# Vaiyapuri (வையாபுரி)
**Vaiyapuri** (வையாபுரி) is an Indian Tamil-language comedy and character actor whose real name is Ramakrishnan (இராமகிருஷ்ணன்); active in cinema since 1995, he has appeared in more than 250 Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam films, with noted roles in *[Thulladha Manamum Thullum](https://www.edgepedia.org/thulladha-manamum-thullum)* (1999), *Pokkiri* (2007), *Dasavatharam* (2008), *[Raavanan](https://www.edgepedia.org/raavanan-2010-film)* (2010), and *Leo* (2023)[1](https://tamilar.wiki/w/%E0%AE%B5%E0%AF%88%E0%AE%AF%E0%AE%BE%E0%AE%AA%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%B0%E0%AE%BF) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1234717/).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Ramakrishnan; born 1968 in Muthuthevanpatti village near Theni, Tamil Nadu[1](https://tamilar.wiki/w/%E0%AE%B5%E0%AF%88%E0%AE%AF%E0%AE%BE%E0%AE%AA%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%B0%E0%AE%BF) |
| Active years | 1995 to present[1](https://tamilar.wiki/w/%E0%AE%B5%E0%AF%88%E0%AE%AF%E0%AE%BE%E0%AE%AA%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%B0%E0%AE%BF) |
| Output | More than 250 films across Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam[1](https://tamilar.wiki/w/%E0%AE%B5%E0%AF%88%E0%AE%AF%E0%AE%BE%E0%AE%AA%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%B0%E0%AE%BF); a 2024 interview put the total above 400[3](https://tamil.filmibeat.com/news/vaiyapuri-says-i-dont-sit-in-home-like-vadivelu-in-a-recent-interview-129325.html) |
| Signature roles | Transgender characters in *Thulladha Manamum Thullum* (1999) and *Raavanan* (2010)[1](https://tamilar.wiki/w/%E0%AE%B5%E0%AF%88%E0%AE%AF%E0%AE%BE%E0%AE%AA%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%B0%E0%AE%BF) • [4](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/tamil/vaiyapuri-joined-instagram-after-a-director-refused-to-meet-him-10861890/lite/) |
| Television | Contestant, Bigg Boss Tamil season 1 (2017), inside the house for 84 days; regular guest judge on *Asatha Povathu Yaaru?* on Sun TV[4](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/tamil/vaiyapuri-joined-instagram-after-a-director-refused-to-meet-him-10861890/lite/) • [5](https://www.filmibeat.com/celebs/vaiyapuri.html) |
| Family | Married Anandhi in 2001; a son, Shravan, and a daughter, Shivani[1](https://tamilar.wiki/w/%E0%AE%B5%E0%AF%88%E0%AE%AF%E0%AE%BE%E0%AE%AA%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%B0%E0%AE%BF) |
## Early life and entry into cinema
Vaiyapuri was born Ramakrishnan in Muthuthevanpatti, a village near Theni in [Tamil Nadu](https://www.edgepedia.org/tamil-nadu), and studied up to the eighth standard at the village panchayat union middle school before completing the ninth and tenth standards at a higher secondary school in Palanisettipatti[1](https://tamilar.wiki/w/%E0%AE%B5%E0%AF%88%E0%AE%AF%E0%AE%BE%E0%AE%AA%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%B0%E0%AE%BF). Published birth dates differ: the Tamil wiki gives 19 September 1968[1](https://tamilar.wiki/w/%E0%AE%B5%E0%AF%88%E0%AE%AF%E0%AE%BE%E0%AE%AA%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%B0%E0%AE%BF), while Filmibeat and Maalai Malar list 23 October 1968[5](https://www.filmibeat.com/celebs/vaiyapuri.html) • [6](https://www.maalaimalar.com/movie-celebrities/vaiyapuri-26868-movie-celebrities-126868).
After school he worked in a pharmacy in Theni, then moved to Chennai in December 1986 to pursue film work. In a 2000 interview he described joining the Vasantha Bhavan hotel in Egmore as a server and spending his off hours visiting studios to meet producers and directors, noting that he had no stage or other acting background to point to[7](https://tamil.oneindia.com/news/2000/07/30/vaiyapuri.html). To stay connected to the industry while waiting for acting chances, he worked as an editing assistant for director [Bharathiraja](https://www.edgepedia.org/bharathiraja) on four or five films[7](https://tamil.oneindia.com/news/2000/07/30/vaiyapuri.html).
**Television first.** He began acting in Chennai television serials such as *Chinna Maruthu Periya Maruthu* and *Malkudi Days* before entering films[1](https://tamilar.wiki/w/%E0%AE%B5%E0%AF%88%E0%AE%AF%E0%AE%BE%E0%AE%AA%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%B0%E0%AE%BF) • [8](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/did-you-know/vaiyapuri-acted-in-television-serials-beforeentering-cinema/articleshow/62822160.cms). The actor Vivek then cast him in the Tamil film *Ilaiya Raagam*, his first film role[1](https://tamilar.wiki/w/%E0%AE%B5%E0%AF%88%E0%AE%AF%E0%AE%BE%E0%AE%AA%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%B0%E0%AE%BF).
## Film career
His early recognition came from a transgender role in *Thulladha Manamum Thullum* (1999)[1](https://tamilar.wiki/w/%E0%AE%B5%E0%AF%88%E0%AE%AF%E0%AE%BE%E0%AE%AA%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%B0%E0%AE%BF). [The Indian Express](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-indian-express) identifies [Balu Mahendra](https://www.edgepedia.org/balu-mahendra)'s comedy *Raman Abdullah* as his major breakthrough, after which he became a familiar face in [Tamil cinema](https://www.edgepedia.org/tamil-cinema)[4](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/tamil/vaiyapuri-joined-instagram-after-a-director-refused-to-meet-him-10861890/lite/). Through the late 1990s and 2000s he worked steadily in supporting and comic roles; by 2000 a Tamil-language profile described him as appearing in film after film, often working two or three shifts a day[7](https://tamil.oneindia.com/news/2000/07/30/vaiyapuri.html).
