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{{short description|Indian actor}}
{{other people|Ashok Kumar}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2023}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Ashok Kumar
| image =
| birth_date = 
| birth_place = India
| birthname = Ashok Kumar Balakrishnan
| occupation = Actor
| yearsactive = 1993; 2007–present
| other_names = ''Muruga'' Ashok
| alma mater =
| spouse = 
}}

'''Ashok Kumar Balakrishnan'''<ref name="navbharattimes.tomar.2020.05.04"/> is an Indian actor who has appeared predominantly in [[Tamil language|Tamil]] films.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-11-11 |title='4554' is a tribute to dedicated drivers, says actor Ashok Kumar- Exclusive! |work=The Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/4554-is-a-tribute-to-dedicated-drivers-says-actor-ashok-kumar-exclusive/articleshow/95449764.cms |access-date=2023-05-28 |issn=0971-8257}}</ref>

== Career ==
Originally from [[Thanjavur district]], Ashok Kumar grew up in [[Mumbai]]. He was a [[Bharatanatyam]] dancer and won the Nrithyamayoor ({{Translation|Dancing Peacock}}) Award from the Government of [[Maharashtra]]. He played [[Krishna]] in the Hindi television serial ''[[Krishna (TV series)|Krishna]]'' (1993-97). His film debut but was supposed to be ''[[Dishyum]]'' (2006), but he was subsequently removed from the film and replaced by [[Jiiva]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/i-would-never-take-on-a-project-just-for-the-heck-of-it-says-ashok-kumar/articleshow/108812301.cms|title =I would never take on a project just for the heck of it, says Ashok Kumar|work=[[The Times of India]]|date=27 March 2024|access-date=25 January 2025}}</ref> He then made his feature film debut with [[R. T. Neason]]'s ''[[Muruga (film)|Muruga]]'' (2007) and starred in ''[[Pidichirukku]]'' the following year.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.hindu.com/cp/2009/05/01/stories/2009050150391600.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090504093002/http://www.hindu.com/cp/2009/05/01/stories/2009050150391600.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=4 May 2009 |work=[[The Hindu]] |date=1 May 2009 |title=My First Break -- Ashok Kumar |ref=none}}</ref> He made a special appearance as a Tamil actor in a song from the Malayalam film ''[[Mulla (film)|Mulla]]'' (2008).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiaglitz.com/mulla-malayalam-movie-9907|title=Mulla review. Mulla Malayalam movie review, story, rating|website=IndiaGlitz.com}}</ref> Ashok made his Telugu debut with the bilingual ''[[kaki (film)|Kaki]]'' (2015), which was made by [[Vetrimaaran]]'s assistant director.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/151124/entertainment-kollywood/article/vetrimaaran-heaps-praises-his-prot%C3%A9g%C3%A9|title=Vetrimaaran heaps praises on his protégé|date=24 November 2015|newspaper=[[Deccan Chronicle]]|accessdate=31 May 2021}}</ref> The film was released in Tamil two years later as ''Ka Ka Ka: Aabathin Arikuri'' (2017).<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://cinema.maalaimalar.com/cinema/review/2017/09/28214201/1110526/Ka-Ka-Ka-Aabathin-Arikuri-movie-review.vpf|language=ta|title=கா கா கா ஆபத்தின் அறிகுறி [Ka Ka Ka: Aabathin Arikuri]|date=28 September 2017|website=[[Maalai Malar]]|url-status=dead|access-date=21 May 2020|archive-date=21 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201021055250/https://cinema.maalaimalar.com/cinema/review/2017/09/28214201/1110526/Ka-Ka-Ka-Aabathin-Arikuri-movie-review.vpf}}</ref>

