Raju Sundaram (born 6 September 1968) is an Indian dance choreographer, actor and film director, who works primarily in Tamil, Telugu films also appeared in Kannada and Malayalam films. He appeared as an actor in films like Jeans (1998), 123 (2002), I Love You Da (2002), Quick Gun Murugun (2009); and directed one film, Aegan (2008).
He won the National Film Award for Best Choreography for his work in the song "Pranamam Pranamam" song from the film Janatha Garage (2016) and "Everest Anchuna" song from the film Maharshi (2019).
Personal life Sundaram is the son of dancer Mugur Sundar, and the elder brother of choreographers Prabhu Deva and Nagendra Prasad. He was rumored to be in a relationship with Simran in the late 1990s.
Career Sundaram began his career assisting as a choreographer for his father Mugur Sundar's projects, before going on to lead troupes. He was a dancer in "Rukkumani Rukkumani" from Mani Ratnam's Roja (1992) and in Aasai (1995). He also regularly featured in cameo appearances in songs featuring his brother Prabhu Deva, with the pair making appearances in Shankar's early films Gentleman (1993) and Kaadhalan (1994). After being the lead choreographer for a few Kannada films, his first break came through Mani Ratnam's Thiruda Thiruda (1993), where he was given the chance to design dances for three songs. He then went on to become a choreographer of Tamil directors Mani Ratnam and Shankar, and worked on Amitabh Bachchan's album, Aby Baby (1996).
Shankar then offered Sundaram an acting opportunity in his romantic comedy Jeans (1998), where Sundaram played a full-length role. He played the lead in the sports drama I Love You Da (2002) alongside his former girlfriend and actress Simran. The Hindu stated the film proves "serious acting is simply not his cup of tea". After working on an unreleased film titled Colombus, he then went on to feature in the trilingual One Two Three (2003) alongside Jyothika and his brothers. The film opened to mixed reviews and did not perform well at the box office. He has since primarily operated as a choreographer, making a few exceptions by starring in comic roles in Jeeva's Unnale Unnale (2007), Prabhu Deva's Engeyum Kadhal (2011) and in the Telugu film, Action 3D (2013).
Filmography Choreographer + List of film choreography credits Year Title Language 1992 Chembaruthi Tamil Pandiyan Bol Radha Bol Hindi 1993 Walter Vetrivel Tamil Aagraham Telugu Uzhaippali Tamil Gentleman Udan Pirappu Kizhakke Varum Paattu Thiruda Thiruda Senthoorapandi Gandharvam Malayalam 1994 Sethupathi IPS Tamil Indhu Jai Hind Duet Rasigan Ulavaali Kaadhalan May Madham Karuththamma Criminal TeluguHindi 1995 Gundaraj Hindi Bombay Tamil Coolie Karnaa Chinna Vathiyar Aasai Makkal Aatchi Neela Kuyil Ayudha Poojai Barsaat Hindi Thotta Chinungi Tamil 1996 Sahasa Veerudu Sagara Kanya Telugu Majhdhaar Hindi Love Birds Tamil Sengottai Indian Kadhal Desam Mr. Romeo Nethaji Tu Chor Main Sipahi Hindi Krishna 1997 Sakthi Tamil Mrityudata Hindi Bhai Raasi Tamil Nerukku Ner Ratchagan Auzaar Hindi Ziddi 1998 Jab Pyaar Kisise Hota Hai Jeans Tamil Aval Varuvala Harichandra Barood Hindi Sollamale Tamil Kannedhirey Thondrinal Kadhal Kavithai 1999 Thullatha Manamum Thullum En Swasa Kaatre Love You Hamesha Hindi Ethirum Pudhirum Tamil Poomagal Oorvalam Vaalee Anantha Poongatre Nenjinile Kadhalar Dhinam Poovellam Kettuppar Kannodu Kanbathellam Nee Varuvai Ena Jodi Kannupada Poguthaiya Taj Mahal 2000 Millennium Stars Malayalam Dada Sahib Pukar Hindi Kannukkul Nilavu Tamil Good Luck Sandhitha Velai Kandukondain Kandukondain Kushi Appu Pennin Manathai Thottu Parthen Rasithen Maayi Rhythm Priyamaanavale