Arjun Sarja: Difference between revisions

| birth_date  = <!--Birthdate must be attributed to a reliable published source with an established reputation for fact-checking. No blogs. No IMDb. No public records. See WP:BLPPRIVACY-->

| children    = 2; including [[Aishwarya Arjun|Aishwarya]]

'''Srinivasa "Arjun" Sarja''' is an Indian actor, producer, and director who works predominantly in the [[Tamil language|Tamil]] film industry, in addition to [[Kannada]] and [[Telugu language|Telugu]] languages and few Malayalam and Hindi flims. Referred to by the media and his fans as "[[Action King]]" for his roles in [[action film]]s,<ref name=sarja>{{Cite news |url=http://www.hindu.com/2008/09/12/stories/2008091251100200.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080916183413/http://www.hindu.com/2008/09/12/stories/2008091251100200.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=16 September 2008 |title=Promoting patriotism in a 'powerful' way is his style |last=Prasad |first=G |date=12 September 2008 |work=[[The Hindu]] |access-date=5 February 2010 |location=Chennai, India}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.hindu.com/2005/07/14/stories/2005071401510200.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060511184340/http://www.hindu.com/2005/07/14/stories/2005071401510200.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=11 May 2006 |title=For king of action, direction is a passion |last=Ashok Kumar |first=S.R. |date=14 July 2005 |work=[[The Hindu]] |access-date=5 February 2010 |place=Chennai, India}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.hindu.com/fr/2008/12/26/stories/2008122650100200.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090202115731/http://www.hindu.com/fr/2008/12/26/stories/2008122650100200.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=2 February 2009 |title=Lots of action, little logic |last=Ashok Kumar |first=S.R. |date=26 December 2008 |work=[[The Hindu]] |access-date=5 February 2010 |place=Chennai, India}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2009-05-11/news-interviews/28209100_1_arjun-film-action-hero |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104055354/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2009-05-11/news-interviews/28209100_1_arjun-film-action-hero |url-status=dead |archive-date=4 November 2012 |title=Arjun on a Mission |date=11 May 2009 |work=[[The Times of India]] |access-date=5 February 2010}}</ref> Arjun has acted in more than 160 films, most of them being lead roles.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.indiaglitz.com/150-is-just-another-number-for-this-ageless-charmer-tamil-news-191579 |title=150 is just another number for this Ageless Charmer |date=29 July 2017 |work=indiaglitz |access-date=3 May 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/kannada/movies/news/arjun-sarja-is-now-150-not-out/articleshow/58668800.cms |title=Arjun Sarja is now 150 not out |work=[[The Times of India]] |date=15 May 2017 |access-date=3 May 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/ive-completed-150-films-let-me-experiment-at-least-now/articleshow/59252540.cms |title=I've completed 150 films; let me experiment at least now |work=[[The Times of India]] |date=22 June 2017 |access-date=3 May 2018}}</ref> He is one of few [[South India]]n actors to attract fan following from multiple states of India.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.thehansindia.com/posts/index/Tollywood/2017-05-30/Actor-Arjun-crosses-a-new-milestone/303451 |title=Actor Arjun crosses a new milestone |work=[[The Hans India]] |date=30 May 2017 |access-date=3 May 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.telugucinema.com/news/arjun-allu-arjuns-next-movie |access-date=3 May 2018 |work=[[Telugu Cinema]] |date=27 March 2017 |title=Arjun in Allu Arjun's next movie!}}</ref> He has directed 12 films and also produced and distributed a number of films.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/kannada/2018/feb/04/as-a-director-i-should-be-open-to-directing-all-genres-arjun-sarja-1768357.html |access-date=9 June 2018 |title=As a director, I should be open to directing all genres: Arjun Sarja |work=[[The New Indian Express]]}}</ref>

