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{{Short description|Indian actor and businessman (born 1965)}}
{{distinguish|Venkatesh (actor)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=February 2016}}
{{Use Indian English|date=February 2016}}
{{Infobox person
{{Infobox person
| name = Raja
| name = Raja
| birth_name = Daggubati Venkatesh
| birth_name = Daggubati Venkatesh
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1965|09|16}}
| nationality = India
⚫
| years_active = 1981–2000<br />2019–present
| alias = Venkatesh
| relatives = [[D. Ramanaidu]] (uncle)<br />[[Venkatesh (actor)|Venkatesh]] (cousin)
⚫
| years_active = 1981–2000<br>2019-present
| occupation = Actor
| occupation = Actor
}}
}}
'''Raja''' is an Indian film actor who has acted in [[Tamil language|Tamil]], [[Malayalam]] and [[Telugu language]] films. The actor made his debut in the 1981 Tamil film, ''Paakku Vethalai'', before going on to become a leading actor in the Tamil film industry through the 1980s.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/Second-Coming/article15718355.ece|title=Second Coming|first=T. Krithika|last=Reddy|date=27 November 2010|work=The Hindu}}</ref>
'''Daggubati Venkatesh''', credited as '''Raja''' and '''Daggubati Raja''', is an Indian actor turned businessman<ref>{{Cite news |last=S |first=Srivatsan |date=2019-11-06 |title=From 'Kadalora Kavithaigal' to 'Adithya Varma': Tamil cinema's quintessential 'soft-spoken hero' Raja returns after a 20-year exile |language=en-IN |work=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/the-raja-profilefrom-kadalora-kavithaigal-to-adithya-varma-tamil-cinemas-quintessential-soft-spoken-hero-raja-returns-after-a-20-year-exile/article29900048.ece |access-date=2023-01-18 |issn=0971-751X}}</ref> who has acted in [[Tamil language|Tamil]], [[Malayalam]] and [[Telugu language]] films. The actor made his debut in the 1981 Tamil film, ''Paakku Vethalai'', before going on to become a leading actor in the Tamil film industry from 1986 to 2000.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Reddy |first=T. Krithika |date=27 November 2010 |title=Second Coming |work=[[The Hindu]] |url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/Second-Coming/article15718355.ece |url-status=live |access-date=5 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211228043306/https://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/Second-Coming/article15718355.ece |archive-date=28 December 2021}}</ref>


He went on to play second lead roles and supporting characters in several films including [[Kamal Haasan]]'s ''[[Sathi Leelavathi (1995 film)|Sathi Leelavathi]]'' and [[Rajinikanth]]'s ''[[Mappillai (1989 film)|Mappillai]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.jointscene.com/php/search-pagination-movie.php?search_by_artist=9843 |title=Raja - Tamil actor |work=Jointscene |accessdate=15 April 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110917090059/http://www.jointscene.com/php/search-pagination-movie.php?search_by_artist=9843 |archivedate=17 September 2011 }}</ref> He has also acted in few Telugu films like ''Chinnari Sneham'', ''Sankellu'' and ''[[Shri Krishnarjuna Vijayam]]''.
He went on to play second lead roles and supporting characters in several films including [[Kamal Haasan]]'s ''[[Sathi Leelavathi (1995 film)|Sathi Leelavathi]]'' and [[Rajinikanth]]'s ''[[Mappillai (1989 film)|Mappillai]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Raja – Tamil actor |url=http://www.jointscene.com/php/search-pagination-movie.php?search_by_artist=9843 |url-status=dead |website=Jointscene |accessdate=15 April 2012 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110917090059/http://www.jointscene.com/php/search-pagination-movie.php?search_by_artist=9843 |archivedate=17 September 2011}}</ref> He has also acted in few Telugu films like ''Chinnari Sneham'', ''Sankellu'' and ''[[Shri Krishnarjuna Vijayam]]''.


He is a relative of veteran film producer late [[D. Ramanaidu]] and currently runs a granite business called "Cosmo Granites" in Chennai.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGjpHHLWSNw|title=Actor Daggubati Raja rediscovered by Anveshana ! – TV9|last=TV9 Telugu Live|via=YouTube}}</ref>
He is a relative of veteran film producer late [[D. Ramanaidu]].


