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Illavarasu Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated September 29, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth26 August 1964

Age57 Years

BirthplaceMelur, Tamil Nadu

ProfessionActor

NationalityIndian

Marital statusMarried

Illavarasu Biography

Illavarasu is an Indian cinematographer-turned-actor known for supporting roles in Tamil cinema. Born in Melur, Tamil Nadu, he has worked behind the camera

Early life and background

Illavarasu, born Ilavarasan on 26 August 1964 in Melur, Tamil Nadu, is an Indian film professional whose career spans both cinematography and acting. Raised in Melur, he later entered the Tamil film industry and developed a dual career that has kept him active for decades. His listed physical details include a height of approximately 170 cm (5'7"), a weight around 65 kg (143 lbs), black hair and black eyes. His zodiac sign is Virgo.

Career

Illavarasu began his career working behind the camera. He established himself as a cinematographer, contributing to a number of Tamil films before transitioning into acting. The excerpt notes he worked as a cameraman on titles such as Panchalankurichi (1996), Periya Thambi (1997), Iniyavale (1998), Veeranadai (2000) and Ezhayin Siripil (2000). In total he completed cinematography on 13 films prior to focusing more on acting.

His film debut as an actor came with the Tamil film Oru Kaithiyin Diary (1985). While his first on-screen appearance was a small one, it marked the beginning of a lengthy acting career. Over the years he became a familiar supporting performer in Tamil cinema, appearing in more than 150 films. Notable acting credits mentioned include Vedham Pudhithu (1987), Autograph (2004), Thavasi (2001), Bheeshmar (2003), Thambi (2006), Kalavaani (2010), Bhavani (2011), Muthukku Muthaaga (2011), Lingaa (2014) and Jai Bhim (2021).

Illavarasu has also worked as a dubbing artist; the excerpt cites a dubbing credit for the actor Ponvannan in the Tamil film Karuththamma (1994).

Awards

His work behind and in front of the camera has been recognized with state and industry awards. In 1999 he received the Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Cinematographer for the film Manam Virumbuthe Unnai. Later, in 2012 he won the Ananda Vikatan Cinema Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Muthukku Muthaaga (2011).

Approach and reflections

Illavarasu has spoken about the differences between cinematography and acting, describing the distinct mental preparations each requires. While working as a cameraman involves attention to location, lighting and camera angles and tends to make him quiet and introspective, acting demands vocal expression and a different outward energy. He has reflected that his first acting role was minor but that standing in front of the camera for the first time left a lasting impression on him.

Public profile

Illavarasu is primarily known for his supporting roles in Tamil-language films. He is credited with a long list of appearances and is recognized both for his earlier technical contributions as a cinematographer and his later body of work as a character actor. The excerpt lists his nationality as Indian and his hometown as Melur, Tamil Nadu. He is married; his spouse's name is not provided in the available information.

Latest updates

As documented in the excerpt, his more recent screen appearances include roles in Lingaa (2014) and Jai Bhim (2021). The record shows continued activity in Tamil cinema across multiple decades, with credits spanning from the mid-1980s into the 2020s.
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Recent Work

Jai Bhim

Acting role in the Tamil film Jai Bhim

2021
Lingaa

Acting role in the Tamil film Lingaa

2014
Muthukku Muthaaga

Supporting actor; award-winning role

2011
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Career Highlights

  1. Made film debut as an actor in Oru Kaithiyin Diary (1985).
  2. Worked as cinematographer on at least 13 films including Panchalankurichi (1996) and Periya Thambi (1997).
  3. Appeared as a supporting actor in over 150 Tamil films.
  4. Won the Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Cinematographer (1999) for Manam Virumbuthe Unnai.
  5. Won the Ananda Vikatan Cinema Award for Best Supporting Actor (2012) for Muthukku Muthaaga (2011).
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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Illavarasu born?

26 August 1964

What is Illavarasu known for?

Actor

What is Illavarasu’s marital status?

Married