In 1993, he starred in [[S. Shankar]]'s blockbuster ''[[Gentleman (1993 film)|Gentleman]]'' which opened to positive reviews, while Arjun went on to win the [[Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actor]].<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2009-03-16/news-interviews/28004178_1_dream-role-versatile-actor-arjun |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104055403/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2009-03-16/news-interviews/28004178_1_dream-role-versatile-actor-arjun |url-status=dead |archive-date=4 November 2012 |title=Arjun all set |last=Vijayakumar |first=Sindhu |date=16 March 2009 |work=[[The Times of India]] |access-date=5 February 2010}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/regional/news-interviews/Arjun-all-set/articleshow/4266988.cms |title=Arjun |work=The Times of India |first1=Sindhu |last1=Vijayakumar |date=16 March 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.hindu.com/cp/2007/09/14/stories/2007091450020100.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121110041211/http://www.hindu.com/cp/2007/09/14/stories/2007091450020100.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=10 November 2012 |date=14 September 2009 |work=[[The Hindu]] |title=Arjun's avatars |location=Chennai, India}}</ref> During this time, he starred in hits such as ''[[Jai Hind (1994 film)|Jai Hind]]'' (1994), ''[[Karnaa]]'' (1995), and the action thriller film ''[[Kuruthipunal (film)|Kurudhipunal]]'' (1995), for which Arjun won acclaim for his role while the film became<ref name="S. Shiva Kumar">{{cite news |author=S. Shiva Kumar |url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-fridayreview/silver-screens-valiant-hero/article2815490.ece |title=Silver screen's valiant hero |work=The Hindu |date=2012-01-20 |access-date=2014-08-05}}</ref> [[List of Indian submissions for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film|India's official entry]] for the [[68th Academy Awards]] in the [[Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film|Best Foreign Language Film]] category.<ref name="C V Aravind">{{cite news |author=C V Aravind |agency=DHNS |url=http://www.deccanherald.com/content/333181/donning-different-roles.html |title=Donning different roles |work=Deccan Herald |date=19 May 2013 |access-date=19 June 2013}}</ref><ref name="webcache.googleusercontent.com">{{Cite web |url=https://imsports.rediff.com/style/apr/03sriram.htm |title=Rediff on the Net, Life/Style: The silence that speaks |date=9 October 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171009093138/https://imsports.rediff.com/style/apr/03sriram.htm |archive-date=9 October 2017}}</ref><ref name="Indiaglitz.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/tamil/article/56083.html |title=Jai Hind-II from Arjun - Tamil Movie News |website=IndiaGlitz.com |date=2010-04-12 |access-date=2014-08-05}}</ref> In 1999, he starred in the political action-thriller, ''[[Mudhalvan]]'' (1999), which earned him the [[Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actor]] for his role as well as numerous other nominations. He was then featured in [[Vasanth]]'s romantic drama film ''[[Rhythm (2000 film)|Rhythm]]'', where he played a photographer, who eventually falls in love with a widow. Featuring a popular soundtrack and opening to positive reviews, ''Rhythm'' also became a commercial success.<ref name="Rhythm: Movie Review">{{cite web |url=http://www.indolink.com/tamil/cinema/Reviews/articles/Rhythm_142548.html |title=Rhythm: Movie Review |publisher=Indolink.com |access-date=2014-08-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924034603/http://www.indolink.com/tamil/cinema/Reviews/articles/Rhythm_142548.html |archive-date=24 September 2015 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

Arjun made appearances in the bilingual film ''[[Sri Manjunatha (film)|Sri Manjunatha]]'' (2001) and the Telugu film ''[[Hanuman Junction (film)|Hanuman Junction]]'' (2001). In 2012, he appeared in the Kannada film ''[[Prasad (2012 film)|Prasad]]'', which screened at the [[Berlin Film Festival]].<ref name="Prasad Movie Review">{{cite web |url=http://www.supergoodmovies.com/41825/sandalwood/prasad-movie-review-movie-review-details |title=Prasad Movie Review |publisher=Supergoodmovies.com |date=2012-03-23 |access-date=2014-08-05 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140413144152/http://www.supergoodmovies.com/41825/sandalwood/prasad-movie-review-movie-review-details |archive-date=13 April 2014}}</ref> He won the [[Karnataka State Film Award for Best Actor]] for his work in the film. The multilingual film ''[[Jaihind 2|Abhimanyu]]'' (2014) won the [[Karnataka State Film Award for Second Best Film]].<ref name="th1">{{cite news |last1=Khajane |first1=Muralidhara |title=Film awards: a balance between main and independent film-making streams |url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/film-awards-a-balance-between-main-and-independent-filmmaking-streams/article8230707.ece |work=The Hindu |date=13 February 2016}}</ref>

