# Anandaraj (ஆனந்தராஜ்)
**Anandaraj** (ஆனந்தராஜ்; full name Anandaraj Selvaraj) is an Indian actor who appears primarily in Tamil films and is known for playing villain roles, in a career that began with *Oruvar Vaazhum Aalayam* (1988) and has spanned more than three decades.[1](https://in.bookmyshow.com/person/anandaraj/7573) He has also acted in Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and Hindi films, and has worked as a politician.[2](https://www.nowrunning.com/celebrity/13201/anandaraj/index.htm)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name | Anandaraj Selvaraj, known mononymously as Anandaraj[1](https://in.bookmyshow.com/person/anandaraj/7573) |
| Born | Puducherry, India; BookMyShow gives 1958, while Fandango gives 1959[1](https://in.bookmyshow.com/person/anandaraj/7573) • [3](https://www.fandango.com/people/anandaraj-15820/film-credits) |
| Debut | *Oruvar Vaazhum Aalayam* (1988), in a negative-shaded role, opposite Prabhu and Sivaji Ganesan[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1686962/bio/) |
| Output | More than 100 films by IMDb's count; other sources put the total at over 200, or nearly 300 across five languages[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1686962/bio/) • [2](https://www.nowrunning.com/celebrity/13201/anandaraj/index.htm) • [5](https://tamil.asianetnews.com/amp/gallery/cinema/villain-actor-anandaraj-unknown-facts-in-tamil-mma-sr9brn) |
| Best-known films | *Pulan Visaranai* (1990), *Gang Leader* (1991), *Baashha* (1995), *Makkal Aatchi* (1995), *Suryavamsam* (1997), *Pokkiri* (2007)[1](https://in.bookmyshow.com/person/anandaraj/7573) |
| Bollywood debut | *Action Jackson* (2014), as the main antagonist opposite Ajay Devgn[2](https://www.nowrunning.com/celebrity/13201/anandaraj/index.htm) |
## Early life and training
Anandaraj was born in Puducherry, where his father was an arak merchant; he has seven siblings.[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1686962/bio/) According to a Tamil-language profile in [Asianet News](https://www.edgepedia.org/asianet-news), his father wanted him to become a police officer, but he chose cinema instead and enrolled in a government film and television training institute, where the Kannada actor [Shiva Rajkumar](https://www.edgepedia.org/shiva-rajkumar) was his classmate.[5](https://tamil.asianetnews.com/amp/gallery/cinema/villain-actor-anandaraj-unknown-facts-in-tamil-mma-sr9brn) In a 2017 interview he described himself as an alumnus of the Taramani Film Institute, whose seniors included the actors [Raghuvaran](https://www.edgepedia.org/raghuvaran) and Nasser.[6](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/stories/interviews/2017/jun/18/the-villain-who-isnt-634.html)
He waited a year after graduation before finding film work; his screen debut came in *Oruvar Vaazhum Aalayam*, released in 1988, in which he played a crook alongside Prabhu and [Sivaji Ganesan](https://www.edgepedia.org/sivaji-ganesan).[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1686962/bio/) In his first year in the industry he appeared in several films as a young villain.[5](https://tamil.asianetnews.com/amp/gallery/cinema/villain-actor-anandaraj-unknown-facts-in-tamil-mma-sr9brn)
## Career as a villain
Anandaraj built his reputation on negative roles. His most recognized films from this period include *[Pulan Visaranai](https://www.edgepedia.org/pulan-visaranai)* (1990), *Gang Leader* (1991), *Baashha* (1995), *Makkal Aatchi* (1995), *Suryavamsam* (1997) and *Pokkiri* (2007).[1](https://in.bookmyshow.com/person/anandaraj/7573) He appeared in all the south Indian languages and worked predominantly in Tamil; in Malayalam films he typically played a villain who speaks Tamil.[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1686962/bio/)
He also experimented with his screen image. In *Bharathan* (1992), the Tamil remake of the Hindi film *Ghayal*, he took the negative role that [Amrish Puri](https://www.edgepedia.org/amrish-puri), then about 55, had played in the Hindi version, although Anandaraj was barely 27; he used an old-age get-up, and audiences who did not know his age later found it striking to see how young he was.[6](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/stories/interviews/2017/jun/18/the-villain-who-isnt-634.html)