==Career==
== Career ==
A nephew of Telugu film producer [[D. Ramanaidu]], Raja was persuaded by his family to become an actor in Tamil cinema owing to his familiarity with Madras. He subsequently joined [[Bharathiraja]]'s acting school, where he trained before getting his first major career breakthrough with the director's romantic drama ''[[Kadalora Kavithaigal]]'' (1986).<ref name="raja">https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/the-raja-profilefrom-kadalora-kavithaigal-to-adithya-varma-tamil-cinemas-quintessential-soft-spoken-hero-raja-returns-after-a-20-year-exile/article29900048.ece</ref> The box office success of the film prompted Bharathiraja to cast him again in ''[[Vedham Pudhithu]]'' (1987), and the popular song "Kannukkul Nooru" earned Raja a large female fanbase.<ref name="raja"/>
A nephew of Telugu film producer [[D. Ramanaidu]], Daggubati Venkatesh was persuaded by his family to become an actor in Tamil cinema owing to his familiarity with Madras. He subsequently joined [[Bharathiraja]]'s acting school, where he trained before getting his first major career breakthrough with the director's romantic drama ''[[Kadalora Kavithaigal]]'' (1986).<ref name="raja">{{Cite news |last=S |first=Srivatsan |date=6 November 2019 |title=From 'Kadalora Kavithaigal' to 'Adithya Varma': Tamil cinema's quintessential 'soft-spoken hero' Raja returns after a 20-year exile |work=[[The Hindu]] |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/the-raja-profilefrom-kadalora-kavithaigal-to-adithya-varma-tamil-cinemas-quintessential-soft-spoken-hero-raja-returns-after-a-20-year-exile/article29900048.ece |url-status=live |access-date=8 November 2019 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20191107062826/https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/the-raja-profile/article29900048.ece |archive-date=7 November 2019}}</ref> To differentiate from his [[Venkatesh (actor)|namesake cousin]], Venkatesh was given the screen name "Raja".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Chowdhary |first=Y. Sunita |date=2019-01-14 |title=Daggubati Raja is back in action |work=[[The Hindu]] |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/daggubati-raja-is-overwhelmed-with-the-response-to-his-portrayal-of-trivikrama-rao-in-the-ntr-biopic/article25991915.ece |url-status=live |access-date=2021-12-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211228043648/https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/daggubati-raja-is-overwhelmed-with-the-response-to-his-portrayal-of-trivikrama-rao-in-the-ntr-biopic/article25991915.ece |archive-date=28 December 2021}}</ref> The box office success of ''Kadalora Kavithaigal'' prompted Bharathiraja to cast him again in ''[[Vedham Pudhithu]]'' (1987), and the popular song "Kannukkul Nooru" earned Raja a large female fanbase.<ref name="raja" />


Raja continued portraying supporting roles in films, and was unable to garner much success as a lead actor. His appearance in a negative role in his collaboration with [[Manivannan]] for ''Ini Oru Suthanthiram'' was well-received by critics, though his best known work in the late 1980s and early 1990s featured him in supporting roles such as in ''[[Mappillai (1989 film)|Mappillai]]'' (1989) and ''[[Pudhu Vasantham]]'' (1990).<ref name="raja"/> In the early 1990s, he was often typecast in soft, demure characters often portraying a gentle romantic, who regularly lost out to film's lead actor. His most notable films of the period, ''[[Sathi Leelavathi (1995 film)|Sathi Leelavathi]]'' (1995), ''[[Love Birds (1996 film)|Love Birds]]'' (1996) and ''[[Kadhal Kottai]]'' (1996) all featured him in similar roles. He quickly became disheartened at the films and secondary characters being offered to him, and opted to move into business in 1999.<ref name="raja"/>
Raja continued portraying supporting roles in films, and was unable to garner much success as a lead actor. His appearance in a negative role in his collaboration with [[Manivannan]] for ''Ini Oru Suthanthiram'' was well received by critics, though his best known work in the late 1980s and early 1990s featured him in supporting roles such as in ''[[Mappillai (1989 film)|Mappillai]]'' (1989) and ''[[Pudhu Vasantham]]'' (1990).<ref name="raja" /> In the early 1990s, he was often typecast in soft, demure characters often portraying a gentle romantic, who regularly lost out to film's lead actor. His most notable films of the period, ''[[Sathi Leelavathi (1995 film)|Sathi Leelavathi]]'' (1995), ''[[Love Birds (1996 film)|Love Birds]]'' (1996) and ''[[Kadhal Kottai]]'' (1996) all featured him in similar roles. He quickly became disheartened at the films and secondary characters being offered to him, and opted to move into business in 1999.<ref name="raja" /> and currently runs a granite business called "Cosmo Granites" in Chennai.<ref>{{Cite web |last=TV9 Telugu Live |author-link=TV9 Telugu |date=4 February 2017 |title=Actor Daggubati Raja rediscovered by Anveshana ! – TV9 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGjpHHLWSNw |url-status=live |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/gGjpHHLWSNw |archive-date=28 December 2021 |access-date=15 February 2017 |language=Telugu |via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}</ref>


