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M. N. Nambiar
Acting
Biography
M. N. Nambiar (born Manjeri Narayanan Nambiar) was a film actor in Tamil cinema who dominated the industry in the role of villain for around 50 years. Also known as Nambiar Swami or Maha Guruswami, he was a spiritual leader who pioneered the movement of taking pilgrims to Sabarimala.
Nambiar started as a hero, Nambiar Guruswami soon started donning the role of a villain — so much so that today his name is synonymous with villainy in Kollywood. Nambiar swami has worked with seven generations of actors. His first pay was Rs.3 with Boys Company. He would retain Rs.1 and send Rs.2 to his mother. He made quite a statement in the early 50s with his portrayal of 11 roles in Digambara Samiyar, one…
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M. N. Nambiar (born Manjeri Narayanan Nambiar) was a film actor in Tamil cinema who dominated the industry in the role of villain for around 50 years. Also known as Nambiar Swami or Maha Guruswami, he was a spiritual leader who pioneered the movement of taking pilgrims to Sabarimala. Nambiar started as a hero, Nambiar Guruswami soon started donning the role of a villain — so much so that today his name is synonymous with villainy in Kollywood. Nambiar swami has worked with seven generations of actors. His first pay was Rs.3 with Boys Company. He would retain Rs.1 and send Rs.2 to his mother. He made quite a statement in the early 50s with his portrayal of 11 roles in Digambara Samiyar, one of his films as the Lead. His arresting performance in films such as Manthiri Kumari, Velaikaari, Ayirathil Oruvan, Thillana Mohanambal, Missiyamma and Nenjam Marappadillai paved way for a very successful career that spanned over five decades. A majority of the more than 1000 films that he has done is in Tamil, though he has acted in Telugu, Malayalam and Hindi, besides an English film `Jungle' (with Rod Cameron, the film's hero, directed by William Burke) in which he appears in a few brief scenes. The film was released in 1952. The Hindi film he acted in was a remake of the Tamil Kanavane Kankanda Deivam. After becoming popular in Tamil films he started his own drama troupe called Nambiar Nataka Mandram. They staged two plays — `Kaviyin Kanavu' and a comedy play `Kalyana Supermarket.' Nambiar swami was that rare contradictory personality - a cruel, charming villain on the silver screen while being a very pious man in real life. He was also a pure vegetarian and teetotaler. He was also an ardent devotee of Sabarimala Sri Ayyappan. He has had a long association with the temple, and visited the shrine more than 65 times over the last half a century; this has led to him being called Maha Guruswamy. His colleagues noted that he died during the famous Sabarimala season and it may be due to the blessing of his Lord.
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BODY OF WORK
M. N. Nambiar's Filmography
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Kuttrapathirikai
Sudesi
Winner
