Vineeth Kumar is an Indian actor, director and screenwriter known for his work in the Malayalam film industry. He has had a career spanning decades, transitioning from a child artist to an accomplished director.
Vineeth Kumar | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | |
| Alma mater | University of Calicut |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1988–present |
He made his acting debut in 1988 as a child artist in the movie Padippura. The same year, he earned critical acclaim and the Kerala State Film Award[1] for his performance in the epic historical drama Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha.[2] Directed by Hariharan and written by M.T. Vasudevan Nair, this film featured him as the younger version of Mammootty's iconic character Chandu Chekavar.
He made his directorial debut with Ayal Njanalla (2015),[3] a romantic comedy entertainer, starring Fahad Faasil.[4] As writer and director, his fresh approach and storytelling marked a strong start to his filmmaking journey.
Personal life
editVineeth Kumar was born on 11 November 1977 to Karunan and Yamuna in Pazhayangadi, Kannur. He had his primary education from Koodali Higher Secondary School. After pre-degree from Government Brennen College, Thalassery, he pursued a BSc degree in Mathematics.
He started learning Bharatanatyam at the age of six and quickly became known for his talent. As a student, he won several dance prizes, including the top "Kalaprathibha" title at the Kerala School Kalolsavam in 1988.[5] He remains the youngest person to ever win this prestigious award, a testament to his exceptional skill and hard work.
He married Sandhya Vineeth on 19 August 2010. They have two daughters, Maitreyi and Mathangi.
Filmography
editAs a child Artist
editDuring his early years, Kumar played significant roles in several notable films, including:
- Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha(1989)
- Bharatham (1991)
- Sargam (1992)
- Midhunam (1992)
- Adwaitham (1993)
- These performances established him as a versatile child actor in Malayalam cinema.
As an Adult Actor
editAfter he transitioned into adult roles, Kumar gained recognition for his performances in films like:
- Devadoothan (2000)
- Kanmashi (2002)
- Sethurama Iyer CBI (2004)
- Vegam (2014)
- Simon Daniel (2022)
Career as director
editVineeth kumar ventured into direction with his debut film Ayal Njanalla (2015),[6] starring Fahadh Faasil. He also wrote the screenplay for this film which explored themes of self-discovery and relationships.
His second directorial venture, Dear Friend (2022),[7] starring Tovino Thomas in the lead, premiered in theaters on June 10, 2022. The film received widespread acclaim and was subsequently released on the Netflix OTT platform[8] in July 2022, where it continued to garner positive reviews.[9] The movie delved into the lives of a group of friends searching for their missing companion, who is later revealed to be a con artist.[10] The film received praise for its engaging narrative and character development.
His latest movie, Pavi Caretaker,[11] starring Dileep, was released on April 26, 2024 worldwide.
| Year | Title | Role | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha | [2] | ||
| Mudra | ||||
| Padippura | ||||
| Anagha | ||||
| Dasharatham | ||||
| 1991 | Bharatham | |||
| Inspector Balram | ||||
| 1992 | Sargam | |||
| Adhwaytham | ||||
| 1993 | Mithunam | |||
| 1994 | Vishnu | |||
| 1996 | Azhakiya Ravanan | |||
| 1997 | Krishnagudiyil Oru Pranayakalathu | |||
| 2000 | Devadoothan | [12] | ||
| Thottam | ||||
| 2001 | Sharja to Sharja | |||
| 2002 | Pranayamanithooval | |||
| Kanmashi | ||||
| 2003 | Melvilasom Seriyanu | |||
| Mazhanoolkkanavu | ||||
| 2004 | Aparichithan | |||
| Sethurama Iyer CBI | [13] | |||
| Kottaaram Vaidyan | ||||
| 2005 | The Tiger | |||
| 2006 | Pulijanmam | |||
| Baba Kalyani | ||||
| 2007 | Flash | |||
| 2008 | Thirakkatha | |||
| 2010 | Sufi Paranja Katha | |||
| 2011 | Sevenes | |||
| Ithu Nammude Katha | ||||
| 2012 | Chapters | |||
| Face2Face | ||||
| 2013 | Oru Yathrayil | [14] | ||
| 2014 | Vegam | [15] | ||
| 2015 | Oru Vadakkan Selfie | Cameo | ||
| 2016 | Sahapadi 1975 | |||
| 2017 | Careful | [16] | ||
| 2018 | Oru Kuttanadan Blog | Cameo | ||
| 2019 | Krishnam | Bilingual film (Malayalam/Tamil) | ||
| 2022 | Simon Daniel | Simon Daniel | [17] | |
| 2023 | Higuita | [18] | ||
| 2024 | Pavi Caretaker | [19] | ||
| 2024 | Rifle Club | Shahjahan | [20] |
| Year | Title |
|---|---|
| 2012 | The Spark |
| 2020 | Oru Nurungu Samsayam (The Little Riddle) |
| Year | Title | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Ayal Njanalla | [4] | |
| 2022 | Dear Friend | [10] | |
| 2024 | Pavi Caretaker | [21] |
References
edit- ^ "Official website of the Information and Public Relations Department of Kerala". web.archive.org. 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
- ^ a b "Vineeth Kumar Vadakkan Veeragatha". in.video.search.yahoo.com. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
- ^ "Ayal Njanalla Movie Review". The Times of India. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2024-11-28.
- ^ a b V.P, Nicy (2014-09-13). "Fahadh Faasil to Act in Vineeth Kumar Directorial, Scripted by Ranjith". www.ibtimes.co.in. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
- ^ "What's with Vineeth and school arts festivals?". OnManorama. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
- ^ "Ayaal Njanalla: A Fahadh phase". www.onmanorama.com. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
- ^ "Tovino Thomas, Basil Joseph, and Darshana Rajendran to team up for Vineeth Kumar's directorial - Exclusive!". The Times of India. 2022-04-09. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
- ^ "Tovino Thomas starrer 'Dear Friend' to stream on OTT this weekend". The Times of India. 2022-07-06. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
- ^ "Tovino, Darshana join director Vineeth Kumar's new film". The New Indian Express. 2021-09-07. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
- ^ a b M, Athira (2022-06-07). "'Dear Friend' has a different take on friendship, says director Vineeth Kumar". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
- ^ "'Pavi Caretaker' trailer: Dileep starrer promises a lighthearted journey". The Times of India. 2024-04-19. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
- ^ "Devadoothan movie review: Mohanlal's timeless musical horror should have come with the tagline 'masters at work'". The Indian Express. 2024-07-26. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
- ^ Sethurama Iyer CBI (2004) - IMDb. Retrieved 2024-11-27 – via www.imdb.com.
- ^ "Oru Yathrayil (2013) - Movie | Reviews, Cast & Release Date in kochi". BookMyShow. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
- ^ "Vineeth Kumar in a youth film". The Times of India. 2013-12-11. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
- ^ "Jomol, Vineeth Kumar to team up after 27 years". The Times of India. 2017-01-27. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
- ^ "'Simon Daniel' teaser: Vineeth Kumar and Divya Pillai are on a treasure hunt". The Times of India. 2022-08-18. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
- ^ "Dhyan Sreenivasan-Suraj Venjaramoodu's Higuita Gets An OTT Release Date!". Times Now. 2024-06-25. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
- ^ "Pavi Caretaker - Official Trailer". The Times of India. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
- ^ "Vineeth Kumar Is Playing Shajahan In Aashiq Abu's Rifle Club, Character Poster Released". Times Now. 2024-11-11. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
- ^ "Dileep-starrer Pavi Care Taker to release on this date". Cinema Express. 2024-03-15. Retrieved 2024-03-16.