Sreekanth

Sreekanth
Born	Sreekanth
Occupation	Film actor
Years active	1965–2003

Sreekanth is a veteran Indian actor who has performed in around 200 Tamil films since his debut in 1965. He is considered among the versatile actors of Tamil Cinema.He is also referred as Venniradai Sreekanth. He has played the lead hero in around 50 films between 1965 and 1979 and has also played supporting roles in films with actors Sivaji Ganesan, Muthuraman, Ravichandran, Jaishankar in the lead roles. In the late seventies to early ninnties, he appeared as a villain opposite actors including Sivakumar, Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan. He has also been acted in Television series like Mangai and others since 1996.

Sreekanth was employed in the American Consulate before his career in the film industry.Sreekanth was given his break as the lead hero by C. V. Sridhar with the film Venniraa Aadai in 1965. He used to act in various dramas staged by troupes between 1960-65. His actual name was Venkatraman. However, he performed the character of Sreekanth in Major Chandrakant, a drama directed in 1962, due to which he gained popularity in drama circles. Later this same name was adopted while he entered into films. Sreekanth along-with Vietnam Veedu Sundaram, Nagesh, Vaali, Venniradai Moorthy used to stay at the area near T. Nagar Club House near the Shiva Vishnu Temple. N.C.Chakravrthy, who was an assistant director to C. V. Sridhar, was a regular Table Tennis player at the T.Nagar Club House and approached Sreekanth to give auditions at Chitralaya studios for the new Tamil film Venniradai. The film Vennira Aadai introduced 4 new faces to Tamil Cinema including that of Sreekanth, which were Jayalalithaa, Vennira Aadai Nirmala, Venniradai Moorthy. He was the first male actor in Tamil films to act as lead hero opposite Jayalalithaa.

Later in 1965, Sreekanth acted in Naanal directed by K. Balachandar.He received his first negative role in the film Selva Magal in 1967. The image of romantic hero which he acquired in his debut film, was rarely used by him in only few films in his career. Aiming for versatility, he accepted supporting roles in various films. He was in directorial ventures of K. Balachandar like Bama Vijayam, Poova Thalaya, Ethir Neechal, Navagraham, Noortuku Noor. He played the role of mental patient in Raja Veetu Pillai cast opposite Pushpalata. He played the hen-pecked husband who is son of the character played by Shivaji Ganesan in the film Vietnam Veedu. After success of the film Selva Magal in 1967, Sreekanth started approaching him for even villain roles and some of his film with him in villainous roles since 1968 include Thanga Gopuram, Gnana Oli, Gomatha Engal Kulamatha, Vairam (1974 film), Vasantha Maligai, Anbu Thangai, Vani Rani. Despite the success in films, he and Sowcar Janaki were part of drama troupes giving live performances in the evening or on weekends. He was part of many comedy films throughout his career like Ethir Neechal, Bama Vijayam, Yaarukku Mappilai Yaro, Kasethan Kadavulada, Kasi Yathirai, Kai Naraya Kaasu, Athaiya Mamiya, Ilaya Thalaimurai. He played the false son of P.Bhanumathi in the film Edupa Kai Pillai in 1975.

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