Maniyanpilla Raju-Cedar Herald Index

Sudheer Kumar (born 20 April 1955), better known by his stage name Maniyanpilla Raju (Malayalam: മണിയൻപിള്ള രാജു), is an Indian actor and producer who works in Malayalam film industry. His debut film was Mohiniyaattam in 1976. He has played a variety of roles as a character actor, appearing in over 400 films. His stage name was derived from the character he played in the film Maniyanpilla Adhava Maniyanpilla (1981), his break-through role.

Early life

Raju was born as the youngest among four in 1955 to Shekharan Nair and Saraswati Amma at Thycaud, Trivandrum. He has two sisters, Ramani and Radha, and a brother Surendran. He had his primary education from Government Model Boys Higher Secondary School, Trivandrum. He did his pre-degree in Victory Tutorial College. He learned diploma in acting course during 1973–1975 from Adyar Film Institute, Madras (now Chennai).

Maniyanpilla Raju

Personal life

Maniyanpilla Raju married Indira in 1985, and the couple have two sons, Sachin and Niranj. The younger son, Niranj, made his debut in Renjith's Black Butterfly. He wrote a book titled Chirichum Chirippichum containing his memoirs in 2012. In 2019, he opened a restaurant, Be@Kiwizo, in Kannur, which is Kerala's first restaurant to use robots to serve customers.

Maniyanpilla Raju

Filmography

As an actor

1970s

1980s

{ | class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year !! Title !! Role !! class="unsortable" | Notes |- | rowspan=2 | 1980 || Theenalangal || Appu || |- | Chamaram || Raju || |- | rowspan=4 | 1981 || Chamayam || || |- | Theekkali || || |- | Maniyan Pilla Adhava Maniyan Pilla || Maniyan Pilla || |- | Tharattu || Viswanathan || |- | rowspan=7 | 1982 || Football || Shivankutty || |- | Ithu Njangalude Katha || Santhosh || |- | Ithiri Neram Othiri Karyam || Raghu || |- | Bheeman || || |- | Kattile Pattu || Raju || |- | Aasha || Sunil Kumar || |- | Chiriyo Chiri || Santhosh || |- | rowspan=7 | 1983 || Prem Nazirine Kanmanilla || Kidnapper (II) || |- | Prasnam Gurutharam || Raju || |- | Oru Madapravinte Katha || || |- | Mortuary || Jacob || |- | Sesham Kazhchayil || || |- | Pinnilavu || Sreedharan || |- | Koodevide || Shankar || |- | rowspan=11 | 1984 || Onnanu Nammal || Hari || |- | Thathamme Poocha Poocha || || |- | April 18 || || |- | Theere Pratheekshikkathe || || |- | Koottinilamkili || Gopan || |- | Ivide Thudangunnu || Peter || |- | Itha Innu Muthal || 'Kailasam' Raju || |- | Athirathram || Anthony || |- | Ariyaatha Veethikal || Soman || |- | Arante Mulla Kochu Mulla || Rajappan || |- | Adiyozhukkukal || Jayarajan || |- | rowspan=9 | 1985 || Akalathe Ambili || Maniyan || |- | Vannu Kandu Keezhadakki || Suresh || |- | Angadikkappurathu || Vasu || |- | Nokkethadhoorathu Kannum Nattu || Abdu || |- | Jeevante Jeevan || Prakash || |- | Boeing Boeing || Kuttappan || |- | Aram + Aram = Kinnaram || Saravanan || |- | Akkare Ninnoru Maran || Achuthan || |- | Karimpinpoovinakkare || Raju || |- | rowspan=11 | 1986 || Yuvajanotsavam || Bhagaval Das || |- | Nimishangal || Joseph || |- | Ithramathram || Rajeevan || |- | T. P. Balagopalan M. A. || Narayankutty || |- | Katturumbinum Kathu Kuthu || Babu || |- | Ponnum Kudathinum Pottu || College student || |- | Thalavattam || Joseph || |- | Hello My Dear Wrong Number || Ramadasan || |- | Dheem Tharikida Thom || Siva Subrahmaniam || |- | Ayalvasi Oru Daridravasi || Vidyadharan || |- | Mazha Peyyunnu Maddalam Kottunnu || Damu || |- | rowspan=5 | 1987 || Ellavarkkum Nanmakal || || |- | Sarvakalashala || Chakkara || |- | P.C. 369 || Damodaran Pillai || |- | January Oru Orma || Narayana Swamy || |- | Ithrayum Kaalam || Unni Nampoothiri || |- | rowspan=7 | 1988 || Vellanakalude Nadu || Gopi || |- | Mukunthetta Sumitra Vilikkunnu || || |- | Ayitham || Thankamani || |- | Oru Muthassi Katha || Abdu || |- | Chithram || Murugan || |- | Aryan || Adv. Radhakrishnan || |- | Kudumbapuranam || Murali || |- | rowspan=8 | 1989 || Mahayanam || || |- | Kireedam || Najeeb || |- | Adhipan || Gopalakrishnan || |- | Vandanam || Hariharan Iyer || |- | Season || Kanthi || |- | Nair Saab || Cadet Chandran Pillai || |- | Naduvazhikal || Ravi || |- | Nocturne Indien || Restaurant owner|| |- |}

Maniyanpilla Raju

1990s

2000s

2010s

2020s

As a producer

Hello My Dear Wrong Number (1985) Vellanakalude Nadu (1988) Aye Auto (1990) Anaswaram (1991) Kannezhuthi Pottum Thottu (1999) Anandabhadram (2005) Chotta Mumbai (2007) Oru Naal Varum (2010) Black Butterfly (2013) Pavada (2016) Panchavarnathatha (2018) Finals (2019) Maheshum Marutiyum (2023)