{{short description|Indian actor (born 1981)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2016}} {{Use Indian English|date=August 2016}} {{redirect|Tarun Kumar|the Bengali actor|Tarun Kumar (Bengali actor)}} {{Infobox person | name = Tarun | image = | birth_name = Tarun Kumar | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1981|1|8}} | birth_place = Hyderabad, Telangana, India | occupation = Actor | yearsactive = 1990{{Ndash}}1995 (child actor)<br />2000{{Ndash}}present | parents = Roja Ramani (mother)<br/>S Chakrapani (father) }} '''Tarun Kumar''' (born 8 January 1981)<ref>{{Cite web |last=NaChaKi |date=24 August 2001 |title=Star Interviews - Tarun |url=http://www.telugucinema.com/stars/interviews/tarun.html |access-date=2025-03-22 |website=Telugucinema.com |archive-date=12 December 2001 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011212092503/http://www.telugucinema.com/stars/interviews/tarun.html |url-status=bot: unknown }}</ref> is an Indian actor known for his works predominantly in Telugu cinema, with appearances in a few Tamil and Malayalam films.<ref name=":0">{{cite news|author=maatv |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8-mVkwPo-Y |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231126112619/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8-mVkwPo-Y |archive-date=26 November 2023 |url-status=dead|title=Tarun Birthday Special |publisher=YouTube |access-date=2012-09-19}}</ref>
Tarun began his career as a child actor and received the National Film Award for Best Child Artist for his performance in ''Anjali'' (1990), directed by Mani Ratnam.<ref name="38thawardPDF">{{cite web |title=38th National Film Awards |url=http://dff.nic.in/2011/38th_nff_1991.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171215163809/http://dff.nic.in/2011/38th_nff_1991.pdf |archive-date=15 December 2017 |access-date=9 January 2012 |publisher=Directorate of Film Festivals}}</ref> He has also won the Nandi Award for Best Child Actor three times.<ref name=":0" />
He made his debut as a lead actor with ''Nuvve Kavali'' (2000) and starred in successful films like ''Priyamaina Neeku'' (2001), ''Nuvvu Leka Nenu Lenu'' (2002), ''Punnagai Desam'' (2002), ''Nuvve Nuvve'' (2002), ''Ninne Ishtapaddanu'' (2003), and ''Nava Vasantham'' (2007).
==Early life== Tarun was born into a Telugu family to actors Roja Ramani and Chakrapani. His mother, Roja Ramani, hails from Rajahmundry and was raised in Madras. She acted in multiple film industries, including Malayalam, Telugu, and Tamil, and was a prominent dubbing artist in Telugu cinema during the 1980s and 1990s, lending her voice to several leading actresses.
Chakrapani was born into a Telugu family<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vH7pkTzzJEk&t=230s |title=Roja Ramani and Chakrapani {{!}} Open Heart With RK Full Episode |date=2019-07-03 |publisher=ABN Andhra Jyothi |time=3:50 |access-date=2025-03-20 |via=YouTube}}</ref><ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOEQQHOit-k&t=240s |title=Alitho Saradaga {{!}} Rojaramani & Chakrapani (Actors) |date=2021-07-19 |publisher=ETV |time=4:00 to 4:40 |via=YouTube}}</ref> with ancestral roots in Palasa, Srikakulam district.<ref name=":4">{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOEQQHOit-k&t=154s |title=Alitho Saradaga {{!}} Rojaramani & Chakrapani (Actors) |date=2021-07-19 |publisher=ETV |time=2:34 to 3:05 |via=YouTube}}</ref> Chakrapani's grandfather lived in Vizag, while his father worked as a mechanical engineer for Indian Railways at Khurda Road Junction railway station in Orissa, where Chakrapani was raised.<ref name=":4" /> He acted in both Odia and Telugu films and was once a leading actor in the Odia film industry.