After a nineteen year break from films, Raja returned to acting with a role in [[Krish (director)|Krish]]'s biopic drama ''[[N.T.R: Kathanayakudu]]'' (2019), where he portrayed the supporting role of [[N. Trivikrama Rao|Trivikrama Rao]]. He made his return to Tamil films through ''[[Adithya Varma]]'' (2019), where he appeared as the father of the titular character played by debutant Dhruv Vikram.<ref name="raja"/>
After nineteen years break from films, Raja returned to acting with a role in [[Krish (director)|Krish]]'s biopic drama ''[[N.T.R: Kathanayakudu]]'' (2019), where he portrayed the supporting role of [[N. Trivikrama Rao|Trivikrama Rao]]. He made his return to Tamil films through ''[[Adithya Varma]]'' (2019), where he appeared as the father of the titular character played by debutant Dhruv Vikram.<ref name="raja" />


==Filmography==
== Filmography ==
===Tamil films===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|- style="background:#ccc; text-align:center;"
|- style="background:#ccc; text-align:center;"
Line 28: Line 31:
! Film
! Film
! Role
! Role
⚫
! Language
! Notes
! Notes
|-
|-
|rowspan="3"|1981 || ''Paakku Vethalai'' || || Tamil ||
|rowspan="3"|1981 || ''Paakku Vethalai'' || ||
|-
|-
| ''[[Chinna Mul Peria Mul]]'' || Anand || Tamil ||
| ''[[Chinna Mul Peria Mul]]'' || Anand ||
|-
|-
| ''[[Nenjile Thunivirunthal]]'' || || Tamil ||
| ''[[Nenjile Thunivirunthal]]'' || ||
|-
|-
|1982 || ''[[Kanne Radha]]'' || Nataraj || Tamil ||
|1982 || ''[[Kanne Radha]]'' || Nataraj ||
|-
|-
|1984 || ''[[Veetuku Oru Kannagi]]'' || || Tamil ||
|1984 || ''[[Veetuku Oru Kannagi]]'' || ||
|-
|-
|rowspan="3"|1986 || ''[[Kadalora Kavithaigal]]'' || || Tamil ||
|rowspan="3"|1986 || ''[[Kadalora Kavithaigal]]'' || Lawrence ||
|-
|-
| ''Pudhiya Poovidhu'' || || Tamil ||
| ''Pudhiya Poovidhu'' || ||
|-
|-
| ''Neethana Antha Kuyil'' || || Tamil ||
| ''[[Neethana Antha Kuyil]]'' || ||
|-
|-
|rowspan="5"|1987 || ''[[Valayal Satham]]'' || || Tamil ||
| rowspan="4" |1987 || ''[[Valayal Satham]]'' || ||
|-
|-
| ''Vaidehi'' || || Telugu ||
| ''[[Ini Oru Sudhanthiram]]''|| ||
|-
|-
| ''[[Ini Oru Sudhanthiram]]'' || || Tamil ||
| ''[[Gramatthu Minnal]]''|| ||
|-
|-
| ''[[Gramatthu Minnal]]'' || || Tamil ||
| ''[[Vedham Pudhithu]]''|| Sundarapandi ||
|-
|-
| ''[[Vedham Pudhithu]]'' || Sundarapandi || Tamil ||
| rowspan="3" |1988 || ''Neruppu Nila''||Mohan ||
|-
|-
| ''[[Ithu Engal Neethi]]''|| ||
⚫
|rowspan="6"|1988 || ''Neruppu Nila'' || || Tamil ||
|-
|-
| ''[[Ithu Engal Neethi]]'' || || Tamil ||
| ''[[Uzhaithu Vaazha Vendum]]''|| Raja ||
|-
|-
⚫
| rowspan="2" |1989
⚫
| ''Siripuram Chinnodu'' || || Telugu ||
| ''Manidhan Marivittan'' || ||
|-
|-
| ''[[Jhansi Rani (1988 film)|Jhansi Rani]]'' || Dinakar || Telugu ||
| ''[[Mappillai (1989 film)|Mappillai]]''|| ||
|-
|-
| rowspan="7" |1990
⚫
| ''Sankellu'' || || Telugu ||
⚫
|''[[Vaazhkai Chakkaram]]'' || Thangavelu's brother ||
|-
|-
| ''[[Uzhaithu Vaazha Vendum]]'' || Raja || Tamil ||
|''[[Ooru Vittu Ooru Vanthu]]''|| Dinesh ||
|-
|-
|''[[Adhisaya Manithan]]''|| Ramani ||
⚫
|rowspan="3"|1989 || ''Chinnari Sneham'' || Suryam || Telugu ||
|-
|-
| ''Manidhan Marivittan'' || || Tamil ||
| ''[[Pudhu Vasantham]]''|| Raja ||
|-
|-
| ''[[Mappillai (1989 film)|Mappillai]]'' || || Tamil ||
| ''[[Nangal Puthiyavargal]]''|| Raja || Guest appearance
|-
|-
| ''Sathyam Sivam Sundaram''|| ||
⚫
| rowspan="6" |1990
⚫
|''[[Vaazhkai Chakkaram]]'' || || Tamil ||
|-
|-
|''[[Adhisaya Manithan]]''|| || Tamil ||
