T. Rajendar

T. Rajendar is married to former actress Usha Rajendar.[5] They have two sons, Silambarasan and Kuralarasan, and one daughter, Ilakiya.[6] His wife has served as the producer for some of his films, such as Kadhal Azhivathillai (2002), starring Silambarasan.[7]

Rajendar started off in the Tamil film industry making successful films which included him as an actor, playback singer, dancer and scriptwriter. He gained popularity through his one-of-a-kind style of acting. He normally serves as, but not limited to director, actor, songwriter, art director, production manager and playback singer. During the 1980s, all his movies were blockbusters, running for years and the songs were also well appreciated.[2] He is known for introducing new faces in his movies, and many of the actresses who debuted in his movies have been successful in South Cinema, including Amala, Nalini, Jyothi, Jeevitha and Mumtaj.

After some years, Rajendar's films started to decline in popularity because his films became too predictable, tending to follow the same storyline and oratory style of repetitious dialogues with little if any meaning.[8] For example, his films always contain a sentimental scene involving the hero's younger sister in distress, coupled with the same rhyming rhetoric and gestures.[8]

Rajendar recently started his own web TV channel called 'Kural TV' (Voice TV).[9] Originally he wanted to start a 24-hour TV channel but could not, due to problems arising while securing a license. The channel, apart from broadcasting his movies and speeches, tends to echo sentiments towards the plight of Tamils (especially women) in Sri Lanka. He previously owned a magazine called Usha.[10]

Rajendar had started talking with "common" people through Skype and discussing latest politics in the recent years. Rajendar also distributes films under his home banner "Simbu cine arts". His latest film distribution, as of mid-2011 is his son Silambarasan's film Vaanam, which will be distributed in the Chennai and Madurai region.[11]

Since early 2008, Rajendar has been slowly working on the production of a film titled Oru Thalai Kadhal, a tale based on a village singer, in which he stars in the lead role.[12][13] In 2011, he released a first look poster for the film and revealed that three heroines from Mumbai would star alongside him.[14][15] He provided an update in 2014, that the film was still under production and that it was sixty-five percent complete.[16] He has also revealed that he was working on a script to launch his second son, Kuralarasan, as a lead actor.[17]

Rajendar founded the Thayaga Marumalarchi Kazhagam party in 1991 after he had been expelled from the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party.[18] In 1996, after Vaiko's departure from the DMK and the formation of Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Rajendar's TMK merged with the DMK. Rajendar left the DMK again in 2004, to form the All India Latchiya Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.[19][20][21] Before expulsion, he was the propaganda secretary of DMK and was elected from Park Town constituency in the 1996 Assembly polls.[22] He further supported the AIADMK in the 2006 Assembly elections. After those 2006 elections, the DMK came back to power and he was made vice-chairman of the Small Savings Scheme. He subsequently quit the post.[2]

Year	Film	Credited as						Role	Notes	Ref.
		Director	Writer	Actor	Music & Lyrics	Producer	Cinematographer
1980	Oru Thalai Ragam	N	Y	Y	Y	N			Cameo appearance; uncredited as director		[23]
1980	Vasantha Azhaipugal	Y		Y	Y				Cameo appearance
1981	Rail Payanangalil	Y	Y	Y	Y	N			Cameo appearance	[24]
1981	Kilinjalgal	N	N	N	Y	N
1982	Nenjil Oru Raagam	Y		Y	Y				Cameo appearance
1982	Sattam Sirikkiradhu	N	N	N	Y	N
1982	Raagam Thedum Pallavi	Y		Y	Y				Cameo appearance
1983	Uyirullavarai Usha	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
1983	Thangaikkor Geetham	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Soolakaruppan	Nominated, Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Tamil
1984	Uravai Kaatha Kili	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	Y
1985	Unakkaga Oru Roja				Y
1985	Engal Kural				Y
1986	Pookkalai Parikkatheergal				Y					[25]
1986	Mythili Ennai Kaathali	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Manickam
1987	Muthukkal Moondru	N	N	N	Y	N
1987	Oru Thayin Sabhatham	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
1987	Cooliekkaran				Y
1987	Poo Poova Poothirukku				Y
1987	Ivargal Varungala Thoongal	N	N	N	Y	N
1987	Pookkal Vidum Thudhu		Y		Y
1987	Aayusu Nooru				Y					[26]
1988	En Thangai Kalyani	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Velu
1989	Samsara Sangeetham	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
1991	Shanti Enathu Shanti	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
1992	Enga Veetu Velan	Y	Y		Y	Y	Y
1993	Pettredutha Pillai		Y		Y	Y
1993	Sabash Babu	N	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	Veluchamy		[27]
1994	Oru Vasantha Geetham	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	Y
1995	Thai Thangai Paasam	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
1996	En Aasai Thangachi				Y					[28]
1996	Pombala Siricha Pochu	N	N	N	Y	N
1999	Monisha En Monalisa	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Kaadhaldasan
2001	Sonnal Thaan Kathala	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	T. R.
2002	Kadhal Virus	N	N	Y	N	N			Guest appearance as himself
2002	Kadhal Azhivathillai	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Vakil Dada	Silambarasan’s debut film as lead actor
2002	Sri Bannari Amman	N	N	N	Y	N
2006	Vallavan	N	N	Y	N	N			Guest appearance as himself
2007	Veerasamy	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Veerasamy
2013	Arya Surya	N	N	Y	N	N			Guest appearance in song "Thagadu Thagadu"	[29]
2016	Idhu Namma Aalu	N	N	N	N	Y
2017	Kavan	N	N	Y	N	N		Mayilvaganan
2017	Vizhithiru	N	N	Y	N	N			Guest appearance in song "Papparappa"

As playback singer

Distributor

• Vaanam (2011)
• Vaalu (2015)
• Kadamaiyai Sei (2022)

Television

• Super Kudumbam - Sun TV
• Arattai Arangam - Sun TV
• Nyayam Endrum Solven - Vijay TV[31]

• T. Rajendar at IMDb
• Interview with TR