as Velayutham
Anbe Anbe
Kadhal Sadugudu
as Kausalya`s Grandfather
Baba
as Baba's Maternal Uncle
Varushamellam Vasantham
Sharjah to Sharjah
as Valiya Kappithan
No Poster
Ninaikkatha Naalillai
Sonnal Thaan Kaadhala
as Mumtaj's father
Vinnukkum Mannukkum
as Cameo
Poo Parikka Varugirom
as Narayanan
Rojavanam
Endrendrum Kadhal
as Sethupathi, Vijay's father
No Poster
Poonthottam
No Poster
Moovendhar
No Poster
Thambi Durai
Adimai Changili
Pasamulla Pandiyare
as Nesamani
No Poster
Vallal
as Dharmarasu
Poove Unakkaga
as Sadhasivam
Thotta Chinungi
No Poster
Raasaiyya
No Poster
Raja Muthirai
No Poster
Kattumarakaran
as Vaidehi's grandfather
Karuppu Nila
as Nandhini's father
Periya Marudhu
Paasamalargal
Sethupathi I.P.S
as Ramarathnam
Gentleman
as Ramesh's Father
Sakkarai Devan
as Sarasu Grandfather
No Poster
Thanga Pappa
as Adaikkalam
Yejaman
as Vaanavarayan's grandfather
No Poster
Ezhai Jaathi
as Iyer
Villu Pattukaran
No Poster
Thai Mozhi
as Church Father
No Poster
Kaaviya Thalaivan
as Damodaran
No Poster
Nadodi Paattukkaran
Thanga Manasukkaran
as Sadha Swamy
Maanagara Kaaval
as IG Jayaprakash
No Poster
Kaaval Nilayam
as Andhavar
No Poster
Enga Ooru Sippai
Captain Prabhakaran
as Special Task Force Officer
Kumbakarai Thangaiah
Avasara Police 100
Periya Veettu Panakkaran
Neengalum Herothan
as M. N. Nambiar
No Poster
Kalyana Rasi
Jagathalaprathapan
as John Frederick
No Poster
Manasukkeththa Mappillai
Pulan Visaranai
as DGP
No Poster
Meenatchi Thiruvilaiyadal
as Thirumalai Naicker
No Poster
Paandi Naattu Thangam
as Thangapandian's father
Paattukku Oru Thalaivan
Thaai Naadu
as Saleem Bhai
No Poster
Manaivi Oru Mandhiri
Enga Ooru Kaavakkaaran
No Poster
Nallavan
Thambi Thanga Kambi
Poonthotta Kaavalkaaran
No Poster
Sakkarai Panthal
No Poster
Uzhavan Magan
Krishnan Vandhaan
Jallikkattu
Enga Ooru Pattukaran
as Kallampattiyan
Velundu Vinaiyillai
No Poster
Aayiram Kannudayaal
No Poster
Dharma Devathai
No Poster
Iravu Pookkal
Mella Thirandhadhu Kadhavu
as Hindi Teacher and Noorjahan's Father
Nambinar Keduvadhillai
No Poster
Karimedu Karuvayan
No Poster
Puthiya Theerpu
Raja Rishi
as Sage Vashishta
No Poster
Thanga Mama
Eetti
Nermai
as Seetharam
No Poster
Elan Kandru
Naan Sigappu Manithan
as Senior Police Officer
No Poster
Needhiyin Nizhal
as Krishna Prasad
No Poster
Vamsa Vilakku
Iru Medhaigal
Ezhuthatha Sattangal
as Farooq
No Poster
Simma Soppanam
No Poster
Sarithira Nayagan
No Poster
Nyayam
Vaazhkai
Tharaasu
No Poster
Pozhuthu Vidinchachu
Vetri
Naan Mahaan Alla
as GMK
No Poster
Miruthanga Chakravarthi
No Poster
Saatchi
Sandhippu
as Vedagiri
Dowry Kalyanam
as Rowther
Thai Veedu
No Poster
Thaai Mookaambikai
No Poster
Sangili
No Poster
Thooral Ninnu Pochu
as Kusthi Vaathiyaar
No Poster
Parvaiyin Marupakkam
No Poster
Oorukku Oru Pillai
No Poster
Thadavara
as Madhavan
No Poster
Garjanai
No Poster
Lorry Driver Rajakannu
Ram Lakshman
as Chandrasekar
Kolilakkam
Deiva Thirumanangal
Saranam Ayyappa
Sakthi
as Vikraman
Guru
as Head of anti-social group
Ratha Paasam
No Poster
Vetrikku Oruvan
Aavesham
as Shekaran
Thirisoolam
Neeya?
