Karthi

Karthi Biography & Career Overview

Karthik Sivakumar, known mononymously as Karthi, is an acclaimed, three-time Filmfare Award South-winning Indian actor celebrated for his natural charm, intense dramatic depth, and adventurous script selection across Tamil and Telugu cinema. The younger son of veteran actor Sivakumar and brother of superstar Suriya, Karthi studied industrial engineering and worked as an assistant director under Mani Ratnam before making a historic, explosive acting debut in Ameer's rural classic Paruthiveeran (2007), sweeping every major debut award. Over two decades, Karthi has demonstrated extraordinary versatility, starring in Selvaraghavan's fantasy epic Aayirathil Oruvan, action hits Paiyaa and Siruthai, the acclaimed cop procedural Theeran Adhigaaram Ondru (2017), and Lokesh Kanagaraj's blockbuster LCU landmark Kaithi (2019 as Dilli). He achieved massive global praise for his charismatic, scene-stealing turn as the charming spy Vallavarayan Vandhiyathevan in Mani Ratnam's Ponniyin Selvan: I and II (2022–2023), followed by Sardar and Japan. Karthi is a beloved star. Known for his disciplined script selection, charismatic screen presence, and passionate involvement in social welfare through his Uzhavan Foundation, Karthi has established himself as one of Tamil cinema's most reliable and versatile performers.