Madras Kandaswami Radhakrishnan (20 November 1910 – 29 August 1985), professionally known as M. K. Radha, was an Indian actor and singer who worked mainly in Tamil cinema.
Early life He was born in Chennai and took up acting in Tamil stage at the age of 7. He was tutored by his father Kandasamy Mudaliar, a famous drama teacher at that time.
Career His career spanned almost 25 years in Tamil drama as a lead actor during India's pre-independence days and he was a popular social hero in various patriotic dramas. His film career spanned between 1936 and 1958. Radha was a benefactor of M.G. Ramachandran (MGR), and in his autobiography, Naan Yaen Piranthaen, MGR had written effusively about how Radha had helped him, while he was a struggling movie actor in the late 1930s.
As a singer He sang in a few films during the 1940s. Songs from the film Kannamma En Kadhali became popular.
Filmography Year Title Role Language Notes 1936 Sathi Leelavathi Krishnamurthy Tamil Chandramohana or Samooga Thondu Chandra Mohan Tamil 1938 Anaadhai Penn 1939 Maya Machhindra Machindran 1940 Sathi Murali Seenu 1941 Prema Bandhan Ananthu Rajagopichand Vana Mohini Prince 1944 Dasi Aparanji Vikramadithan 1945 Kannamma En Kadhali Muthu Sang 3 songs 1948 ChandralekhaNew York Times, movie review, Chandralekha Veersingh Hindi ChandralekhaNew York Times, movie review, Chandralekha Veerasimhan Tamil Gnana Soundari Pilendran 1949 Apoorva SagodharargalRediff, V. Gangadhar, Through the looking glassThe Hindu, film review, Apoorva Sagodharargal – 1949 Vijayasimhan, Vikramasimhan Double Role 1950 Apoorva SahodaruluRediff, V. Gangadhar, Through the looking glassThe Hindu, film review, Apoorva Sagodharargal – 1949 Telugu 1951 Saudamini Tamil Samsaram Gopu Sansar Narayan Hindi 1952 Moondru Pillaigal Muthu Tamil Mugguru Kodukulu Prakasam Telugu 1953 Avvaiyar King Pari Tamil 1954 Nallakalam Bahut Din Huwe King Hindi 1955 Gruhalakshmi Tamil Porter Kandan Kandhan 1956 Kannin Manigal Inspector Paasavalai King 1957 Ambikapathy Kambar Karpukkarasi King Pudhaiyal Kumaravadivu Neelamalai Thirudan Thangappan Vanangamudi King Anbe Deivam 1958 Uthama Puthiran King
Personal life Radha was married to M. R. Gnanambal, also an actress.
Awards and honours In 1973, he received the Padma Shri Award for his contribution to performing arts from President V.V. Giri.
In July 2004, the Indian Postal Service special postal envelope in his memory.The Hindu, 22 July 2004, Release of postal envelope in memory of MK Radha
A neighbourhood in Teynampet, Chennai is named M.K. Radha Nagar in his honour.The Hindu, Clinic in MK Radha Nagar
References