| ''[[Enkitta Mothathe (1990 film)|Enkitta Mothathe]]''|| || Guest appearance
|-
|-
| ''[[Pudhu Vasantham]]'' || Raja || Tamil ||
| rowspan="4" |1991 || ''[[Vaa Arugil Vaa]]''|| Ramakrishnan ||
|-
|-
| ''[[Nangal Puthiyavargal]]'' || Raja || Tamil || Guest appearance
| ''[[Karpoora Mullai]]''|| Dr. Srinivas ||
|-
|-
| ''Sathyam Sivam Sundaram'' || || Tamil ||
| ''Onnum Theriyatha Papa''|| ||
|-
|-
| ''[[Enkitta Mothathe]]'' || || Tamil ||
| ''[[Nee Pathi Naan Pathi]]''|| ||
|-
|-
|rowspan="5"|1991 || ''[[Vaa Arugil Vaa]]'' || Ramakrishnan || Tamil ||
| rowspan="1" |1992 || ''Kizhakku Velathachu''|| ||
|-
|-
| ''[[Karpoora Mullai]]'' || Dr. Srinivas || Tamil ||
| rowspan="4" |1993 || ''[[Captain Magal]]''|| ||
|-
|-
| ''[[Ente Sooryaputhrikku]]'' || || Malayalam || Guest appearance
| ''[[Uthama Raasa]]''|| Marudhu ||
|-
|-
| ''[[Nee Pathi Naan Pathi]]'' || || Tamil ||
| ''[[Moondravadhu Kann]]''|| Sundar ||
|-
|-
| ''Edu Kondalaswamy'' || || Telugu ||
| ''[[Enga Muthalali]]''|| Balu ||
|-
|-
|rowspan="1"|1992 || ''Kizhakku Velathachu'' || || Tamil ||
| rowspan="2" |1994
⚫
| ''[[Priyanka (1994 film)|Priyanka]]'' || Raja || Guest appearance
|-
|-
|rowspan="4"|1993 || ''[[Captain Magal]]'' || || Tamil ||
| ''[[Karuththamma]]''|| Stephen ||
|-
|-
| ''[[Uthama Raasa]]'' || || Tamil ||
| rowspan="4" |1995 || ''[[Coolie (1995 film)|Coolie]]''|| ||
|-
|-
| ''[[Moondravadhu Kann]]'' || Sundar || Tamil ||
| ''[[Sathi Leelavathi (1995 film)|Sathi Leelavathi]]''|| Raja || Guest appearance
|-
|-
| ''[[Enga Muthalali]]'' || Balu || Tamil ||
| ''[[Kolangal (1995 film)|Kolangal]]''|| Rajesh ||
|-
|-
|rowspan="4"|1994 || ''[[Sukham Sukhakaram]]'' || || Malayalam ||
| ''[[Ayudha Poojai]]''|| Samiyappan's son ||
|-
|-
| rowspan="6" |1996 || ''[[Love Birds (1996 film)|Love Birds]]''|| Mano ||
⚫
| ''Vanitha'' || || Telugu ||
|-
|-
| ''[[Priyanka (1994 film)|Priyanka]]'' || || Tamil || Guest appearance
| ''[[Vaikarai Pookkal]]''|| Raja ||
|-
|-
| ''[[Karuththamma]]'' || Stephen || Tamil ||
| ''[[Meendum Savithri]]''|| Vasudevan ||
|-
|-
|rowspan="4"|1995 || ''[[Coolie (1995 film)|Coolie]]'' || || Tamil ||
| ''[[Rajali]]''|| || Guest appearance
|-
|-
| ''[[Sathi Leelavathi (1995 film)|Sathi Leelavathi]]'' || || Tamil ||
| ''[[Kadhal Kottai]]''|| Jeeva ||
|-
|-
| ''[[Kolangal (1995 film)|Kolangal]]'' || Rajesh || Tamil ||
| ''[[Andha Naal (1996 film)|Andha Naal]]''|| Vincent Babu ||
|-
|-
| ''[[Ayudha Poojai]]'' || || Tamil ||
| rowspan="3" |1997 || ''[[Bharathi Kannamma]]''|| Village officer ||
|-
|-
|rowspan="7"|1996 || ''[[Love Birds (1996 film)|Love Birds]]'' || Mano || Tamil ||
| ''[[Arunachalam (film)|Arunachalam]]''|| Saravanan ||
|-
|-
| ''[[Vaikarai Pookkal]]'' || Raja || Tamil ||
| ''[[Pudhalvan]]''|| ||
⚫
|-
⚫
| ''[[Meendum Savithri]]'' || Vasudevan || Tamil ||
|-
|-
| ''[[Rajali]]'' || || Tamil || Guest appearance
| rowspan="3" |1998 || ''[[Iniyavale]]''|| Raja ||
|-
|-
| ''[[Kadhal Kottai]]'' || Jeeva || Tamil ||
| ''[[Kondattam]]''|| Gopikrishna ||
|-
|-
| ''[[Andha Naal (1996 film)|Andha Naal]]'' || Vincent Babu || Tamil ||
| ''[[Sivappu Nila (1998 film)|Sivappu Nila]]''|| Raja ||
|-
|-
| ''[[Shri Krishnarjuna Vijayam]]'' || [[Karna]] || Telugu ||
| 2000 || ''[[Kannukku Kannaga]]''|| Arun ||
|-
|-
|2019
⚫
|rowspan="3"|1997 || ''[[Bharathi Kannamma]]'' || Village officer || Tamil ||
⚫
| ''[[Adithya Varma]]'' || Vasudevan Varma ||
|-
|-
⚫
|}
⚫
| ''[[Arunachalam (film)|Arunachalam]]'' || || Tamil ||

