Oantree at 03:34, 14 November 2025

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{{Short description|Indian actor (1953–2023)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2016}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Junior Balaiah
| image = Junior Balaiah resize.jpg
| birth_name = Raghu Balaiah<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.chennailivenews.com/Valentine%27s%20Day%202012/Features/20121314011349/Celebs-and-Valentines-Day---1.aspx |title=Celebs and Valentine's Day – 1 – ChennaiLiveNews.com |access-date=11 July 2022 |archive-date=25 January 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180125165958/http://www.chennailivenews.com/Valentine%27s%20Day%202012/Features/20121314011349/Celebs-and-Valentines-Day---1.aspx |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1953|6|28}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://nadigar-sangam.org/member/junior-balaiya-a-k-a-b-raghu/|work=Nadigar Sangam|access-date=2 July 2023|title=Junior Balaiya}}</ref>
| birth_place = [[Madras]], [[Madras State]], India
| death_date = {{death date and age|2023|11|02|1953|6|28|df=y}}<ref name="The Times of India 2023 c168">{{cite web | title=Junior Balaiah Death News: Actor Junior Balaiah passes away | website=The Times of India | date=2 November 2023 | url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/actor-junior-balaiah-passes-away/articleshow/104904223.cms?from=mdr | access-date=2 November 2023}}</ref>
| death_place = [[Chennai]], Tamil Nadu, India
| occupation = Actor, drama artiste
| years_active =1975–2023
| spouse = {{plainlist|
* Suzanna
}}
|children = Niveditha<br /> Rohit
| parents =[[T.S. Balaiah]], Leelavati
| family =[[Manochithra]] (sister)
| imagesize =
| othername =
}}

'''Raghu Balaiah''' (28 June 1953 – 2 November 2023), popularly known as '''Junior Balaiah''', was an Indian actor who appeared in [[Tamil language]] films. The son of actor [[T. S. Balaiah]], he primarily featured in supporting roles throughout his career, which stretched over 40 years.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/t-s-balaiah-endeared-himself-to-millions-of-fans-with-a-career-spanning-nearly-four-decades-says-randor-guy/article6324279.ece|title = Darling of the masses|newspaper = The Hindu|date = 16 August 2014|last1 = Guy|first1 = Randor}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Junior Balaiah was born as Raghu Balaiah in [[Chennai]] (then known as Madras) on 28 June 1953. He was the third son of actor [[T. S. Balaiah]]. His home was [[Sundankottai]], now in [[Thoothukudi district]], [[Tamil Nadu]].<ref name="endeared">{{cite news| url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/t-s-balaiah-endeared-himself-to-millions-of-fans-with-a-career-spanning-nearly-four-decades-says-randor-guy/article6324279.ece | location=Chennai, India | work=The Hindu | title=Darling of the masses | date=23 August 2014 }}</ref> For personal reasons, he turned to [[Evangelism]] following [[Christianity]].<ref name=autogenerated1>{{cite news| url=http://www.nettv4u.com/celebrity/tamil/movie-actor/junior-balaiah | location=Chennai, India | work=nettv4u.com | title=Junior Balaiah}}</ref>

Balaiah died from [[suffocation]] on 2 November 2023, at the age of 70.<ref>[https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/regional-cinema/story/tamil-actor-junior-balaiah-dies-of-suffocation-at-70-in-chennai-2457014-2023-11-02 Junior Balaiah's death]</ref>

==Career==
[[T. S. Balaiah]] died three days into Junior Balaiah's first film as an actor. T. S. Balaiah was to have acted in a movie directed by [[M. R. Radha]] called ''Suttaan Sutten'', in which Radha's son was to be played by Junior Balaiah and Balaiah's son was to be played by M. R. R. Vasu, but his death ended the production. Junior Balaiah then acted in several films but failed to recreate the success of his father. He subsequently became bankrupt and later began to practise [[Christianity]], setting up a healing centre called Healing Stripes Ministry.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://thaveethinkudaram.blogspot.co.uk/2010/12/actor-junior-t-s-balaiahs-testimony.html|title=Actor Junior T. S. Balaiah's Testimony – 05/12/2010|access-date=30 January 2016|archive-date=6 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171206215518/http://thaveethinkudaram.blogspot.co.uk/2010/12/actor-junior-t-s-balaiahs-testimony.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In the 2010s, Balaiah made rare appearances in films and won acclaim for his portrayal of a headmaster in ''[[Saattai]]'' (2012). He appeared in four films in 2015 including ''[[Thani Oruvan]]'' and ''[[Puli (2015 film)|Puli]]''.<ref name = hindu>{{Cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/100th-birthday-of-one-of-actor-t-s-balaiah/article6345220.ece|title = 100 years of laughter|newspaper = The Hindu|date = 23 August 2014|last1 = Raman|first1 = Mohan}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/om-shanti-om-the-ghost-is-clear/article6868916.ece|title=The ghost is clear|newspaper=The Hindu|date=7 February 2015|last1=Raghavan|first1=Nikhil}}</ref>