He shared the screen with [Kamal Haasan](https://www.edgepedia.org/kamal-haasan) in *Kadhal Palli* (1997) and *Kaathala Kaathala* (1998)[4](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/tamil/vaiyapuri-joined-instagram-after-a-director-refused-to-meet-him-10861890/lite/). In his 2000 interview he recalled that Haasan arranged a preview of *Hey Ram* at Devi Theatre and, introducing the film's cast, presented him as "Mr. Vaiyapuri" and arranged a car for him like the other stars, a moment he described as unforgettable[7](https://tamil.oneindia.com/news/2000/07/30/vaiyapuri.html).
One notable phase came with [Mani Ratnam](https://www.edgepedia.org/mani-ratnam)'s *Raavanan* (2010), in which he played a transgender woman; he has described the role as a "major turning point" in his career[4](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/tamil/vaiyapuri-joined-instagram-after-a-director-refused-to-meet-him-10861890/lite/). IMDb lists *Leo* (2023), *Dasavatharam* (2008), and *Pokkiri* (2007) among his best-known credits[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1234717/).
**Frequent collaborators.** [Collaboration](https://www.edgepedia.org/collaboration) databases record six films with the comedian Vivek, beginning with *Kaadhale Nimmadhi* and *Kannedhirey Thondrinal* (both 1998) and running to *Bale Pandiya* (2010)[9](https://www.gudvibe.app/movies-together/123-695-vivek-vaiyapuri), and seven films with [Prashanth](https://www.edgepedia.org/prashanth), from *Kannedhirey Thondrinal* (1998) to *Jai* (2004)[10](https://www.gudvibe.app/movies-together/695-1579-vaiyapuri-prashanth). With composer Deva he appeared in 16 films between 1998 and the 2000s[11](https://www.gudvibe.app/movies-together/695-2287-vaiyapuri-deva).
## Television and later work
Beyond films, Vaiyapuri was a regular guest judge on the Sun TV comedy show *Asatha Povathu Yaaru?* and competed in the first season of *Bigg Boss Tamil* in 2017, hosted by Kamal Haasan, remaining in the house for 84 days[5](https://www.filmibeat.com/celebs/vaiyapuri.html) • [4](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/tamil/vaiyapuri-joined-instagram-after-a-director-refused-to-meet-him-10861890/lite/).
In 2025 he joined Instagram after, he said, a director refused to meet him and called him an "old artiste"; he decided to use the account to share memories and lessons from his career, and the account crossed 171,000 followers[4](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/tamil/vaiyapuri-joined-instagram-after-a-director-refused-to-meet-him-10861890/lite/). His recent credits include *Thug Life* (2025), directed by Mani Ratnam, in the role of Midhun, *Kaantha* (2025) as Selvam, and the 2026 films *Aazhi* and *[TN 2026](https://www.edgepedia.org/tn-2026)*[5](https://www.filmibeat.com/celebs/vaiyapuri.html) • [12](https://buzzmelt.com/person/vaiyapuri).
## References
1. [வையாபுரி (நடிகர்), தமிழர்விக்கி (Tamilar Wiki)](https://tamilar.wiki/w/%E0%AE%B5%E0%AF%88%E0%AE%AF%E0%AE%BE%E0%AE%AA%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%B0%E0%AE%BF)
2. [Vaiyapuri (I), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1234717/)
3. [Vaiyapuri says I don't sit at home like Vadivelu, Tamil Filmibeat (16 March 2024)](https://tamil.filmibeat.com/news/vaiyapuri-says-i-dont-sit-in-home-like-vadivelu-in-a-recent-interview-129325.html)
4. ['He's an old artiste': Vaiyapuri joined Instagram after a director refused to meet him, The Indian Express](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/tamil/vaiyapuri-joined-instagram-after-a-director-refused-to-meet-him-10861890/lite/)
5. [Vaiyapuri: Height, Age, Wife, Biography, Filmibeat](https://www.filmibeat.com/celebs/vaiyapuri.html)
6. [வையாபுரி, மாலை மலர் (Maalai Malar)](https://www.maalaimalar.com/movie-celebrities/vaiyapuri-26868-movie-celebrities-126868)
7. [வையாபுரியின் ஏக்கம், exclusive interview with comedy actor Vaiyapuri, Tamil Oneindia (30 July 2000)](https://tamil.oneindia.com/news/2000/07/30/vaiyapuri.html)
8. [Vaiyapuri acted in Television serials before entering Cinema, Times of India (4 February 2018)](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/did-you-know/vaiyapuri-acted-in-television-serials-beforeentering-cinema/articleshow/62822160.cms)
9. [Vivek & Vaiyapuri, 6 Tamil Films Together, GudVibe](https://www.gudvibe.app/movies-together/123-695-vivek-vaiyapuri)
10. [Vaiyapuri & Prashanth, 7 Tamil Films Together, GudVibe](https://www.gudvibe.app/movies-together/695-1579-vaiyapuri-prashanth)
11. [Vaiyapuri & Deva, 16 Tamil Films Together, GudVibe](https://www.gudvibe.app/movies-together/695-2287-vaiyapuri-deva)
12. [Vaiyapuri, movies list and upcoming movies, BuzzMelt](https://buzzmelt.com/person/vaiyapuri)
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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 T to W*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 18, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license