===Other language films===

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|- style="background:#ccc; text-align:center;"
! Year
! Film
! Role
⚫
! Language
! Notes
|-
|-
| ''[[Pudhalvan]]'' || || Tamil ||
| rowspan="3" |1987 || ''Vaidehi'' || || Telugu ||
|-
|-
|rowspan="3"|1998 || ''[[Iniyavale]]'' || Raja || Tamil ||
| ''Dongodochadu'' || || Telugu ||
|-
|-
| ''[[Kondattam]]'' || Gopikrishna || Tamil ||
| ''Aadade Aadharam'' || || Telugu ||
|-
|-
⚫
|rowspan="4"|1988 || ''Agni Kanye'' ||Mohan || Kannada ||
⚫
| ''[[Sivappu Nila (1998 film)|Sivappu Nila]]'' || Raja || Tamil ||
|-
|-
| 2000 || ''[[Kannukku Kannaga]]'' || Arun || Tamil ||
| ''Siripuram Chinnodu'' || || Telugu ||
⚫
|-
⚫
| ''[[Jhansi Rani (1988 film)|Jhansi Rani]]'' || Dinakar || Telugu ||
⚫
|-
⚫
| ''Sankellu'' || || Telugu ||
|-
⚫
|1989 || ''Chinnari Sneham'' || Suryam || Telugu ||
|-
|rowspan="2"|1991 || ''[[Ente Sooryaputhrikku]]'' || || Malayalam || Guest appearance
|-
⚫
| ''Edu Kondalaswamy'' || || Telugu ||
|-
⚫
|rowspan="2"|1994 || ''[[Sukham Sukhakaram]]'' || || Malayalam ||
|-
⚫
| ''Vanitha'' || || Telugu ||
|-
| 1996 || ''[[Sri Krishnarjuna Vijayam]]'' || [[Karna]] || Telugu ||
|-
|-
|rowspan="3"|2019 || ''[[N.T.R: Kathanayakudu]]'' || rowspan="2"|[[N. Trivikrama Rao]] || Telugu ||
|rowspan="2"|2019 || ''[[N.T.R: Kathanayakudu]]'' || rowspan="2"|[[N. Trivikrama Rao]] || Telugu ||
|-
|-
| ''[[N.T.R: Mahanayakudu]]'' || Telugu ||
| ''[[N.T.R: Mahanayakudu]]'' || Telugu ||
|-
|-
| ''[[Adithya Varma]]'' || Adithya's father || Tamil || Cameo appearance
| 2021 ||''[[FCUK: Father Chitti Umaa Kaarthik]]'' || Umaa's father || Telugu ||
|-
|-
| 2023 ||''[[Skanda (film)|Skanda]]'' || Bhaskar's father || Telugu ||
|2021
|''[[FCUK: Father Chitti Umaa Kaarthik]]''
⚫
|
|Telugu
⚫
|
|-
|-
|}
|}