His career as an actor began to take off in the mid-1980s and he sometimes worked for up to seven shifts in a day to keep up with the films he had committed to do.<ref name="co"/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/telugu/article/92756.html |title=Kodi Ramakrishna- Arjun's 'Rani Ranamma' launch |website=IndiaGlitz |date=15 April 2013 |access-date=19 June 2013}}</ref> In Telugu, he established himself as a bankable actor with roles in films such as ''Naga Devatha'' (1986) and ''Manavadostunnadu'' (1987). In Tamil, his successful films during the period included ''[[Shankar Guru (1987 film)|Shankar Guru]]'' (1987), ''[[Thaimel Aanai]]'' (1988), ''Vettaiyaadu Vilaiyaadu'' (1989) and ''[[Sonthakkaran]]'' (1989). By 1990, his films lost box office value and he was out of work in Tamil and Telugu films for almost a year.<ref>{{Cite web |date= |title=Tamil Movie Cafe (Tmcafe.com) -Interview with Tamil Movie Actor, Action King Arjun |url=http://tmcafe.com/interview/arjun/arjun_interview.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010702190308/http://tmcafe.com/interview/arjun/arjun_interview.htm |archive-date=2001-07-02 |access-date=2021-07-22 |website=Tamil Movie Cafe}}</ref>

In 1992, he subsequently chose to direct his feature film ''[[Sevagan]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=rmJlAAAAIBAJ&pg=342,1267659 |title=The Indian Express - Google News Archive Search |website=news.google.com}}</ref> Soon after, [[S. Shankar|Shankar]] cast him in the lead role in his first film, ''[[Gentleman (1993 film)|Gentleman]]'' (1993), after much persuasion. Arjun had initially rejected the film without listening to Shankar's narration but the director's persistence prompted him to feature in the film as a vigilante against [[corruption]]. The film opened to positive reviews and went on to become a trendsetter in the Tamil film industry, as well as achieving significant box office success, while Arjun went on to win the [[Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actor|State Award for Best Actor]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-fridayreview/silver-screens-valiant-hero/article2815490.ece |title=Silver screen's valiant hero - SouthKannada |work=The Hindu |date=20 January 2012 |access-date=2017-09-05 |last1=Kumar |first1=S. Shiva}}</ref><ref name="C V Aravind"/> His change of fortune at the box office continued and Arjun began to gain ground as a bankable lead star in action films after his films including his patriotic directorial venture ''[[Jai Hind (1994 film)|Jai Hind]]'' (1994) and ''[[Karnaa]]'' (1995), where he played a dual role, went on to become blockbusters.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/tamil/article/56083.html |title=Cinema News &#124; Movie Reviews &#124; Movie Trailers |website=IndiaGlitz |date=2017-09-01 |access-date=2017-09-05}}</ref> [[Kamal Haasan]] approached Arjun to play a police officer in the action thriller film ''[[Kuruthipunal (film)|Kurudhipunal]]'' (1995), and the actor accepted the opportunity and agreed to do the film even without hearing the narration. Arjun won positive acclaim for his role, while the film became [[List of Indian submissions for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film|India's official entry]] for the [[68th Academy Awards]] [[Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film|Best Foreign Language Film]] category.<ref name="webcache.googleusercontent.com"/>

