Arjun Chidambaram is an Indian actor known for his work in Tamil cinema. Emerging from Chennai’s theatre circuit, he gained wider recognition for his performance in Nerkonda Paarvai (2019), and subsequently established himself through character-driven performances in films such as Ponniyin Selvan: I (2022), Thug Life (2025) and Blast (2026). His career also spans feature films, streaming series, and theatre, including work with Evam, Stray Factory and The Madras Players.
Career Chidambaram began his acting career with an on-screen debut as the lead actor in Moone Moonu Varthai (2015), produced by S. P. B. Charan. Later in 2017, he appeared in Rum, portraying a deaf and mute hacker.
Chidambaram gained wider recognition for his portrayal of Adhik in H. Vinoth's Nerkonda Paarvai (2019), starring alongside Ajith Kumar. His character served as one of the principal antagonists in the film and was central to its themes of consent, sexual violence, and gender rights.
Arjun was then officially cast in Mani Ratnam’s historical epic Ponniyin Selvan: I (2022), based on Kalki Krishnamurthy’s novel of the same name. In the film, he portrayed Varagunan, a Pandya prince whose presence forms part of the political and dynastic conflicts surrounding the Chola empire. The role marked his entry into large-scale historical cinema and mainstream Tamil productions. In 2025, Chidambaram appeared in Mani Ratnam’s gangster drama Thug Life (2025), starring Kamal Haasan. He portrayed Khalua, a member of the film’s crime network, marking another collaboration with Mani Ratnam. The role further expanded his presence in large-scale ensemble productions.
In 2026, Chidambaram gained wider recognition with Blast (2026), a tamil action thriller directed by Subash K Raj, in which he portrayed Abraham. The role brought him greater visibility among pan-India audiences and showcased another dimension of his screen presence with an action-driven ensemble. Starring alongside Arjun Sarja and Abhirami, the film marked another significant step in Chidambaram's growing body of work in Tamil Cinema.
Filmography
Films Year Film Role Notes 2015 Moone Moonu Varthai Arjun Debut film 2017 Rum Kural2019 Nerkonda Paarvai Adhik Enai Noki Paayum Thota Police officer Uncredited 2020 Theeviram Ismail 2022 Ponniyin Selvan: I Varagunan 2023 Aneethi Ajee Kolai Arjun Raththam Shyam Sunder 2025 Thug Life Kahlua 2026 Blast Abraham Baththa Jyothi
Web series +YearTitleRole(s)PlatformNotes2018America MappillaiGaneshZEE52019Auto ShankarInspector KathiravanBehind Closed DoorsPrashanthVIU2020AddhamAjithAhaTelugu series Segment: "The Unwhisperable Secret".2023The Village Prakash Amazon Prime Video2026#Love Harish Netflix
Dubbing artist Year Film Actor2021DoctorMilind Soman2026Project Hail MaryRyan Gosling
References
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