==References==
== References ==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}


==External links==
== External links ==
* {{IMDb name|0707285}}
* {{IMDb name|0707285}}


{{authority control}}
{{authority control}}


[[Category:1965 births]]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Raja}}
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian male actors]]
[[Category:Indian male film actors]]
[[Category:Indian male film actors]]
⚫
[[Category:Male actors in Tamil cinema]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Living people]]
⚫
[[Category:Male actors in Telugu cinema]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian male actors]]
[[Category:Male actors in Malayalam cinema]]
[[Category:Male actors in Malayalam cinema]]
⚫
[[Category:Male actors in Tamil cinema]]
⚫
[[Category:Male actors in Telugu cinema]]

Latest revision as of 08:39, 1 December 2024

Not to be confused with Venkatesh (actor).

Raja
Born
Daggubati Venkatesh

(1965-09-16) 16 September 1965 (age 59)
OccupationActor
Years active1981–2000
2019–present
RelativesD. Ramanaidu (uncle)
Venkatesh (cousin)

Daggubati Venkatesh, credited as Raja and Daggubati Raja, is an Indian actor turned businessman[1] who has acted in Tamil, Malayalam and Telugu language films. The actor made his debut in the 1981 Tamil film, Paakku Vethalai, before going on to become a leading actor in the Tamil film industry from 1986 to 2000.[2]

He went on to play second lead roles and supporting characters in several films including Kamal Haasan's Sathi Leelavathi and Rajinikanth's Mappillai.[3] He has also acted in few Telugu films like Chinnari Sneham, Sankellu and Shri Krishnarjuna Vijayam.

He is a relative of veteran film producer late D. Ramanaidu.

Career

[edit]

A nephew of Telugu film producer D. Ramanaidu, Daggubati Venkatesh was persuaded by his family to become an actor in Tamil cinema owing to his familiarity with Madras. He subsequently joined Bharathiraja's acting school, where he trained before getting his first major career breakthrough with the director's romantic drama Kadalora Kavithaigal (1986).[4] To differentiate from his namesake cousin, Venkatesh was given the screen name "Raja".[5] The box office success of Kadalora Kavithaigal prompted Bharathiraja to cast him again in Vedham Pudhithu (1987), and the popular song "Kannukkul Nooru" earned Raja a large female fanbase.[4]

Raja continued portraying supporting roles in films, and was unable to garner much success as a lead actor. His appearance in a negative role in his collaboration with Manivannan for Ini Oru Suthanthiram was well received by critics, though his best known work in the late 1980s and early 1990s featured him in supporting roles such as in Mappillai (1989) and Pudhu Vasantham (1990).[4] In the early 1990s, he was often typecast in soft, demure characters often portraying a gentle romantic, who regularly lost out to film's lead actor. His most notable films of the period, Sathi Leelavathi (1995), Love Birds (1996) and Kadhal Kottai (1996) all featured him in similar roles. He quickly became disheartened at the films and secondary characters being offered to him, and opted to move into business in 1999.[4] and currently runs a granite business called "Cosmo Granites" in Chennai.[6]