Snegithiye 2001 Albela Hindi Aks Daddy Telugu Yeh Teraa Ghar Yeh Meraa Ghar Hindi Friends Tamil Badri Poovellam Un Vasam Vedham Samudhiram 12B Shajahan Kadal Pookkal Majunu 2002 Punnagai Desam Red Kamarasu Thamizhan 123 Pyaar Diwana Hota Hai Hindi Indra Telugu Youth Tamil Run Arputham I Love You Da 2003 Aasai Aasaiyai Parasuram Paarai Thithikudhe Boys Alai Thirumalai Anjaneya Enakku 20 Unakku 18 TamilTelugu Soori Tamil Tagore Telugu 2004 Udhaya Tamil Ghilli Aethiree Madhurey Chellamae Run Hindi Attagasam Tamil Donga Dongadi Telugu Malliswari Kyun! Ho Gaya Na... Hindi Gudumba Shankar Telugu Sye Shankar Dada MBBS Hulchul Hindi 2005 Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: The Forgotten Hero Thirupaachi Tamil Ji Maayavi Chandramukhi Sachein Ullam Ketkumae Anniyan Ponniyin Selvan Oru Naal Oru Kanavu Athadu Telugu Ghajini Tamil No Entry Hindi Dil Jo Bhi Kahey... Majaa Tamil Sandakozhi Jai Chiranjeeva Telugu 2006 Kalvanin Kadhali Tamil Kusthi Lakshmi Telugu Happy Unakkum Enakkum Tamil Varalaru: The History of Godfather Thiruvilaiyaadal Aarambam Bangaram Telugu Stalin Rakhi 2007 Pokkiri Tamil Godava Telugu Unnale Unnale Tamil Desamuduru Telugu Sivaji: The Boss Tamil Thottal Poo Malarum Aarya Marudhamalai Lakshyam Telugu Yamadonga Tulasi 2008 Dhaam Dhoom Tamil Aegan 2009 Villu Ayan Ek Niranjan Telugu Wanted Hindi 2010 Aasal Tamil Theeradha Vilaiyattu Pillai Kacheri Arambam Paiyaa Don Seenu Telugu Sura Tamil Khaleja Telugu Enthiran: The Robot Tamil Brindavanam Telugu 2011 Kaavalan Tamil Mappillai Engeyum Kadhal 2012 Vettai Billa II Julai Telugu 2013 Alex Pandian Tamil Singam II Chennai Express Hindi Pattathu Yaanai Tamil Idharkuthane Aasaipattai Balakumara All in All Azhagu Raja Endrendrum Punnagai Biriyani Bhai Telugu 2014 Jilla Tamil Bramman Ennamo Nadakkudhu Kochadaiiyaan Anjaan Sigaram Thodu Mukunda Telugu Kaaviya Thalaivan Tamil 2015 Srimanthudu Telugu Bajrangi Bhaijaan Hindi Anegan Tamil Kaaki Sattai Inimey Ippadithaan Kaaval Run Raja Run Telugu Jil Puli Tamil Size Zero TeluguTamil Temper Telugu 2016 Nannaku Prematho Saagasam Enra Veerachayal Tamil Thozha TeluguTamil Natpadhigaram 79 Tamil 24 Express Raja Telugu Enakku Innoru Per Irukku Tamil Janatha Garage Telugu Remo Tamil Rekka Kaashmora Brahmotsavam Telugu Balle Vellaiyathevaa Tamil 2017 Bogan Kadamban Kaadhali Telugu Winner Kodi Veeran Tamil Sakka Podu Podu Raja 2018 Mannar Vagera Junga Aravinda Sametha Veera Raghava Telugu Sandakozhi 2 Tamil Bharat Ane Nenu Telugu 2019 Irupathiyonnaam Noottaandu Malayalam Saaho TeluguHindi Rustum Kannada Maharshi Telugu Pailwaan Kannada Sanga Thamizhan Tamil Seeru Hero 2020 Darbar Ka Pae Ranasingam 2021 Kalathil Santhippom Krack Telugu Tughlaq Durbar Tamil Raajavamsam Republic Telugu Maanaadu Tamil Kotigobba 3 Kannada 2022 Varalaru Mukkiyam Tamil The Legend Coffee with Kadhal 2023 Varisu Bagheera Bommai2024 The Greatest of All Time Devara: Part 1 Telugu2025Jack2026The RajaSaab
Director + List of film directing credits Year Title Language 2008 Aegan Tamil
Actor + List of film acting credits Year Title Role Language Notes 1998 Jeans Madhesh Tamil 1999 En Swasa Katre Raju Special appearance 2002 Manasella Neene Arun Kannada I Love You Da Raju Tamil 2003 123 Pazhani 2006 Pellaina Kothalo Prakash Telugu 2007 Unnale Unnale Raju Tamil 2009 Quick Gun Murugun Rowdy MBA English 2011 Engeyum Kaadhal Raju Tamil 2012 Julai Himself Telugu Special appearances 2013 Mirchi Action 3D Purush 2015 Isai Himself Tamil Special appearance 2017 Yaanum Theeyavan Pasupathy 2018 Padi Padi Leche Manasu Goon Telugu Special appearance2024 Maa Nanna Superhero 2025 Ghaati Pebbuli 2026 Sigma NeilTamil