**Attempts as a lead hero.** He played the lead in a number of Tamil films, including *David Uncle*, *Thampi Oorukku Puthusu*, *Kaaval Nilayam*, *Katharavan*, *Kizhakku Veluthathchu*, *En Rajangam*, *Government Mappillai*, *Puthiya Aatchi* and *My India*, but did not establish himself as a hero; he attributed this to audiences continuing to see him as a terrifying villain.[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1686962/bio/) • [6](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/stories/interviews/2017/jun/18/the-villain-who-isnt-634.html)
## Politics and career interruption
Anandaraj's film career was interrupted by politics. He has said that he dedicated about 12 years of his career to a political party and missed a number of opportunities as a result, because party involvement meant he could not be seen in roles in which he harassed women or was beaten up by heroes; he described the cost to his health and finances while remaining a party cadre.[6](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/stories/interviews/2017/jun/18/the-villain-who-isnt-634.html) Profiles describe him as an actor and politician who has expressed interest in politics and has played cunning politicians on screen.[2](https://www.nowrunning.com/celebrity/13201/anandaraj/index.htm) • [4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1686962/bio/)
## Later career: character and comedy roles
When he returned to cinema, *Mundasupatti* (2014) helped him make a comeback.[6](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/stories/interviews/2017/jun/18/the-villain-who-isnt-634.html) In 2014 he made his Bollywood debut as the main antagonist, Xavier Fonseca, in *[Action Jackson](https://www.edgepedia.org/action-jackson-2014-film)*, starring [Ajay Devgn](https://www.edgepedia.org/ajay-devgn) and [Sonakshi Sinha](https://www.edgepedia.org/sonakshi-sinha).[2](https://www.nowrunning.com/celebrity/13201/anandaraj/index.htm) • [3](https://www.fandango.com/people/anandaraj-15820/film-credits)
From the mid-2010s he moved largely into character and comic parts. He played the [Pondicherry](https://www.edgepedia.org/pondicherry) don in *Naanum Rowdydhaan* (2015) and the character Twinkle Ramanathan in *[Maragadha Naanayam](https://www.edgepedia.org/maragadha-naanayam)* (2017), a film that was received well.[7](https://technosports.co.in/entertainment/person/anandaraj/) • [6](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/stories/interviews/2017/jun/18/the-villain-who-isnt-634.html) In a 2018 interview he said he missed playing villains but welcomed having more options, and noted the reversal of typecasting: in *Kalavani Mappillai* (2018) he played the husband of Devayani, the actress opposite whom he had played the villain in *Suryavamsam* two decades earlier.[8](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/stories/interviews/2018/Nov/11/films-are-too-hero-centric-these-days-8709.html) After *Naanum Rowdy Dhaan*, he said, fans, including women, sometimes pinched his cheeks, a contrast with his frightening screen image.[6](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/stories/interviews/2017/jun/18/the-villain-who-isnt-634.html)
He has remained active into the 2020s, with credits including *Bigil* (2019), *Cobra* (2022), *Varisu* (2023), *Kanguva* (2024), *[Chennai City Gangsters](https://www.edgepedia.org/chennai-city-gangsters)* (2025) and *Vaa Vaathiyaar* (2026).[7](https://technosports.co.in/entertainment/person/anandaraj/) • [9](https://in.bookmyshow.com/person/anandaraj/7573/filmography)
## References
1. [Anandaraj – Movies, Biography, News, Age & Photos, BookMyShow](https://in.bookmyshow.com/person/anandaraj/7573)
2. [Anandaraj – Indian Actor Profile, nowrunning](https://www.nowrunning.com/celebrity/13201/anandaraj/index.htm)
3. [Anandaraj Filmography and Movies, Fandango](https://www.fandango.com/people/anandaraj-15820/film-credits)
4. [Anandraj – Biography, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1686962/bio/)
5. [Villain Actor Anandaraj Unknown Facts, Asianet News Tamil](https://tamil.asianetnews.com/amp/gallery/cinema/villain-actor-anandaraj-unknown-facts-in-tamil-mma-sr9brn)
6. [The villain who isn't: Anandraj, Cinema Express (19 June 2017)](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/stories/interviews/2017/jun/18/the-villain-who-isnt-634.html)
7. [Anandaraj: Movies & Web Series on OTT, TechnoSports](https://technosports.co.in/entertainment/person/anandaraj/)
8. ["Films are too hero-centric these days", Cinema Express (11 November 2018)](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/stories/interviews/2018/Nov/11/films-are-too-hero-centric-these-days-8709.html)
9. [Anandaraj Filmography, BookMyShow](https://in.bookmyshow.com/person/anandaraj/7573/filmography)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Film people and crafts › Film actors and performers › Indian and South Asian film actors by industry and language › Tamil film actors › Surnames symbols to J*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 19, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Sep 19, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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