The image of "action king" made him popular with town and village centre audiences, who appreciated the actor's fight and stunt scenes. He thus actively chose to specialise in action films, often collaborating with directors who specialised in them such as [[Sundar C]], [[A. Venkatesh (director)|Venkatesh]] and [[Selva (director)|Selva]]. In the mid-2000s, he appeared in several action films with the same premise, often portraying a police officer or a local do-gooder. He directed and featured  in both the action films ''[[Ezhumalai]]'' (2002) and ''[[Parasuram (film)|Parasuram]]'' (2003), while also being involved in [[N. Maharajan|Maharajan]]'s ''[[Arasatchi]]'' (2004). Some of his films, ''[[Giri (film)|Giri]]'' (2004) and ''[[Marudhamalai]]'' (2007), were box office successes, with several of his projects were not, including ''[[Madrasi (2006 film)|Madrasi]]'' (2006), ''[[Vathiyar]]'' (2006) and ''[[Durai (film)|Durai]]'' (2008), in all of which he was the story writer.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sify.com/movies/tamil/interview.php?id=11717550&cid=2408 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140427191631/http://www.sify.com/movies/tamil/interview.php?id=11717550&cid=2408 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2014-04-27 |title=Welcome to |website=Sify.com |date=2007-01-20 |access-date=2014-08-05}}</ref>

Since the turn of the decade, Arjun has attempted to move away from his "action king" image and accepted to star in films where he would play the antagonist or a supporting role, with the move drawing praise from film critics.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/article325060.ece |title=I'm not the villain in 'Kadal': Arjun |publisher=The New Indian Express |access-date=2017-09-05}}</ref> In 2011, Arjun accepted the opportunity to act alongside [[Ajith Kumar]] in [[Venkat Prabhu]]'s action thriller ''[[Mankatha]]'', with critics praising his performance as a police officer in the blockbuster.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sify.com/movies/mankatha-review-tamil-14978052.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130629171600/http://www.sify.com/movies/mankatha-review-tamil-14978052.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2013-06-29 |title=Review |website=Sify.com |date=2011-08-31 |access-date=2017-09-05}}</ref> The following year he appeared in Kannada film ''[[Prasad (2012 film)|Prasad]]'', for which he won the [[Karnataka State Film Award for Best Actor]]. Portraying a middle-class father with a deaf and dumb son, Arjun noted it was a rewarding experience for him to break the monotony of his standard roles and attempt something different, admitting he was moved by the script. The film opened to unanimously positive reviews in March 2012 and then was selected to be screened at the [[Berlin Film Festival]], with critics labelling Arjun's portrayal as a "stunning performance" and his "career-best".<ref name="Prasad Movie Review" />

Arjun collaborated with [[Mani Ratnam]] with ''[[Kadal (2013 film)|Kadal]]'' (2013), in which the actor portrayed a negative role of a smuggler in coastal [[Tamil Nadu]]. While the film opened to mixed reviews and became a box office failure, Arjun won rave reviews for his portrayal with [[Sify]].com noting Arjun is "deliciously despicable in his career's most memorable negative role" and [[The Hindu]] labelling him as "brilliant".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sify.com/movies/kadal-review-tamil-15019156.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130607004540/http://www.sify.com/movies/kadal-review-tamil-15019156.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2013-06-07 |title=Review : Kadal |website=Sify.com |date=2013-02-01 |access-date=2017-09-05}}</ref> He then won acclaim for his portrayal of a real-life police officer [[K. Vijay Kumar]] in the Kannada film ''[[Attahasa]]'' (2013), the biopic of notorious forest brigand Veerappan, as well as for his role of a paralysed swimming coach in [[Vasanth]]'s romance film, ''[[Moondru Per Moondru Kadal]]'' (2013).<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-cinemaplus/from-kadal-to-kaadhal/article4447690.ece |title=From Kadal to Kaadhal - Delta |work=The Hindu |date=2013-02-24 |access-date=2017-09-05 |last1=Rangarajan |first1=Malathi}}</ref>

