{{Short description|Indian businessman and actor (born 1970)}} {{Infobox person | birth_name = Arul Saravanan Yogarathinam | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1970|07|10}} | birth_place = Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India | occupation = {{hlist|Businessman|Actor|Producer}} | organization = The Legend New Saravana Stores | spouse = {{marriage|Selvi|1991}} | children = 2 | parents = Yogarathinam (father) }}
'''Arul Saravanan Yogarathinam''', professionally known as '''Legend Saravanan''', is an Indian businessman, actor and producer who works in Tamil cinema. He is known for founding the chain of retail stores The Legend New Saravana Stores, which is a part of the largest family-owned business retail chain in India, Saravana Stores.
Saravanan made his debut as an actor and played the lead role in the Tamil-language film ''The Legend'', which premiered in theatres worldwide on 28 July 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Legend to release in theatres on this date |url=https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/news/2022/jul/06/the-legend-to-release-in-theatres-on-this-date-32582.html |access-date=2023-05-17 |website=Cinema Express |language=en|date=6 July 2022}}</ref> The film was also bankrolled by his own production studio, The Legend New Saravana Stores Productions.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-12-01 |title=Legend New Saravana Stores Brammandamai Production NO-1 Pooja Stills |url=https://chennaivision.com/tamil-movies/legend-new-saravana-stores-brammandamai-production-no-1-pooja-stills/ |access-date=2023-05-17 |website=Chennaivision |language=en-US |archive-date=2023-05-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230519080744/https://chennaivision.com/tamil-movies/legend-new-saravana-stores-brammandamai-production-no-1-pooja-stills/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
== Early life and family == Saravanan was born in a Tamil Hindu family to S. Yogarathinam,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Leena |first=S. Bridget |date=2015-09-04 |title=Saravana Stores co-founder Yogaratinam passes away |url=https://www.livemint.com/Companies/ZDw8orx0NJ9r6zfp4gKzbM/Saravana-Stores-cofounder-Yogaratinam-passes-away.html |access-date=2023-05-17 |website=mint |language=en |archive-date=2023-05-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230519080742/https://www.livemint.com/Companies/ZDw8orx0NJ9r6zfp4gKzbM/Saravana-Stores-cofounder-Yogaratinam-passes-away.html |url-status=live }}</ref> who was the co-founder of the retail chain Saravana Stores and Y.Lakshmi who was a housewife. Saravanan received his primary education in his native Tirunelveli district and pursued his higher education in Chennai. He married Mrs. Selvi in 1991 and had their first daughter S. Yoganya (born 1992) who married R. Surendar in 2012 and their second daughter D. Meenakshi (born 1996) who married R.Deepak Rajan in 2017.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Chennai: Textiles giant Saravana Arul's daughter's grand wedding is talk of the town |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/textiles-giant-saravana-arul-daughters-grand-wedding-981953-2017-06-09 |access-date=2023-05-17 |website=India Today |language=en}}</ref>
== Career == Saravanan began his business career in 1984 by involving in his family-owned retail business chain Saravana Stores along with his father S. Yogarathinam<ref>{{Cite web |title=Iconic Saravana Stores Loses Its Annachi, T Nagar Mourns |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/2015/sep/04/Iconic-Saravana-Stores-Loses-Its-Annachi-T-Nagar-Mourns-809508.html |access-date=2023-05-18 |website=The New Indian Express}}</ref> and then in 2005, he went on to start his own set of retail stores under the name, New Saravana Stores Brammandamai. In 2016, the biggest showroom in his retail chain The Legend New Saravana Stores was inaugurated on 6 May 2016 in Padi,Chennai.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Saravana Stores: A New Landmark at Padi |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/2016/may/07/Saravana-Stores-A-New-Landmark-at-Padi-933695.html |access-date=2023-05-18 |website=The New Indian Express}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Pyarilal |first=Vasanth |date=2016-05-08 |title=Celebrities at "The Legend" New Saravana Stores - Padi Showroom Inauguration Event |url=https://www.ritzmagazine.in/celebrities-at-the-legend-new-saravana-stores-padi-showroom-inauguration-event/ |access-date=2023-05-17 |language=en |website=Ritz |archive-date=2023-05-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230519080744/https://www.ritzmagazine.in/celebrities-at-the-legend-new-saravana-stores-padi-showroom-inauguration-event/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
