Maniyanpilla Raju

Biography:

Sudheer Kumar, widely known by his stage name Maniyanpilla Raju (Malayalam: മണിയൻപിള്ള രാജു), is a veteran Indian actor and producer who has made a significant mark in the Malayalam film industry. Born on 20 April 1955 in Thycaud, Thiruvananthapuram, he began his cinematic journey with the film Mohiniyaattam in 1976. Over the decades, Raju has built an illustrious career as a character actor, appearing in more than 400 films, portraying a wide array of roles with versatility and depth.

His stage name, Maniyanpilla Raju, was inspired by the breakthrough role he played in the 1981 film Maniyanpilla Adhava Maniyanpilla, which catapulted him to fame and established his identity in Malayalam cinema.

The youngest of four siblings, Raju was born to Shekharan Nair and Saraswati Amma. He has two sisters, Ramani and Radha, and a brother named Surendran. He completed his early education at Government Model Boys Higher Secondary School in Thiruvananthapuram and pursued his pre-degree at Victory Tutorial College. Between 1973 and 1975, he studied acting at the prestigious Adyar Film Institute in Madras (now Chennai), receiving formal training that laid the foundation for his acting career.

In his personal life, Raju married Indira in 1985, and the couple has two sons, Sachin and Niranj. Following in his father’s footsteps, Niranj entered the film industry with his debut in Renjith’s Black Butterfly.

Beyond acting, Maniyanpilla Raju has explored writing and entrepreneurship. In 2012, he published his memoir titled Chirichum Chirippichum, offering a glimpse into his life and experiences in the film industry. In 2019, he ventured into the hospitality sector by launching Be@Kiwizo, a unique restaurant in Kannur that became Kerala’s first to employ robots for serving customers, blending innovation with tradition.

Throughout his career, Maniyanpilla Raju has remained a beloved and respected figure in Malayalam cinema, known for his enduring contributions both onscreen and off.