Karthik Sivakumar (born 25 May 1977), known professionally as Karthi, is an Indian actor who works in Tamil cinema. He is the son of veteran actor Sivakumar, and began his career as an assistant director in his elder brother Suriya's… Karthik Sivakumar (born 25 May 1977), known professionally as Karthi, is an Indian actor who works in Tamil cinema. He is the son of veteran actor Sivakumar, and began his career as an assistant director in his elder brother Suriya's
film Aayutha Ezhuthu (2004). He debuted as a lead actor with Paruthiveeran (2007). Karthi is a recipient of four Filmfare Awards South and three Tamil Nadu State Film Awards.
After a three-year hiatus from acting, he then returned to star in films such as Aayirathil Orvuan, Paiyaa and Naan Mahaan Alla, all three of which were released in 2010. He then continued to star in films such as Siruthai (2011), Saguni (2012), Alex Pandian (2013), All In All Azhagu Raja (2013) and Biriyani (2013).
Karthi has starred in several well-known Indian films, portraying an impulsive and short-tempered working-class man in Madras (2014), a paroled convict-turned-caretaker in bilingual comedy-drama film Oopiri / Thozha, and in dual roles as the titular protagonist and the antagonist in Kaashmora (both in 2016).He starred as the titular character in Theeran Adhigaaram Ondru (2017), for which he received the Filmfare Award South for Best Actor – Tamil and the Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actor, as Dilli in Kaithi (2019), as Vallavaraiyan Vandiyadevan in Ponniyin Selvan: I (2022) and its sequel (2023), and also starred in the spy-thriller film Sardar (2022).
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