After nineteen years break from films, Raja returned to acting with a role in Krish's biopic drama N.T.R: Kathanayakudu (2019), where he portrayed the supporting role of Trivikrama Rao. He made his return to Tamil films through Adithya Varma (2019), where he appeared as the father of the titular character played by debutant Dhruv Vikram.[4]

Filmography

[edit]

Tamil films

[edit]
Year Film Role Notes
1981 Paakku Vethalai
Chinna Mul Peria Mul Anand
Nenjile Thunivirunthal
1982 Kanne Radha Nataraj
1984 Veetuku Oru Kannagi
1986 Kadalora Kavithaigal Lawrence
Pudhiya Poovidhu
Neethana Antha Kuyil
1987 Valayal Satham
Ini Oru Sudhanthiram
Gramatthu Minnal
Vedham Pudhithu Sundarapandi
1988 Neruppu Nila Mohan
Ithu Engal Neethi
Uzhaithu Vaazha Vendum Raja
1989 Manidhan Marivittan
Mappillai
1990 Vaazhkai Chakkaram Thangavelu's brother
Ooru Vittu Ooru Vanthu Dinesh
Adhisaya Manithan Ramani
Pudhu Vasantham Raja
Nangal Puthiyavargal Raja Guest appearance
Sathyam Sivam Sundaram
Enkitta Mothathe Guest appearance
1991 Vaa Arugil Vaa Ramakrishnan
Karpoora Mullai Dr. Srinivas
Onnum Theriyatha Papa
Nee Pathi Naan Pathi
1992 Kizhakku Velathachu
1993 Captain Magal
Uthama Raasa Marudhu
Moondravadhu Kann Sundar
Enga Muthalali Balu
1994 Priyanka Raja Guest appearance
Karuththamma Stephen
1995 Coolie
Sathi Leelavathi Raja Guest appearance
Kolangal Rajesh
Ayudha Poojai Samiyappan's son
1996 Love Birds Mano
Vaikarai Pookkal Raja
Meendum Savithri Vasudevan
Rajali Guest appearance
Kadhal Kottai Jeeva
Andha Naal Vincent Babu
1997 Bharathi Kannamma Village officer
Arunachalam Saravanan
Pudhalvan
1998 Iniyavale Raja
Kondattam Gopikrishna
Sivappu Nila Raja
2000 Kannukku Kannaga Arun
2019 Adithya Varma Vasudevan Varma

Other language films

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Year Film Role Language Notes
1987 Vaidehi Telugu
Dongodochadu Telugu
Aadade Aadharam Telugu
1988 Agni Kanye Mohan Kannada
Siripuram Chinnodu Telugu
Jhansi Rani Dinakar Telugu
Sankellu Telugu
1989 Chinnari Sneham Suryam Telugu
1991 Ente Sooryaputhrikku Malayalam Guest appearance
Edu Kondalaswamy Telugu
1994 Sukham Sukhakaram Malayalam
Vanitha Telugu
1996 Sri Krishnarjuna Vijayam Karna Telugu
2019 N.T.R: Kathanayakudu N. Trivikrama Rao Telugu
N.T.R: Mahanayakudu Telugu
2021 FCUK: Father Chitti Umaa Kaarthik Umaa's father Telugu
2023 Skanda Bhaskar's father Telugu

References

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  1. ^ S, Srivatsan (6 November 2019). "From 'Kadalora Kavithaigal' to 'Adithya Varma': Tamil cinema's quintessential 'soft-spoken hero' Raja returns after a 20-year exile". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 18 January 2023.
  2. ^ Reddy, T. Krithika (27 November 2010). "Second Coming". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 28 December 2021. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
  3. ^ "Raja – Tamil actor". Jointscene. Archived from the original on 17 September 2011. Retrieved 15 April 2012.
  4. ^ a b c d e S, Srivatsan (6 November 2019). "From 'Kadalora Kavithaigal' to 'Adithya Varma': Tamil cinema's quintessential 'soft-spoken hero' Raja returns after a 20-year exile". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 7 November 2019. Retrieved 8 November 2019.
  5. ^ Chowdhary, Y. Sunita (14 January 2019). "Daggubati Raja is back in action". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 28 December 2021. Retrieved 28 December 2021.
  6. ^ TV9 Telugu Live (4 February 2017). "Actor Daggubati Raja rediscovered by Anveshana ! – TV9" (in Telugu). Archived from the original on 28 December 2021. Retrieved 15 February 2017 – via YouTube.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
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