ||
| 2004 | Arasatchi | Prakash | Tamil | |
| Isra | Mukthi Muhammed Isra/Aravindan | Malayalam | Dubbed and released in Tamil as Kombu | |
| 2006 | Kokki | Kokki | Tamil | |
| 2007 | Karuppusamy Kuththagaithaarar | Karuppusamy | Tamil | |
| Thee Nagar | Murugan | Tamil | ||
| 2008 | Kathavarayan | Kathavarayan | Tamil | |
| 2009 | Malayan | Malayan | Tamil | Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actor |
| 2010 | Kanagavel Kaaka | Kanagavel | Tamil | |
| Irandu Mugam | Parthasarathy | Tamil | ||
| 2011 | Thambi Vettothi Sundaram | Sundaram | Tamil | |
| 2013 | Kantha | Kantha | Tamil | |
| 2014 | Sooran | Sooran | Tamil | |
| 2016 | Uchathula Shiva | Shiva | Tamil |
| Year | serials | Role | Language | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Balachander in Chinnathirai - Mutham | Tamil | [7] | |
| 1995 | Balachander in Chinnathirai - Oppanai | Tamil | [8] |