Legend Saravanan's acting career started in 2018 when he began to act in the ad films to promote his own retail business.<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 27, 2022 |first=Y Maheswara |last=Reddy |title=From ad films to the big screen |url=https://bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com/entertainment/south-masala/from-ad-films-to-the-big-screen/articleshow/93144583.cms |access-date=2023-05-17 |website=Bangalore Mirror |language=en |archive-date=2023-05-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230519080744/https://bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com/entertainment/south-masala/from-ad-films-to-the-big-screen/articleshow/93144583.cms |url-status=live }}</ref> In the same year, he hinted about his wish of becoming a lead actor and about his Tamil cinema entry during the Nadigar Sangam's Natchathira Vizha event in Malaysia, where he handed over a cheque of Rs.2 crores and 50 Lakhs as a donation towards the building construction of the Nadigar Sangam (officially known as the South Indian Artistes Association).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Manickam |first=Cauveri |date=9 Jan 2018 |title=“நடிகர் சங்க கட்டிடம் கட்ட நாமே நிதி கொடுக்கலாம்” - அஜித் |url=https://tamil.indianexpress.com/entertainment/ajith-talk-about-natchathira-vizha-2018/ |access-date=2026-04-02 |website=tamil.indianexpress.com |language=ta}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=6 Jan 2018 |title=நான் சினிமாவுக்கு வருவது உறுதி: சரவணா ஸ்டோர்ஸ் உரிமையாளர் சரவணா அருள்! |url=https://tamil.samayam.com/tamil-cinema/movie-news/saravana-stores-owner-has-told-that-he-would-act-in-film-if-there-is-a-good-screenplay/articleshow/62396152.cms |url-status=live |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20260402090431/https://tamil.samayam.com/tamil-cinema/movie-news/saravana-stores-owner-has-told-that-he-would-act-in-film-if-there-is-a-good-screenplay/articleshow/62396152.cms |archive-date=2026-04-02 |access-date=2026-04-02 |website=Samayam |language=ta }}</ref> In 2018, he donated Rs.1 Crore as relief funds for Cyclone Gaja.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-11-25 |title=Cyclone Gaja: Tamil Nadu receives Rs 13 crore from donors |url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/tamil-nadu/cyclone-gaja-tamil-nadu-receives-rs-13-crore-donors-92178 |access-date=2026-04-03 |website=The News Minute |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=23 Nov 2018 |title=Gaja Cyclone Relief: ரூ. 1 கோடி கஜா புயல் நிவாரண நிதி வழங்கிய சரவணா ஸ்டோர்ஸ் உரிமையாளர் |url=https://tamil.samayam.com/latest-news/state-news/saravana-stores-owner-saravanan-arul-handover-rs-1-crore-for-gaja-cyclone-relief-fund/articleshow/66768804.cms |access-date=2026-04-03 |website=Samayam |language=ta}}</ref>
In 2019, he started to act in his debut production movie ''The Legend'', where multiple schedules were shot in Chennai, Pollachi, Manali,<ref>{{Cite news |date=2021-03-18 |title=Legend Saravanan's movie shooting progressing at Manali |work=The Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/legend-saravanans-movie-shooting-progressing-at-manali/articleshow/81562520.cms |access-date=2023-05-17 |issn=0971-8257}}</ref> and Ukraine.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-02-28 |title='Ukraine was becoming a popular shoot location with Indian filmmakers' |work=The Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/ukraine-was-becoming-a-popular-shoot-location-with-indian-filmmakers/articleshow/89873437.cms |access-date=2023-05-18 }}</ref> The movie was initially released on 28 July 2022<ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-06-07 |title='Legend' Saravanan's debut film to release in July |work=The Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/legend-saravanans-debut-film-to-release-in-july/articleshow/92056055.cms |access-date=2023-05-17 |issn=0971-8257 |archive-date=2022-06-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220624070432/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/legend-saravanans-debut-film-to-release-in-july/articleshow/92056055.cms |url-status=live }}</ref> in theatres worldwide. Although the film was critically panned,<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/review/2022/jul/28/the-legend-movie-review-saravananvanity-project-is-more-a-vibe-than-a-film-harris-jayaraj-jd-jerry-33147.html|title= The Legend Movie Review: Saravanan's vanity project is more a vibe than a film|website= Cinema Express|date= 28 July 2022|access-date= 28 July 2022|archive-date= 28 July 2022|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20220728151515/https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/review/2022/jul/28/the-legend-movie-review-saravananvanity-project-is-more-a-vibe-than-a-film-harris-jayaraj-jd-jerry-33147.html|url-status= live}}</ref> it started streaming in the Disney+ Hotstar on 3 March 2023<ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-03-02 |title='The Legend' gets a OTT release date! |work=The Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/the-legend-gets-a-ott-release-date/articleshow/98368597.cms |access-date=2023-05-17 }}</ref> where it went on to collect more than Rs.60 crore in revenue with its theatrical and OTT release combined.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-05-14 |title='தி லெஜண்ட்' படத்திற்கு ரூ.60 கோடி வருவாய் என தகவல்... படத்திற்கு கிடைத்த வரவேற்பால் உற்சாகத்தில் சரவணன் |url=https://www.thanthitv.com/latest-news/the-legend-is-reported-to-have-earned-rs-60-crore-saravanan-is-excited-by-the-response-for-the-film-186147 |access-date=2023-05-17 |website=Thanthi TV |language=ta}}</ref>
== Filmography == {{Pending films key}} {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" !Year !Film !Role ! class="unsortable" |Notes ! class="unsortable" |{{tooltip|Ref.|Reference(s)}} |- |2022 ! scope="row" |''The Legend'' |Dr. Saravanan | rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | Lead actor and producer | |- |2026 ! scope="row" |''Leader'' |Sakthivel (Ponmaran) | style="text-align:center;" | |}
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == * [https://saravanastoreslegend.co.in/ The Legend Saravana Stores] * {{twitter|yoursthelegend}} * {{IMDb name|nm12366183}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Saravanan, Legend}} Category:Living people Category:Indian businesspeople Category:Indian male film actors Category:Year of birth missing (living people)