In 2014, Balaiah revealed his intentions of becoming a film producer to launch his son's acting career.<ref name = hindu/>

==Selected filmography==
{{colbegin}}
*''[[Melnaattu Marumagal]]'' (1975)
*''[[Ilaya Thalaimurai]]'' (1977)
*''[[Thyagam]]'' (1978)
*''[[Yamanukku Yaman]]'' (1980)
*''[[Vazhvey Maayam]]'' (1982)
*''[[Dhooram Adhighamillai]]'' (1983)
*''[[Anbe Odi Vaa]]'' (1984)
*''[[Karagattakaran]]'' (1989)
*''[[Gopura Vasalile]]'' (1991)
*''[[Vigneshwar]]'' (1991)
*''[[Chinna Thayee]]'' (1992)
*''[[Amma Vanthachu]]'' (1992)
*''[[Rasukutty]]'' (1992)
*''[[Sundara Kandam]]'' (1992)
*''[[Amaravathi (1993 film)|Amaravathi]]'' (1993) as Rickshaw driver
*''[[Enga Muthalali]]'' (1993)
*''[[Pavithra (film)|Pavithra]]'' (1994)
*''[[Veetla Visheshanga]]'' (1994)
*''[[Avatharam (1995 film)|Avatharam]]'' (1995)
*''[[Mayabazar (1995 film)|Mayabazar]]'' (1995)
*''[[Irattai Roja]]'' (1996)
*''[[Pudhu Nilavu]]'' (1996)
*''[[Vaettiya Madichu Kattu]]'' (1996)
*''[[Kadhal Palli]]'' (1997)
*''[[Vivasaayi Magan]]'' (1997)
*''[[Raman Abdullah]]'' (1997)
*''[[Cheran Chozhan Pandian]]'' (1998)
*''[[Bharathi (2000 film)|Bharathi]]'' (2000)
*''[[Aandan Adimai]]'' (2001)
*''Shakalaka Baby'' (2002)
*''[[Julie Ganapathi]]'' (2003)
*''[[Jayam (2003 film)|Jayam]]'' (2003)
*''[[Winner (2003 film)|Winner]]'' (2003)
*''[[Sringaram]]'' (2007)
*''Vattapaarai'' (2012)
*''[[Saattai]]'' (2012)
*''[[Kumki (film)|Kumki]]'' (2012)
*''[[Thunai Mudhalvar]]'' (2015)
*''[[Thani Oruvan]]'' (2015)
*''[[Puli (2015 film)|Puli]]'' (2015)
*''[[Om Shanthi Om]]'' (2015)
*''[[Sethu Boomi]]'' (2016)
*''Narai'' (2018)
*''[[Koothan]]'' (2018)
*''[[Nerkonda Parvai]]'' (2019)
*''Sanga Thalaivan'' (2021)
*''[[Maara]]'' (2021)
*''[[Yennanga Sir Unga Sattam]]'' (2021)
*''B.D'' (2024; Posthumous film)
{{colend}}

===Web series===
* ''[[Mugilan]]''

===Television===
*''[[Chithi (TV series)|Chithi]]'' (2000–2001) as James
*''Vazhkai'' (2000–2001) as Prabhakar's father
*''Chinna Papa Periya Papa'' (2014) Season 1 as Masanam
*Maya machindra serial(1999) as ginglan swamy

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{IMDb name|1687033}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Balaiah, Junior}}
[[Category:1953 births]]
[[Category:2023 deaths]]
[[Category:Male actors in Tamil cinema]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian male actors]]
[[Category:Tamil comedians]]
[[Category:Deaths from asphyxiation]]

Junior Balaiah - Revision history

Oantree at 03:34, 14 November 2025