His directorial venture, ''[[Jai Hind 2]]'' (2014) contained a message about the declining state of the Indian education system. The film became a box office success in Kannada, while the Tamil and Telugu versions did not perform well at the box office.<ref>{{cite news |author=Nikhil Raghavan |url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/bright-spark/article4750098.ece |title=Bright spark |work=The Hindu |date=2013-05-25 |access-date=2014-08-05}}</ref> In 2016, he played a realistic police officer in [[Bharathiraja]]'s critically acclaimed ''[[Final Cut of Director]]'' (dubbed in Tamil as ''Bommalattam''), where a reviewer felt his "showcase of the soft, subtle yet unrelenting cop was noteworthy".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hindu.com/fr/2008/12/19/stories/2008121950490200.htm |title=Friday Review Chennai / Film Review : The puppet shocks! - Bommalattam |access-date=2017-09-05 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090201095422/http://www.hindu.com/fr/2008/12/19/stories/2008121950490200.htm |work=[[The Hindu]] |date=2008-12-19 |archive-date=1 February 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=Archive |url=http://www.hindu.com/fr/2008/12/19/stories/2008121950490200.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090201095422/http://www.hindu.com/fr/2008/12/19/stories/2008121950490200.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=2009-02-01 |work=[[The Hindu]] |title=Archive News |date=2008-12-19 |access-date=2017-09-05}}</ref> In 2017, he appeared in his 150th film ''[[Nibunan]]'', an action thriller where he played a police officer hunting a serial killer.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com/entertainment/reviews/vismaya-movie-review-what-the-zodiac-wont-foretell/articleshow/59796892.cms |title=Vismaya movie review: What the zodiac won't foretell |website=Bangalore Mirror}}</ref> The film won positive reviews, with a critic noting that Arjun "looks stylish and suave as the fit and honest officer, and excels in a couple of action blocks he gets".<ref name="timesofindia.indiatimes.com">{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-reviews/nibunan/movie-review/59768885.cms|title=Nibunan Review {3.5/5}: A thriller loaded with suspense, mystery, serial murders, sentiments, and more|via=timesofindia.indiatimes.com}}</ref> He then directed a bilingual film titled ''[[Prema Baraha]]'' (2018) starring his daughter [[Aishwarya Arjun]] in the leading role<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/review/2018/feb/09/prema-baraha-movie-review-love-stunts-and-lots-of-earnestness-1770918.html |title='Prema Baraha' movie review: Love, stunts and lots of earnestness |website=The New Indian Express}}</ref> While, the Kannada version performed well, the Tamil version, ''Sollividava'', went unnoticed at the box office.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/review/2018/feb/09/sollividava-movie-review-a-wannabe-dil-se-1770943.html |title='Sollividava' movie review: A wannabe Dil Se |website=The New Indian Express}}</ref> He starred in the Telugu films ''[[Lie (film)|Lie]]'' (2017) and ''[[Naa Peru Surya, Naa Illu India]]'' (2018).<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.deccanherald.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/arjun-sarja-to-play-the-villain-in-mahesh-babu-starrer-sarkaru-vaari-paata-reports-992068.html |title=Arjun Sarja to play the villain in Mahesh Babu-starrer 'Sarkaru Vaari Paata': Reports |date=31 May 2021}}</ref> ''[[Irumbu Thirai (2018 film)|Irumbu Thirai]]'' (2018) showed a different Arjun to the audience. ''[[Kolaigaran]]'' (2019) was also a performance-oriented film.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/2019/dec/26/interview--i-learned-acting-by-watching-sivaji-and-nagesh-films-says-arjun-2081098.html |title=INTERVIEW &#124; I learned acting by watching Sivaji and Nagesh films, says Arjun}}</ref> Arjun Sarja's performance as [[Karna]] is another highlight of the movie ''[[Kurukshetra (2019 film)|Kurukshetra]]'' (2019).<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.cinemaexpress.com/reviews/kannada/2019/aug/09/kurukshetra-movie-review-darshan-shines-in-a-seamless-retelling-of-mahabharata-13547.html |title=Kurukshetra Movie Review: Darshan shines in this seamless retelling of Mahabharata|website=[[Cinema Express]] }}</ref>