== Career == Tarun started his career as a child actor with the Telugu-language film ''Manasu Mamatha'' (1990). As a child, Tarun was a fan of Mani Ratnam's films such as ''Nayagan'' (1987) and ''Agni Nakshatram'' (1988) and accepted the offer to work in the Tamil-language film ''Anjali'' (1990) as distraught Shamlee's brother. Tarun won the National Film Award for Best Child Artist for his role in the film.<ref name="38thawardPDF" /> He also received critical acclaim for the Malayalam film ''Abhayam'' (1991), which won the National Film Award for Best Children's Film, and earned him the Best Child Artist award at the Furoshiki Film Festival in Japan.<ref name="H">{{cite web |title=Chocolate HERO |url=http://www.thehindu.com/thehindu/mp/2004/02/05/stories/2004020500310100.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20141005123217/http://www.thehindu.com/thehindu/mp/2004/02/05/stories/2004020500310100.htm |archive-date=2014-10-05 |work=The Hindu}}</ref>
He also worked on the Telugu television serial ''Wonder Boy'' for Eenadu TV. He participated on quiz show but left the show after it interfered with his education. He won the Nandi Award for Best Child Actor for ''Manasu Mamatha'' (1990), ''Pillalu Diddina Kapuram'' (1991) and ''Teja'' (1992). Tarun collaborated again with Mani Rathnam in ''Thalapathi'' (1991) in a minor role. He also starred in ''Aditya 369'' (1991), the Malayalam films ''Abhayam'' (1991), ''My Dear Muthachan'' (1992), and ''Johny'' (1993) and the Tamil film ''Meera'' (1992). Tarun also worked in the unreleased telefilm ''En Jeevane'' produced by Radhika.<ref name=":1"/>
After a hiatus, Tarun then worked on commercials for Spinz Talc and Fanta with Richa Pallod. His role in the Fanta advertisement helped him bag the lead role in K. Vijaya Bhaskar's ''Nuvve Kavali'' in 2000, the Telugu remake of ''Niram'' (1999).<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Rajitha |date=7 December 2000 |title=I want to act my age |url=https://m.rediff.com/movies/2000/dec/07tarr.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230708102704/https://m.rediff.com/movies/2000/dec/07tarr.htm |archive-date=8 July 2023 |access-date=23 July 2023 |website=Rediff.com}}</ref> The film ran for more than a hundred days.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|url=https://www.idlebrain.com/research/anal/anal-nuvvekavali.html|title=Nuvve Kavali - the Success Story|work=Idlebrain.com|last=jeevi}}</ref> For the film, he won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Telugu for that year, and Tarun won the Filmfare Award for Best Male Debut – South for his work in the film.{{citation needed|date=October 2022}} Post ''Nuvve Kavali'', he and Richa Pallod collaborated again for ''Chirujallu'' (2001), which released to negative reviews.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=Number Six Blooper of the year 2001 - Chirujallu |url=http://www.idlebrain.com/movie/y2k1/chirujallu.html |archive-date= 5 January 2002|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020105131834/https://www.idlebrain.com/movie/y2k1/chirujallu.html|access-date=2022-07-28 |website=Idlebrain.com}}</ref> He had some successful films such as ''Priyamaina Neeku'' (2001), ''Nuvvu Leka Nenu Lenu'' (2002)<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Sunil |first1=Sreya |last2=Jeevi |title=Research - Telugu cinema in the first half of 2002 |url=https://www.idlebrain.com/research/anal/tollywood2002firsthalf.html |access-date=2022-11-15 |website=Idlebrain.com}}</ref> and ''Nuvve Nuvve'' (2002) while his other films such as ''Ela Cheppanu'' flopped.<ref name="H"/> The success of ''Priyamaina Neeku'' lead the makers to release the film in Tamil.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thehansindia.com/cinema/masala-mix-of-melodrama-and-action-754543|title=Masala mix of melodrama and action|author=K Naresh Kumar|work=The Hans India|date=22 July 2022 }}</ref> He made his full-fledged Tamil debut with ''Punnagai Desam'' (2002). That same year, he starred in the bilingual ''Enakku 20 Unakku 18''/''Nee Manasu Naaku Telusu'', which was a failure despite having a notable soundtrack by A. R. Rahman and he stopped taking up Tamil films.<ref name="H"/> ''Nava Vasantham'', the Telugu remake of ''Punnagai Desam'' by the same director, and ''Sasirekha Parinayam'' (2009) were his last successful films.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.rediff.com/movies/2007/nov/12nava.htm | title=Review: Nava Vasantam | access-date=20 June 2023 | archive-date=23 August 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220823072945/https://www.rediff.com/movies/2007/nov/12nava.htm | work=Rediff.com|url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.123telugu.com/reviews/S/Sasirekha_Parinayam/Sasirekha_Parinayam_review1.html|title=Sasirekha Parinayam - A good film that could have been great|work=123telugu|date=1 January 2009}}</ref> He collaborated again with K. Vijaya Bhaskar for ''Bhale Dongalu'' (2008), a movie inspired by ''Bonnie and Clyde'', but the film flopped.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.idlebrain.com/movie/archive/mr-bhaledongalu.html|title=Telugu Movie review - Bhale Dongalu|date=11 April 2008|work=Idlebrain.com}}</ref>
