Karunas

Director Bala heard one of Karunas's songs and cast him as the comedian in Nandhaa (2001), which became his film debut. Born Karunanidhi Sethu Thevar on 21 February 1970, he studied at Nandanam Arts, Presidency College, and started singing Tamil folk songs at 12, which got him the name "Gaana" Karunas. In the late 1990s he was a musician on Yuhi Sethu's television show Naiyaandi Darbar. Supporting comic roles came next, in Baba, Pithamagan, Vasool Raja MBBS and Polladhavan, and he distributed two films, Pori and Kattradhu Thamizh (both 2007). Dindigul Sarathy (2008), his first lead, was an unexpected hit, and Ambasamudram Ambani, Chandhamama, Ragalaipuram and Lodukku Pandi gave him more leads. There were serious parts as well, such as Santosh Sivan's war drama Ceylon (2014). After 2015 he returned to supporting roles, among them Darling and Komban, his 100th film, and later Soorarai Pottru (2020) and Pogumidam Vegu Thooramillai (2024). The Tamil actor and comedian has also worked as a producer, composer and singer. Politics is part of the picture: elected vice president of the actors' union Nadigar Sangam in October 2015, he contested the 2016 Tamil Nadu Assembly election from Tiruvadanai. This year he played Thavasi in Sajeev Pazhoor's courtroom drama Enna Vilai (2026), now streaming on Netflix.