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{{Short description|Indian actor}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2021}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Major Sundarrajan
| image = Major Sundarrrajan.jpg
| caption = Sundarrajan in ''[[Major Chandrakanth (1966 film)|Major Chandrakanth]]'' (1966)
| birth_name = Srinivasan Sundarrajan
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1935|03|17}}
| birth_place = [[Periyakulam]], [[Madurai]]
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2003|02|28|1935|03|17}}
| death_place = [[Chennai]], [[Tamil Nadu]], India
| occupation = Actor, director
| years_active = 1962–2003
| spouse = Shyamala
| children = [[Gowtham Sundararajan|Gowtham]]
}}

'''Srinivasan Sundarrajan''' (17 March 1935 – 28 February 2003), popularly known as '''Major Sundarrajan''', was an Indian actor and director who performed predominantly in [[Tamil language]] films and plays.

== Early life ==
Sundarrajan was born on 17 March 1935 in a middle-class [[Brahmin]] family in [[Periyakulam]], [[Madurai]].<ref name="theguardian" /> His father Srinivasa Iyengar was a stage actor. Sundarrajan's first stint with acting came when he was in the sixth grade; at this point he was cast in a Hindi play of his school. He went on to act in numerous school and college plays.<ref name="kalyanamalaimagazine1" /> After graduating with a degree in science, Sundarrajan went to Madras (now [[Chennai]]), where his uncle Veeraraghavan was an amateur actor in the Triplicane Fine Arts theatre troupe. Sundarrajan played minor roles in this troupe's plays, and simultaneously managed a full-time career at Madras Telephones.<ref name="theguardian" /><ref name="kalyanamalaimagazine1" /><ref name="Sundararajan dead" />

== Career ==
{{See also|Major Sundarrajan filmography}}
Sundarrajan began his career in film with a supporting role in ''Vaijayanthimala'', directed by Sundar Rao Natkarni which never saw a theatrical release; his debut film instead became K. Somu's ''[[Pattinathar (1962 film)|Pattinathar]]'' (1962), where he portrayed a [[Chola dynasty|Chola]] king.<ref name="kalyanamalaimagazine1" /> Sundarrajan subsequently received opportunities to act in the plays of [[K. Balachander]], most notably ''[[Major Chandrakanth (play)|Major Chandrakanth]]'', where he portrayed the title character. The play propelled Sundarrajan to fame, and was adapted into a [[Major Chandrakanth (1966 film)|1966 feature film]] with Sundarrajan reprising the role; his performance received widespread acclaim. After this he became popularly known as "Major" Sundarrajan, with the prefix having first been given to him by the magazine ''Pesum Padam''.<ref name="kalyanamalaimagazine2" /> Sundarrajan went on to appear in over 900 films and continued to act in plays, eventually launching his own theatre troupe. Later, he started acting in television shows.<ref name="theguardian" /><ref name="Sundararajan dead" /><ref name="impact" />

== Image ==
Sundararajan was well known for his sophisticated and urbane way of delivering dialogues, often mixing English and Tamil sentences. In most of his early films he would play wealthy and assertive characters, such as [[zamindar]]s, an exception being ''[[Aalayam (film)|Aalayam]]'' (1967), where he played a poor Brahmin clerk.<ref name="theguardian" /><ref name="Sundararajan dead" />

== Personal life ==
Sundarrajan was married to Shyamala, with whom he had a son named [[Gowtham Sundararajan|Gowtham]]. Apart from acting, he was also a skilled gourmet cook. Sundarrajan was initially an atheist, despite being born into a Brahmin family, but became a believer later in his life.<ref name="Sundararajan dead" /><ref name="impact" />

== Death ==
Sundarrajan died on 28 February 2003 at Chennai.<ref name="theguardian" /><ref name="kalyanamalaimagazine2" />

== References ==
{{reflist|refs=
<ref name="kalyanamalaimagazine1">{{Cite web |last=Majordasan |title=Potpourri of titbits about Tamil cinema – Major Sundarrajan |url=http://www.kalyanamalaimagazine.com/Content/Thiraichuvai/Dec_1_15/Potpourri_of_titbits_about_Tamil_cinema_Major_Sundarrajan.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303215424/http://www.kalyanamalaimagazine.com/Content/Thiraichuvai/Dec_1_15/Potpourri_of_titbits_about_Tamil_cinema_Major_Sundarrajan.html |archive-date=3 March 2016 |access-date=22 March 2020 |website=Kalyanamalai |page=1}}</ref>
<ref name="theguardian">{{Cite news |date=15 March 2003 |title='Major' Sundararajan |work=[[The Guardian]] |url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/2003/mar/15/guardianobituaries.artsobituaries1 |url-status=live |access-date=28 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190418121751/https://www.theguardian.com/news/2003/mar/15/guardianobituaries.artsobituaries1 |archive-date=18 April 2019}}</ref>
<ref name="Sundararajan dead">{{Cite news |date=1 March 2003 |title='Major' Sundararajan dead |work=[[The Hindu]] |url=http://www.thehindu.com/thehindu/2003/03/01/stories/2003030105280400.htm |url-status=dead |access-date=28 May 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141203041733/http://www.thehindu.com/thehindu/2003/03/01/stories/2003030105280400.htm |archive-date=3 December 2014}}</ref>
<ref name="impact">{{Cite news |last=Krishnamachari |first=Suganthy |date=27 August 2015 |title=Made a 'Major' impact |work=[[The Hindu]] |url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/the-major-effect/article7586580.ece |url-status=live |access-date=22 March 2020 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200322134238/https://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/the-major-effect/article7586580.ece |archive-date=22 March 2020}}</ref>
<ref name="kalyanamalaimagazine2">{{Cite web |last=Majordasan |title=Potpourri of titbits about Tamil cinema – Major Sundarrajan |url=http://www.kalyanamalaimagazine.com/Content/Thiraichuvai/Dec_1_15/Potpourri_of_titbits_about_Tamil_cinema_Major_Sundarrajan_page1.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160311070517/http://www.kalyanamalaimagazine.com/Content/Thiraichuvai/Dec_1_15/Potpourri_of_titbits_about_Tamil_cinema_Major_Sundarrajan_page1.html |archive-date=11 March 2016 |access-date=22 March 2020 |website=Kalyanamalai |page=2}}</ref>
}}

== External links ==
*{{IMDb name|1139300}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sundarrajan, Major}}
[[Category:1935 births]]
[[Category:2003 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian film directors]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian male actors]]
[[Category:Male actors from Chennai]]
[[Category:Male actors in Tamil cinema]]
[[Category:Tamil film directors]]
[[Category:Tamil male actors]]
[[Category:Tamil Nadu State Film Awards winners]]

Major Sundarrajan - Revision history

CleanupBot at 05:05, 11 December 2022