as Appu Kuttan
En Kelvikku Enna Bathil
No Poster
Paavathin Sambalam
No Poster
Punniya Boomi
Madhuraiyai Meetta Sundharapandiyan
as The Prince Raja Rajan
No Poster
Meenava Nanban
as Arun
Indru Pol Endrum Vazhga
Indru Pol Endrum Vaazhga
as Guruviah
No Poster
Navarathinam
as Dharmaseelan
Sathyam
Anna Nee En Deivam
No Poster
Mannavan Vanthaanadi
as Punyakodi
No Poster
Naalai Namadhe
Ninaithadhai Mudippavan
as Mohan
Sirithu Vazha Vendum
Urimai Kural
as Doreswamy
Netru Indru Naalai
as Rathnam (the false)
No Poster
Thaai
as Kumar
Rajapart Rangadurai
as Somasundaram
Errakota Veerudu
No Poster
Ponnunjal
as Ponnan
Ulagam Sutrum Valiban
Rajaraja Cholan
as Bala Thevar
No Poster
Idhaya Veenai
No Poster
Kannamma
as Gnanaprakasam
No Poster
Naan Yen Pirandhen
as Rajan
Kurathi Magan
as Jambilingam
No Poster
Raman Thediya Seethai
No Poster
Dhikku Theriyadha Kaattil
as Kali Muthu
Adi Parasakthi
Savale Samali
as Rajavelu
Kulama Gunama
as Nallakannu
En Annan
as Nayagam
Sivandha Mann
as Diwan
Deiva Magan
as Ananth
Anjal Petti 520
as Nagarajan
No Poster
Kanne Pappa
as Inspector James
Kaaval Dheivam
Nil Gavani Kadhali
as Gang Leader
No Poster
Anbalippu
as Vasudevan
Lakshmi Kalyanam
Harichandra
No Poster
Enga Oor Raja
as Rajankam
Thillana Mohanambal
as Maharaja of Madhanpur
No Poster
Pudhiya Boomi
Kudiyirundha Koyil
No Poster
Ragasiya Police 115
as Inspector Kumar / Krishnan
Kaavalkaaran
as Marudachalam
No Poster
Arasa Kattalai
No Poster
Parakkum Paavai
as Rangasamy
No Poster
Thanippiravi
as Sub-inspector Soundharam
No Poster
Thaali Bhagyam
as Namchivayam
No Poster
Mugaraasi
No Poster
Chandhrodhayam
as Paranthaman
No Poster
Nadodi
No Poster
Naan Aanaiyittal
No Poster
Aasai Mugam
Aayirathil Oruvan
as Pirate Captain
Enga Veettu Pillai
as Gajendran
No Poster
Thaayin Madiyil
Padagotti
Thozhilali
as Velu
No Poster
Dheiva Thaai
as Madhan
No Poster
En Kadamai
No Poster
Vettaikaaran
No Poster
Ezhai Pangalan
No Poster
Annai Illam
Nenjam Marappathillai
as Zamindar
Kalai Arasi
No Poster
Chitor Rani Padmini
as Malik Kafur
No Poster
Kudumba Thalaivan
Rani Samyuktha
as Mohammad Ghori
Then Nilavu
as Raj
Nallavan Vazhvan
as Inspector Madhavan
Pasamalar
as Rathnam
No Poster
Thirudadhe
No Poster
Arasilangumari
No Poster
Ellorum Innattu Mannar
No Poster
Bhaaga Pirivinai
as Mani
Kalyana Parisu
No Poster
Thangapadumai
Pellinaati Pramanalu
Nadodi Mannan
No Poster
Sarangadhara
as Mahadevan
No Poster
Illarame Nallaram
Annaiyin Aanai
No Poster
Uthama Puthiran
as Naganathan
Bhooloka Rambai
No Poster
Ambikapathy
as Ottakoothar
Thangamalai Ragasiyam
No Poster
Karpukarasi
No Poster
Rajarajan
No Poster
Vanangaamudi
No Poster
Makkalai Petra Magarasi
as Kannan
Rambayin Kadhal
as Narada
Amara Deepam
Tenali Raman
as Rajaguru
Naan Petra Selvam
as Sundar
No Poster
Doctor Savithri
as Krishnamoorthi
No Poster
Kanavane Kan Kanda Deivam
Kaveri
as Gnananandar
No Poster
Naam
The Jungle
as Mahaji
No Poster
Andhaman Kaidhi
Sarvadhikari
as Mahavarman
No Poster
Devaki
as Gopu
Marmayogi
Thigambara Samiar
as Chokkalingam Pillai
Manthiri Kumari
as Royal Priest
No Poster
Marudhanaattu Ilavarasi
Velaikari
as Moorthi / Yogi Hariharadas
No Poster
Mohini
Abhimanyu
as Lakkanan