In 2019, he appeared in the multi-starrer movies such as ''[[Chithiram Pesuthadi 2]]'' and ''[[Gangs of Madras]]''.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Chithiram Pesuthadi 2 Movie Review|url=https://indiaglitz.com/chithiram-pesuthadi-2-review-tamil-movie-22601 |access-date=2019-02-16 |work=Indiaglitz}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=Gangs Of Madras Movie Review: CV Kumar’s Second Film Is A Pretty Decent Heroine-oriented Thriller|url=https://www.filmcompanion.in/reviews/gangs-of-madras-movie-review-cv-kumars-second-film-is-a-pretty-decent-heroine-oriented-thriller |access-date=2019-04-12 |work=Film Companion}}</ref> He also acted in the Malaysian film ''Unakkagathane'' released in 2020.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Unakkagathane
|url=https://www.imdb.com/fr/title/tt11920236/|access-date=2020-02-20 |work=Imdb}}</ref> He was seen in the crime series ''[[Kuruthi Kalam]]'' (2021) which was released on [[MX Player]].<ref>{{Cite news |title=Kuruthi Kalam - An MX Original Series
|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/web-series/mx-player/kuruthi-kalam-an-mx-original-series/webseriesshow/80407381.cms|access-date=2021-01-22 |work=The Times of India}}</ref> In 2022, Ashok Kumar was seen successively in horror films such as ''Vidiyatha Iravondru Vendum'', ''[[Bestie (film)|Bestie]]'',
and ''Mayathirai''. In 2023, he was appeared in the action thriller, ''[[Vizhithelu]]''.<ref>{{Cite news |title='Vizhithelu' is an awareness film, says director Tamilchelvan Exclusive|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/vizhithelu-is-an-awareness-film-says-director-tamilchelvan-exclusive/articleshow/98312505.cms |access-date=2023-02-28 |work=The Times of India}}</ref> In 2024, he was appeared in the drama thriller ''[[E-mail (film)|E-mail]]''.as well as part of a [[Kannada cinema|Kannada]] project called ''Sambhavami Yuge Yuge'',and the fantasy thriller, ''[[Maya Puthagam]]''.<ref name=":0"/> The, Ashok Kumar appeared in ''[[Lara (2025 film)|Lara]]'' (2025).<ref>{{Cite news |title=Lara Movie Review : A coastal mystery, more murky than deep |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-reviews/lara/movie-review/116884004.cms |access-date=2025-01-03 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref>

