Arvind Swami

Arvind Swami stepped behind the camera in 2021, directing a segment of the Netflix anthology series Navarasa, three decades after Mani Ratnam introduced him in Thalapathi (1991). Mani Ratnam had spotted him in an advertisement while he was modelling in college. Born on 18 June 1970, he grew up in Chennai, studied at Sishya School and Don Bosco Matriculation Higher Secondary School, and earned a commerce degree from Loyola College in 1990. He later completed a master's degree in international business at Wake Forest University in the United States. An actor, director and entrepreneur, he has done most of his work in Tamil cinema, with a smaller body of work in Hindi, Telugu and Malayalam. Mani Ratnam's Roja (1992) and Bombay (1995) came after Thalapathi, along with Paasamalargal (1994) and Minsara Kanavu (1997). Daddy (1992), Mounam (1995) and Devaraagam (1996) cover his Malayalam and Telugu work, and Saat Rang Ke Sapne (1998) was his first Hindi lead. His later Tamil films include Thani Oruvan (2015), Chekka Chivantha Vaanam (2018), Thalaivi (2023) and Meiyazhagan (2024). On television he hosted the third season of Neengalum Vellalam Oru Kodi on Star Vijay.