L. Raja

{{Short description|Indian director, actor}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}} {{Use Indian English|date=July 2020}} {{Infobox person | name = L. Raja | image = | caption = | image_size = | birth_name = Lingaswamy Kasthuri B Venkat Raja | birth_date =  | birth_place =  | death_date = | death_place = | other_names = ''Shankar Guru'' Raja | occupation = {{hlist|Director|actor}} | years_active = 1987–present | spouse = Eshwari Rao | children = 2 }} '''L. Raja''' is an Indian director and actor who works in predominantly Tamil language films and television series.

== Career == Raja began his career as an assistant to director Rajasekhar.<ref name="A">{{Cite web |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/A-scene-change/article16778043.ece |title=A scene change |first=Malathi |last=Rangarajan |date=8 December 2016 |work=The Hindu |access-date=21 April 2020 |archive-date=6 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211206160324/https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/A-scene-change/article16778043.ece |url-status=live }}</ref> He debuted as a director with ''Shankar Guru'' in 1987, which was produced by AVM Productions.<ref name="B">{{cite news |url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/Grill-Mill-Shankar-Guru-L.-Raaja/article16240697.ece |title=Grill Mill: Shankar Guru L. Raaja |first=S. R. |last=Ashok Kumar |date=3 June 2010 |work=The Hindu |access-date=5 August 2020 |archive-date=21 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201121114726/https://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/Grill-Mill-Shankar-Guru-L.-Raaja/article16240697.ece |url-status=live }}</ref> He worked as a director in nine films, six of which starred Arjun.<ref name="A"/><ref name="B"/> After a sabbatical of around 18 years, a director approached Raja and asked him to act in the feature film ''Muniyandi Vilangial Moonramandu'' in 2008, which marked his acting debut.<ref name="A"/> He has since acted in 35 films including ''Naadodigal'', where he played Sasikumar's father.<ref name="A"/>

He debuted in television with ''Raghuvamsam'' which received positive reviews. He has since acted in several television series and directed two series: ''Idhi Kadha Kaadhu'' and ''Ninne Pelladutha'' for Radaan Mediaworks.<ref name="A"/> He also directed ''Himsaveda'', a silent dance drama for AVM Productions.<ref name="B"/>

== Personal life == Raja is married to actress Easwari Rao.<ref name="deccan.kavirayani.2017.06.18"/> The couple has 2 children.<ref name="deccan.kavirayani.2017.06.18">{{cite web |last1=Kavirayani |first1=Suresh |title=Eswari Rao stages a comeback |url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/entertainment/tollywood/180617/eswari-rao-stages-a-comeback.html |newspaper=Deccan Chronicle |accessdate=8 June 2018 |language=en |date=18 June 2017 |archive-date=9 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210509142315/https://www.deccanchronicle.com/entertainment/tollywood/180617/eswari-rao-stages-a-comeback.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

== Filmography == === As director === ====Films==== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Film ! Notes |- | 1987 || ''Shankar Guru'' || |- | rowspan="2"| 1988 || ''Thaimel Aanai''|| |- |''Kalicharan'' || |- | rowspan="3"| 1989 || ''Kuttravali'' || |- |''Vettaiyaadu Vilaiyaadu'' || |- |''Sonthakkaran'' || |- | 1992 || ''Soori'' || Kannada film |}

====Serials==== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Show ! Language ! Channel |- |1995||''Raghuvamsam''||Tamil|| rowspan="2" |Sun TV |- |2000||''Senior Junior''<ref>{{cite web |url=https://archive.org/details/kalki2000-05-28/page/82/mode/2up |title=Kalki magazine 2000-05-28 |date=28 May 2000}}</ref>||Tamil |- |1998–2001||''Idhi Kadha Kaadhu''||rowspan="2"| Telugu||ETV |- |2001–2005||''Ninne Pelladutha''||Gemini TV |- |}

=== As an actor === ====Films==== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Film ! Role ! Notes |- |1986||''Vikram'' ||Hussain|| |- | 1990 || ''Pudhu Varisu'' || Manager || |- | 2008 || ''Muniyandi Vilangial Moonramandu'' || Ramaiyya || |- | 2009 || ''Naadodigal'' || Natraj Veerabhadran || |- | rowspan="5"|2010 || ''Veluthu Kattu'' || Marudachalam || |- | ''Thillalangadi'' || Krishna Kumar's father || |- | ''Kalloori Kalangal'' || Shankar || |- | ''Agam Puram'' || Martin Fernandez || |- |''Apoorvaragam'' ||Nancy's father ||Malayalam film |- | rowspan="4"| 2011 || ''Margazhi 16'' || Jennifer's father || |- |''Bodinayakkanur Ganesan'' || Azhagar || |- | ''Kasethan Kadavulada'' || || |- | ''Vithagan'' || DC Gopal || |- | rowspan="5"|2012 || ''Kondaan Koduthaan'' || Ganesan || |- | ''Raattinam'' || Dhanam's father || |- | ''Nellai Santhippu'' || || |- | ''Thiruthani'' || Doctor || |- |''Vavval Pasanga'' || Kasi's father || |- | 2013 || ''Singam II'' || SP || |- | 2016 || ''Metro'' || Arivazhagan's father || |- | rowspan="3"| 2017 || ''Ayyanar Veethi'' || || |- |''Yaanum Theeyavan'' || Manimaran || |- | ''Chennai 2 Singapore'' || Roshini's father || |- | 2018 || ''Iravukku Aayiram Kangal'' || Suseela's father || |- | 2019 || ''Pancharaaksharam'' || Dharma's father || |}

==== Serials ==== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Show ! Role ! Language ! Channel |- |1995–1996||''Raghuvamsam'' || || rowspan="4"| Tamil || Sun TV |- |1997||''Ethanai Manidhargal'' || || Doordarshan |- |2000–2001 ||''Vazhkai'' || || Sun TV |- |rowspan="2"| 2011–2012 || ''Pirivom Santhippom'' || Shanmugaraja || Star Vijay |- |''No.23 Mahalakshmi Nivasam'' || || Telugu || Gemini TV |- |2011–2013 || ''Uthiripookkal'' || Dakshinamoorthy || Tamil || Sun TV |- |2012 || ''Maa Naana'' || Rajendra Prasad || Telugu || Gemini TV |- |2014–2018|| ''Thamarai'' || Dr. Karunakaran || rowspan="11" | Tamil || rowspan="2" | Sun TV |- |2017|| ''Ganga'' || Ramanathan |- |2017–2018|| ''Nenjam Marappathillai'' || R. Velraj || Star Vijay |- |2017–2019||''Poove Poochudava''||Swaminathan ||Zee Tamil |- |2018–2019|| ''Kanmani''||Dharmadurai||Sun TV |- |2019|| ''Ponnukku Thanga Manasu'' || || Star Vijay |- |2019–2023||''Rettai Roja''||Ramachandran||Zee Tamil |- |rowspan="2"| 2021–2023||''Sundari''||Sankarapandian||Sun TV |- |''Thendral Vanthu Ennai Thodum''|| Aranganathan||Star Vijay |- |2022–2024||''Iniya''||Nallasivam||Sun TV |- |2025–present || ''Getti Melam'' || Eshwaramoorthy || Zee Tamil |}

== References == {{Reflist}}

== External links == * {{IMDb name|7031052}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Raja, L.}} Category:Living people Category:Tamil film directors Category:Kannada film directors Category:Male actors in Tamil cinema Category:20th-century Indian people Category:Indian male film actors Category:Tamil male television actors Category:Male actors in Telugu television Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Place of birth missing (living people)