After a four year gap, he returned with ''Chukkalanti Ammayi Chakkanaina Abbayi'' (2013), ''Yuddham'' (2014), ''Veta'' (2014) and ''Idi Naa Love Story'' (2018), all of which had a low-key release.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/telugu/movie-reviews/chukkalanti-ammayi-chakkanaina-abbayi/movie-review/20271219.cms|title=CHUKKALANTI AMMAYI CHAKKANAINA ABBAYI MOVIE REVIEW|author=Sushil Rao|work=The Times of India|date=25 May 2013}}</ref>
==Filmography== ;Child Artist {| class="wikitable" style="font-size:100%;" ! Year !! Film !! Role !! Language !! Notes |- | rowspan="3" |1990 || ''Manasu Mamatha'' || || Telugu ||Nandi Award for Best Child Actor |- | ''Anjali'' || Arjun ||rowspan="2" | Tamil || National Film Award for Best Child Artist |- | ''Bujjigadi Babai'' || || |- | rowspan="4" |1991 || ''Thalapathi'' || Petty thief || Tamil || Cameo appearance |- | ''Surya IPS'' || Surya's step brother || Telugu || |- | ''Abhayam'' || Vinu || Malayalam || Best Child Artist Award - Furoshiki Film Festival |- | ''Aditya 369'' || Kishore Kumar || Telugu || |- | rowspan="4" |1992 || ''Meera'' || Jesu || Tamil || |- | ''Teja'' || Teja || rowspan="2" | Telugu || Nandi Award for Best Child Actor |- |''Gowramma'' | | |- | ''My Dear Muthachan'' || Manu || Malayalam || |- | rowspan="3" |1993 | ''Pillalu Diddina Kapuram'' || Anji and Prasad || rowspan="2"|Telugu || Dual Role; Nandi Award for Best Child Actor |- | ''Repati Rowdy''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQoy4xSftCg|title=REPATI ROWDY | TELUGU FULL MOVIE | RAHMAN | AAMANI | LAKSHMI | TELUGU CINE CAFE|date=26 November 2021 |via=www.youtube.com}}</ref> || || |- | ''Johnny'' || Johnny || Malayalam || |- |1995 || ''Vajram'' || Young Chakri || Telugu || |}
;Lead Actor {| class="wikitable" style="font-size:100%;" ! Year !! Film !! Role !! Language !! Notes |- | rowspan="2" |2000 || ''Nuvve Kavali'' || Tarun ||rowspan="5"|Telugu|| |- | ''Uncle'' || Raja || |- | rowspan="2" |2001 || ''Priyamaina Neeku'' || Ganesh || |- | ''Chirujallu'' || Vamsi || |- | rowspan="4" |2002 || ''Nuvvu Leka Nenu Lenu'' || Radha Krishna || |- | ''Punnagai Desam'' || Ganesh || Tamil || |- | ''Adrustam'' || Tarun ||rowspan="2" | Telugu || |- | ''Nuvve Nuvve'' || Rishi || AP Cinegoers Special Jury Award for Best Performance<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.idlebrain.com/news/2000march20/cinegoers2002.html|title=Telugu cinema news - AP cine goers awards list for excellence in Telugu cinema|website=www.idlebrain.com}}</ref> |- | rowspan="4" |2003 || ''Ninne Ishtapaddanu'' || Charan || rowspan="2" |Telugu || |- | ''Ela Cheppanu'' || Sekhar || |- | ''Enakku 20 Unakku 18'' || rowspan="2" | Sridhar || Tamil || rowspan="2"|Bilingual film |- |''Nee Manasu Naaku Telusu'' || rowspan="12" |Telugu |- |2004 || ''Sakhiya'' || Hari || |- | rowspan="2" |2005 || ''Soggadu'' || Ravi || |- | ''Oka Oorilo''|| Seenu || |- |2007 || ''Nava Vasantham''|| Ganesh || |- |2008 || ''Bhale Dongalu''|| Ramu || |- |2009 || ''Sasirekha Parinayam''|| Anand/Abhiram || |- |2013|| ''Chukkalanti Ammayi Chakkanaina Abbayi''||Sanjay || |- | rowspan="2" |2014 || ''Yuddham''||Rishi|| |- | ''Veta''||Karthik || |- |2018|| ''Idi Naa Love Story''|| Abhi || |- |2020||''Anukoni Athidhi'' || {{N/a}} || Dubbed version of ''Athiran''; voice for Fahadh Faasil |- |}
;Television *''Wonder Boy'' (ETV)
==References== {{Reflist|30em}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:rajendran, Tarun}} Category:Living people Category:1983 births Category:Male actors from Hyderabad, India Category:Male actors from Odisha Category:Filmfare Awards South winners Category:Nandi Award winners Category:Male actors in Tamil cinema Category:Businesspeople from Hyderabad, India Category:Indian male child actors Category:Male actors in Telugu cinema Category:Indian male film actors Category:Male actors in Malayalam cinema Category:20th-century Indian male actors Category:21st-century Indian male actors Category:Best Child Artist National Film Award winners Category:Telugu male actors