Dancer + List of film dancing credits Year Film Song Language Notes 1991 Assembly Rowdy "Turpu Kondallo" Telugu Idhayam "Ohh Party Nalla" Tamil 1992 Donga Police "Devudanno Dandam Pedatha" Telugu Roja "Rukumani Rukumani" Tamil Suriyan "Thoongu Moonchi" 1993 Enga Thambi "Ithu Maanodum" Gentleman "Chikku Bukku" 1994Captain"Oyyari Buggameedu"Telugu Lockup Death "Current Banthu" Kannada Police War "Teenage Papa" Telugu Jai Hind "Bodhai Yeri Pochu" Tamil Kaadhalan "Kadhalikkum Pennin" 1995 Mounam "Dhammaro Abbaya Raro" Telugu Aasai "Meenamma","Shockkadikuthu Sona" Tamil 1997 Ullaasam "Valibam Vaazha Sollum" 1998 Sollamale "Allamma Samba" 1999 Kadhal Kavithai "Aalana Naal Mudhala" Circle Inspector "Urmila Urmila" Kannada Kya Soorat Hai "Kya Soorat Hai" Hindi Music Video, song from Bombay Vikings band En Swasa Kaatre "Jumbalaka" Tamil Ethirum Pudhirum "Thottu Thottu" Anantha Poongatre "Meenatchi Meenatchi" Poovellam Kettuppar "O Senorita" 2000 Sandhitha Velai "Muniyamma" Pennin Manathai Thottu "Saltkotta" Maayi "Thennagam Aalum" Rhythm "Ayyayyo Pathikichu" Chamundi "Usarvalli Kshnakondu" Kannada 2001Aks"Banda Bindas"HindiPoovellam Un Vaasam"Yukta Mookhey"Tamil 2002 Vicky "Chokku Smilea" 2003 Alai "Alai Adikuthu" 2005 Ullam Ketkumae "Mazhai Mazhai" Anniyan "O Sukumari" Modati Cinema "Ninnyna Nadyna" Telugu 2009 Konchem Ishtam Konchem Kashtam "Evade Subramanyam" 2010 Pa. Ra. Palanisamy "Netru Varai Unakku" Tamil 2012 Vettai "Dhum Dhum" 2013 Idharkuthane Aasaipattai Balakumara "En Veettula" Endrendrum Punnagai "Ennatha Solla" 2014 Ennamo Nadakkudhu "Money Money" 2016 Thozha "Door Number One" Natpadhigaram 79 "Sollu Sollu Chellamma" Devi "Chal Maar" Abhinetri Telugu Tutak Tutak Tutiya Hindi Remo "Tamilselvi" Tamil Kaashmora "Dhikku Dhikku Sir" 2017 Bogan "Damaalu Dumeelu" 2019 Sangathamizhan "Oh My God" 2021 Tughlaq Durbar "Arasiyal Kedi"
Awards Won 1994 Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Choreographer -Kaadhalan 1997 Dinakaran Award for Best Dance Director – Many movies 1998 Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Choreographer – Jeans 1998 Dinakaran Award for Best Dance Director – Many movies 1999 Dinakaran Award for Best Dance Master – Many movies 1999 Cinema Express Award for Best Dance Master – Many movies 2000 Dinakaran Award for Best Dance Master – Many movies 2004 Dinakaran-Medimix Award for Best Choreographer – Ghilli 2004 Filmfare Award for Best Choreography – South – Ghilli 2009 Ananda Vikatan Cinema Award for Best Choreographer – Villu 2010 Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Choreographer – Paiyaa 2010 Filmfare Award for Best Choreography – South - Brindavanam 2011 Ananda Vikatan Cinema Award for Best Choreographer – Engeyum Kadhal 2013 Edison Award for Best Choreographer – Biriyani 2016 National Film Award for Best Choreography-Janatha Garage (for "Pranaamam") 2019 National Film Award for Best Choreography-Maharshi (for "Everest Anchuna") 2007 Vijay Award for Best Choreographer – Unnale Unnale 2010 Vijay Award for Best Choreographer – Enthiran 2011 Vijay Award for Best Choreographer – Engeyum Kadhal 2014 South Indian International Movie Award for Best Dance Choreographer – Anjaan 2014 Vijay Award for Best Choreographer – Kaaviya Thalaivan
Legacy Choreographers and artists L. L. Cool Jayanth, Ravi Dev, Ashok Raja, Dinesh, Sridhar, Shobi Paulraj, Baba Bhaskar, Kalyan, Johny, Noble Paul, Prem Rakshith, Jani, Lalitha Shobi, Sathish Krishnan, Viji Sathish, Poppy, Japan Kumar, Sindhuja, Nanditha Jennifer, Raja, Shanthi Arvind, Anusha Swamy, Boopathy & Vasanthi had worked as dancers and assistants to him.
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