== Filmography ==

=== Films ===
*''All films are in Tamil, unless otherwise noted.''
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ List of Ashok Kumar film credits
|- style="background:#ccc; text-align:center;"
! scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" | Film
! scope="col" | Role
! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes
|-
| 2007 || ''[[Muruga (film)|Muruga]]'' || Murugan ||
|-
|rowspan="2"|2008 || ''[[Pidichirukku]]'' || Velu || <ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-fridayreview/Seemingly-endless-search-Pidichirukku/article15397272.ece |title=Seemingly endless search -- Pidichirukku |date=10 October 2016 |orig-date=18 January 2008 |newspaper=The Hindu |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181105133023/https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-fridayreview/Seemingly-endless-search-Pidichirukku/article15397272.ece |archive-date=5 November 2018}}</ref>
|-
| ''[[Mulla (film)|Mulla]]'' || Himself || [[Malayalam]] film; cameo appearance
|-
| 2012 || ''[[Kozhi Koovuthu (2012 film)|Kozhi Koovuthu]]'' || Kumaresan || <ref name="toi.sharanyacr.2017.02.21">{{Cite web |author=Sharanya CR |date=21 February 2017 |title=Creating awareness through his short film |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/creating-awareness-through-his-short-film/articleshow/57253365.cms |website=[[The Times of India]]}}</ref>
|-
| 2013 || ''Vetkathai Kettal Enna Tharuvaai'' || Shiva || <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/thabu-shankar-lists-out-his-favourites/articleshow/11910276.cms|title=Thabu Shankar lists out his favourites!|date=15 January 2017|via=The Economic Times - The Times of India}}</ref>
|-
| 2014 || ''[[Kadhal Solla Aasai]]'' || Mahesh || <ref name="toi.sharanyacr.2017.02.21"/>
|-
| 2015 || ''[[Kaki (film)|Kaki]]'' || Karthik || [[Telugu language|Telugu]] film
|-
| 2017 || ''Ka Ka Ka: Aabathin Arikuri'' || Karthik ||
|-
|rowspan="2"| 2019 || ''[[Chithiram Pesuthadi 2]]'' || Salim ||
|-
| ''[[Gangs of Madras]]'' || Ibrahim ||
|-
| 2020 || ''Unakkagathane'' || Ashok Singh || Malaysian film
|-
|rowspan="5"| 2022 || ''Vidiyatha Iravondru Vendum'' || Kathir ||
|-
|''[[Bestie (film)|Bestie]]'' || Ashok ||
|-
|''Mayathirai'' || Jeeva ||
|-
|''4554'' || Karthi ||
|-
| ''[[Therkathi Veeran]]'' || Vasanth ||
|-
| rowspan="3"|2023 || ''[[Vizhithelu]]'' || Sivakumar ||
|-
|''[[Priyamudan Priya]]'' || Markendya ||
|-
|''[[Are You Ok Baby?]]'' || Thyagi ||
|-
| rowspan="3"|2024 || ''[[E-mail (film)|E-mail]]'' || Vimal ||
|-
| ''Sambhavami Yuge Yuge'' || Krishna || [[Kannada]] film
|-
| ''[[Maya Puthagam]]'' || Guru ||
|-
| rowspan="1"|2025 || ''[[Lara (2025 film)|Lara]]'' || Maharoof ||
|-
| rowspan="1"|2026 || ''Thiraivi'' || ||
|-
|}

=== Television ===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"
|+ List of Ashok Kumar television credits
|-
! scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" | Title
! scope="col" | Role
! scope="col" | Language
! scope="col" | Channel
! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes
! scope="col" class="unsortable" | {{Abbr|Ref.|Reference(s)}}
|-
! scope="row" | 1993
| ''[[Krishna (TV series)|Shri Krishna]]''
| Child Krishna || Hindi ||DD National
| Debut TV show<br />Best Child Actor Award
| <ref name="navbharattimes.tomar.2020.05.04">{{Cite news |script-title=hi:श्रीकृष्णा: 'कन्हैया' बनकर कालिया नाग का घमंड तोड़ने वाले ऐक्टर अशोक कुमार बालकृष्णन |trans-title=Sri Krishna: Actor Ashok Kumar Balakrishnan breaks Kalia Nag's pride by becoming 'Kanhaiya' |url=https://navbharattimes.indiatimes.com/photomazza/tv-photogalleries/ashok-kumar-balakrishnan-little-krishna-of-ramanand-sagar-who-danced-on-kaliya-naag-and-held-govardhan-parvat-interesting-story/ashok-kumar-balakrishnan-little-krishna/photoshow/75518674.cms |first1=Sangeeta |last1=Tomar |date=3 May 2020 |newspaper=[[Navbharat Times]] |via=indiatimes.com |language=hi|access-date=4 May 2020}}</ref>
|-
!scope="row"| 2021
|''[[Kuruthi Kalam]]''
| Item Kumar || Tamil || [[MX Player]] || ||
|-
! scope="row" | 2024 - 2025
| ''[[Mounam Pesiyadhe (TV series)|Mounam Pesiyadhe]]''
| Shiva || Tamil
|Zee Tamil
|
|
|-
|}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
*{{IMDb name|6311476}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ashok}}
[[Category:Tamil male actors]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Indian male film actors]]
[[Category:Male actors from Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Actors from Thanjavur district]]
[[Category:St. Xavier's College, Mumbai, alumni]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]

Ashok Kumar Tamil actor - Revision history

Scopex at 06:20, 7 May 2026