R. Muthuraman

R. Muthuraman
Muthuraman in Server Sundaram (1964)
Born	1929
Died	16 October 1981 (aged 52)
Other names	Navarasa Thilagam
Occupation	Film actor
Years active	1958–1982
Spouse(s)	Sulochana Muthuraman
Children	Karthik and 3 More

R. Muthuraman (1929–1981) was an Indian actor who appeared in Tamil language films. He was a leading Tamil actor during the 1960s and 1970s and was fondly called Navarasa Thilakam. He paired with all the leading heroines of his time and acted in over a hundred films. Muthuraman's son Karthik is also a Tamil actor and politician, whose son Gautham Karthik is also an actor who made his debut in Kadal (2013).

Muthuraman was born in Theni to a family that had no stage or acting links. He was the son of an advocate and his uncle was a police officer. However, in his youth he was attracted towards films and the fine arts. He joined the field much later in life, as he first became a government employee due to family pressure.

In 1947, after finishing the intermediate course, Muthuraman joined the famous Gemini Studios in an administrative job. However, it was only in 1952 when he was working with P.Orr & Sons in Chennai that he was spotted by director Ilangovan's wife. Though his good looks were noticed, he had to wait until 1957 to begin his acting career.

Muthuraman was a stage actor in his early days. He joined veteran actor S.S.Rajendran's SSR Nataka Mandram and then Seva Stage and acted in numerous dramas, including Manimagudam, Muthumandapam, and Bharathiyar's poetic dramas.

He acted as Suppu, a simpleton in Thenthoosi, a film that starred Gemini Ganesan in the lead role. He went to play a few major roles and many secondary roles in about 100 movies in the sixties and seventies. Although he was a player in an era dominated by stalwarts like MGR, Sivaji Ganesan and Gemini Ganesan, he made a name and place for himself as a popular supporting actor. This handsome and mature actor was known as Navarasa Thilakam.

He was paired with many heroines of the time including Devika and Jayalalitha, but his most constant heroine with whom he was paired for a record of 19 times was Kanchana. He starred in many successful films, in co-hero roles in movies like Kaadhalikka Neramillai and supporting roles in movies like Server Sundaram.

Muthuraman was married to Sulochana. The couple had four children, the youngest of whom, Karthik Muthuraman, became a popular actor in his own right.